aspen2 said:
this idea is irrelivant and superstitious. the cross is the shape of a cross; depite how the crusaders believed.
no wonder bill maher makes fun of christians for seeing holy images in our food.
Spiritual understanding is not the same as fantasy and the Bible is full of spiritual truths that the natural eye is blind to. Jesus told us that!
However, Your signature is correct... Jesus taught NON VIOLENCE and I am not for any follower of Christ to pledge their allegiance to any military or punishing authority on this earth.
Luke 3:14
14 And
the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
KJV
But God is the one who ordained ALL governing authorities for fallen man needs PEACE officers and evil needs to be dealt with. It is God's Word that tells us that ministers of the natural sword are as much a part of God for judgments purposes as the minister of the Word who brings the spiritual Rod for correction to the CHILDREN of God to keep them far from receiving the wrath of a physical sword. Don't get me wrong, they WORK for God but that does not mean they KNOW God or call Him Lord, for we know that the rulers of this world have drifted far from God's Word and they rule just as we have sown in our children for our children grow up in the manner that we have taught them and they will rule over others.
Rom 13:1-6
13:1
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4
For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also:
for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
KJV
Know that those who go to the physical sword for the most part, are not the children of God but the children of disobedience for they are unruly, lawless, disobedient, anti-Christ for they are still following their flesh that gets them to sin. They may in man's eyes appear to be GOOD PEOPLE even heros... but the fact is they have a willing heart to kill, lie, cheat, steal, fornicate, adultery, idolatry etc..... and these clearly have not the Spirit of God in them for God's Spirit does not teach us to do such things.
1 John 3:9-10
9 Whosoever is born of God
doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
10
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
KJV
God knows good and evil and is for ever fighting for us against evil, to keep those who are GOOD in perfect Peace... so pray for the Peace of Jerusalem to reign in your heart so that you do not get handed over to the tormentors of the physical sword.
Gen 3:22
22 And
the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat,
and live for ever:
KJV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The cross represents the transition by crossing over from spiritual death unto spiritual life or dying to our flesh and becoming alive in the Spirit. Rather it be by the sword as in punishment for stumbling in our Christian walk being unfaithful the Christ by sinning, war, or persecution for the Word or perhaps martyerdom
Luke 9:23
23 And he said to them all,
If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
KJV
Or TORTURE stake if you prefer... it really doesn't matter it is all for the same purpose to bring our flesh into submission to Christ CROSSING over from death unto life.
That is what happens to a true born again believer and it is a process. We must deny our flesh and submit to the Word and Spirit of God to become overcomers no longer led by the sinful nature. This is by the Spirit that we are taken into our wilderness walk to be tempted and tested by the devil for God is choosing out a people for Himself. Just as Jesus was led of the Spirit into his wilderness to be tempted and tested of the devil.
Matt 4:1
4:1 T
hen was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
KJV
When the Hebrews came out of Egypt, they too had to pass through the RED sea or war of the flesh verses the Spirit. We must go through this as well when we come out and separate ourselves from Egypt and then into our wilderness walk to find our path to life. We shall go through trials and tribulations in life as God prunes us to make us fruitful for His kingdom that burn and cuts away the flesh man that holds us back from living by the Spirit.
We may be put in harms way or prison, physically and mentally just a Joseph was when God was raising him up to be second in command to Pharaoh. Our wilderness walk is where we begin to learn HOW to walk IN the WORD/CHRIST to be one with the him to walk as he did and to prove our self faithful to God's Word to be worthy of being called a child of God.