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Holy Violence

Discussion in 'Other Discussions' started by KenH, Jan 17, 2022.

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  1. KenH

    KenH Well-Known Member

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    The kingdom of God suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. Matt. 11:12.

    We say hunger will break through stone walls. Desperate circumstances make men violent. Thus is it with a convinced sinner. He sees himself in the city of destruction, and Moses has set his house on fire about his ears, as Mr. Bunyan says in his Pilgrim’s Progress. Now, he cannot think of God, sin, death, judgment, heaven, and hell with indifference. No, he is awake. He sees the importance of them. His soul is alive. He feels the weight of them. He finds sin has destroyed him. The law terrifies him. Death stares him in the face. Judgment alarms him. He trembles to see hell moved from beneath to receive him. Now his fancied good works, his morality, etc. stand him in no stead. He hungers after righteousness. His apprehensions of wrath make him violent. His hunger is keen. He besieges the kingdom of God with eager prayer. He forces his way through every opposition. He breaks through every wall of obstruction, with, O give me Christ, or I perish. Give me his blood to pardon me, his righteousness to justify me, or I am damned for ever. This is fleeing for refuge. This is like one escaping for his life, from dreadful flames and devouring fire. This is being violent. Such take the kingdom of God by force. Though by grace we are brought into the kingdom of God, and enjoy pardon of sin and peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; yet the Lord forbid that we should so lose our conviction of divine truths, as to have done with holy force and violence. Soldiers of Christ, to arms. What! think of laying down your weapons of defence, and folding your hands to sleep on an enemy’s ground, when all around are up in arms against you? Come, come, there is enough yet before you to alarm you, and to call up your violence. Sin is within you. Satan is plotting against you. The world would ensnare you. Death and judgment approach you. “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burnt up.” O, dream not over dry doctrines and empty speculations, so as to be proof against the force of these solemn events, and to lose your holy violence. “For seeing that all these things shall come to pass, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation, looking for the coming of the day of the Lord.” (2 Pet. 3:11, 12.)

    Let me ask the important question,
    (Brethren, be not too secure)
    What it is to be a Christian?
    How we may our hearts assure?

    Vain is all our best devotion,
    If on false foundations built:
    True religion’s more than notion:
    Something must be known and felt.

    - William Mason, A Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God, Volume 2, January 14
     
    #1 KenH, Jan 17, 2022
    • Agree Agree x 1
  2. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Matthew 11:12 "Since the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of the heavens has been forcefully sought, and forceful people are laying hold of it."

    Let us worship the Prince of Peace... (Luke 2:14)
     
    #2 Van, Jan 17, 2022
  3. AustinC

    AustinC Well-Known Member

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    Hebrews 12:14-15,28-29

    Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

    Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.
     
    #3 AustinC, Jan 17, 2022
  4. Alex2165

    Alex2165 Active Member

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    I think the Bible will better answer its own Scripture.

    Matthew 11.12
    12.”From the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven has suffered violence and the violent take it by force.” (KSB)

    Violence under this context means - FORCE, WILL.

    And it talks not about violence of the Kingdom of GOD, but the violence (FORCE-WILL) of those who trying to reach it.

    Matthew 5.20
    20.”I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that one of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”

    So here a person need the FORCE of RIGHTEOUSNESS, in order to "conquer" the Kingdom of GOD. Righteousness it self comes from obedience and observance of the Statutes and Commandments of GOD, not like Pharisees observe it.

    Matthew 7.13-14.21
    13.”Enter through the narrow gate, the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it.

    14.The gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

    21.Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in Heaven.”

    In this passage Narrow Gate means hard and difficult Christians life, limited and narrowed by Christian principals and ideals, and only few will succeed, because it requires to do will of GOD. To do will of GOD requires a lot of FORCE and WILL.

    Matthew 18.3-4
    3.and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

    4.Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven."

    Humbleness is another quality that required from the true Christian, to humble before GOD and people. Because of our pride and ego not everyone can humble himself/herself, and so, it must be done with training and FORCE.

    Matthew 18.8-9
    8.If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away, it is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into the eternal fire.

    9.And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it away, it is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into the hell of fire.

    If you think that these verses very extreme, think again. Temptation, whatever it may be is the most common and potent sin in Christian community. It comes in many different forms and colors and it very difficult to resist.

    But again, only by the FORCE of the WILL it is still possible to avoid it.

    Matthew 19.21-24
    21.Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and gave the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven, then come follow Me.”

    And here is example of complete and total dedication, loyalty, and faith in GOD, which is only few can achieve with their extraordinary FORCE and WILL.

    Matthew 21.43
    43.”Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of GOD will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the Kingdom.”

    The Fruit of the Kingdom means all that mentioned above, and more, energized and executed by your own FORCE and WILL, in order to FORCE yourself into the Kingdom of GOD.

    It is not done by general slogans and banners that said that Christ died for all to save us, but in order to be saved we must change and be born again, and it all require a lot of FORCE and WILL on our part.
     
    #4 Alex2165, Jan 17, 2022
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