Does Christianity require Pacifism

Jesus forbids killing enemies. If you value your wife more than he, you might have already flunked the test without ever taking it.

 

1) When are we not to act as an individual (according to our own volition)? When we are acting as the church, or representative of the church, and when we are acting under the authority of government, such as a police person taking down an active shooter in a school.

2) The church is to oppose false teachers to protect the flock. This is not turning the other cheek.

3) "I know of no verse..."
Rom 13:3
For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same;

Rom 13:4
for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.

 

Dave, this forum is likely read by some criminals as well as Christians. Don't you realize you're advertising to them that your home would be an easy hit ?

While a cop, I knew a man who carried his pacifism to the point that he wouldn't even own a protective dog, saying that was tantamount to his attacking the intruder himself. he was home invaded/robbed 3 times in a year. I nailed one of those burglars when he broke into the wrong home & was subdued by the homeowner & his 110-lb Bouvier Des Flandres watchdog. He admitted to hitting the pacifist's home, as he had no worries about being shot or dog-tackled, that the man wes well-known to the criminal community. (And he admitted he'd made an error in judgment breaking into the home where he was caught; I responded he'd made an error in judgment in his CAREER CHOICE, that he could easily have been killed.)

I pray this doesn't happen to you, but by advertising your pacifism, are you really doing your best for your family, as Jesus wants?

 

Then, why did He tell His disciples to have swords, that had no use other than weapons ?

 

Then is threatening-- if not striking; we don't know-- someone with a whip and throwing over their tables with money and animals not violence? Or did Jesus sin when he did that, on at least 2 different occasions?

 

Jesus was fulfilling scripture.

 

Jesus had to be framed among the transgressors. The two swords and Peter cutting off Malchus' ear led to this. Jesus rebuked Peter forever forbidding the use of the sword by his followers.

 

Would you rather die upholding Jesus' words and wear a martyr's crown along with your wife. Or kill an intruder so you can die of cancer or Alzheimers in the rest home?

 

That is not the question.
Then is threatening-- if not striking; we don't know-- someone with a whip and throwing over their tables with money and animals not violence? Or did Jesus sin when he did that, on at least 2 different occasions?

 

Again; “His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house will consume me.”” John 2:17 (NASB95) = no justification for killing enemies instead of loving them.

 

Look at it through God's eyes. All are under his wrath except for Christians. An early death = less suffering in hell for the unbeliever. An early death = heaven and eternal bliss for the believer which Paul says is to be preferred. Personally, I'd rather take a bullet for Jesus than to kill an enemy only to waste away with cancer or Alzheimer's in a nursing home. A Christian might offer their life as a human shield or even try to disarm the shooter. But killing them is not in line with Christian ethics.

 

Abraham loved God more than his only child heir. And was willing to sacrifice him upholding God's word. You can tell God you are not willing to uphold Jesus' words never being put to the test. You've already flunked it. I would not do this. I would say something like by God's grace I could pass the test.

 

Just follow Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount and it will sort itself out.

 

It's about non resistance of evil and loving enemies in part. It's our calling as his followers.

“Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.” 2 John 9–11 (NASB95)

 

Again, That is not the question.
Then is threatening-- if not striking; we don't know-- someone with a whip and throwing over their tables with money and animals not violence? Or did Jesus sin when he did that, on at least 2 different occasions?

 

Where does Jesus tell us to use violence? Do you have an example of Christians using violence in scripture? Other than Peter whom Jesus rebuked?