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Have you discussed the matter privately with the elders and your pastor?

They have been saying it in discussions which have taken place in other threads. We won’t have to look far at all to find Christians rationalizing Christians killing fellow Christians in the wars of the nations.

In light of my post # 33, that surprises me. I appreciate that. I haven’t ignored or disregarded the history. I’ve written extensively about it.

Off the top of my head I recall two (James and John) asking Jesus if they should call down the wrath of God and he rebuked them. No. I think it’s fine to ask God to take away an enemy or to protect from an enemy but I don’t think asking God to kill an enemy is in the spirit of the teaching...

If it doesn’t matter then why are we talking about it?

That’s fine. You, for example.

I typically don’t read / reply to long posts. I’m here for casual conversation. I will say though that I don’t believe everyone is a minister of God.

Yes. For the benefit of all mankind. Just between you, me and the hat rack, do you think I’m promoting lawlessness?

As a minister of God, Paul writes.

The Book / Epistle of Romans was written by Paul to Christians who were living in Rome. The concern Paul is addressing is how they are to live under the government of the Roman Empire. No.

Yes. Nero was the Emperor of the Roman Empire when Paul wrote Romans. While Paul was alluding to Nero - who by no stretch of the imagination was a follower of Jesus - he wasn't alluding only to Nero. Fair game for what? In short, Romans 13 is about the role of the state and the Christian...

Yes. “We [followers of Jesus] do not use the weapons of the world.” - Paul That’s right. The thought of followers of Jesus killing one another is far from the mind of Paul.

Christians killing fellow Christians and trying to rationalize it. We are here. Christians killing non-Christians -> the mission field has become the killing field. We can’t get to that when we can’t get past Christians killing fellow Christians.