Should I buy a sword?

[SavedInHim]

Yes, I agree with that.

When a person is trying to physically harm you or others, their life is forfeit. If a non lethal remedy was available, that would be the first choice.

It will be interesting to see what may happen in the future if the persecution of Christians escalates to the point of physical attacks & incarceration, as it already has in some countries. Can you see Christian militias defying the government forces?

Well, we know how the early believers responded to persecution: They prayed for their persecutors as they were being fed to lions or burned alive.

 

[markalan]

WWJD ?
A Christian "prepper" ? Is he interpreting Acts 2:44-45, Acts 4:32-37 as applicable today ?

WWJD = What would Jesus do

Some Christian preppers say the Church will go through the Tribulation and there will be those who survive to come out the other side.

If I had a supply of food and hungry people wanted to take it, I would just let them. But if I had a family of children I am not sure what I would do.

 

[PeterAndroz]

WWJD = What would Jesus do

Some Christian preppers say the Church will go through the Tribulation and there will be those who survive to come out the other side.

If I had a supply of food and hungry people wanted to take it, I would just let them. But if I had a family of children I am not sure what I would do.

Ah, the pre, post, mid, pre-wrath debate.
Here is question/claim that those who reject pre have trouble answering.
'Today' we are SEALED with the HS Eph 1:13, Eph 4:30, Gal 3:2 once we believe, trust the 1 Cor 15:1-4 Gospel taught to Paul by Christ Gal 1:11-12.
Once SEALED where does Paul teach a believer can become UNsealed ? Nowhere that I know of.
In the trib a person who takes the 'mark' goes to the 'lake of fire'
See the problem ? If a believer is SEALED then how can they be sent to the fire ?
Your thoughts ?

 

[Wrangler]

Not that we don't have plenty of crime and plenty of criminals, but historically Australia has never had a lot of use for defensive weapons

Th part in red contradicts the part in blue.

 

[Wrangler]

If I had a supply of food and hungry people wanted to take it

The Christian ethos is about giving not, allowing oneself to be a victim, "letting" criminals take.

 

[markalan]

Ah, the pre, post, mid, pre-wrath debate.
Here is question/claim that those who reject pre have trouble answering.
'Today' we are SEALED with the HS Eph 1:13, Eph 4:30, Gal 3:2 once we believe, trust the 1 Cor 15:1-4 Gospel taught to Paul by Christ Gal 1:11-12.
Once SEALED where does Paul teach a believer can become UNsealed ? Nowhere that I know of.
In the trib a person who takes the 'mark' goes to the 'lake of fire'
See the problem ? If a believer is SEALED then how can they be sent to the fire ?
Your thoughts ?

I would say that all are saved through the work of the Holy Spirit, but not all are filled with (sealed by) the Holy Spirit.
There is too much disparity among Christians for me to think otherwise.
In the Laodicean church there were "lukewarm" believers and "overcomers" (Rev 3:14-22)
Paul speaks of those whose lives are built on truth and those who will be saved but "so as by fire".

1 Cor 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.​

​

Do you think everyone who goes through the Tribulation takes the 'mark'?

 

[markalan]

The Christian ethos is about giving not, allowing oneself to be a victim, "letting" criminals take.

I am not sure how as Christians we could justify not sharing food with other people who are starving, even at the cost of our own family's suffering.

Not sure I am a good enough Christian to carry that out ... but I think it is what Jesus would do.

 

[markalan]

Markalan: Not that we don't have plenty of crime and plenty of criminals, but historically Australia has never had a lot of use for defensive weapons

The part in red contradicts the part in blue.

One might think so and yet somehow we muddle through without a glock in the glovebox

 

[Rockerduck]

I would say that all are saved through the work of the Holy Spirit, but not all are filled with (sealed by) the Holy Spirit.
There is too much disparity among Christians for me to think otherwise.
In the Laodicean church there were "lukewarm" believers and "overcomers" (Rev 3:14-22)
Paul speaks of those whose lives are built on truth and those who will be saved but "so as by fire".

1 Cor 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.​

​

Do you think everyone who goes through the Tribulation takes the 'mark'?

That first line is not correct. "For by Grace your are saved by Faith". You received the Holy Spirit and were sealed. The filling of the Holy Spirit is different. You can't be filled without have the redemptive seal of the Holy Spirit. The filling is for a purpose to accomplish. Acts 4:8. Peter had received the Apostles power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

 

[markalan]

That first line is not correct. "For by Grace your are saved by Faith". You received the Holy Spirit and were sealed. The filling of the Holy Spirit is different. You can't be filled without have the redemptive seal of the Holy Spirit. The filling is for a purpose to accomplish. Acts 4:8. Peter had received the Apostles power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

I suppose some might read it that way ... I do not because it just isn't what is happening in the Church. It is evident that some are "full of the Holy Spirit" and others are just lukewarm believers. The Scriptures distinguish these different groups in a number of places, such as Mat 13:22-23, Mat 25:1-13, 1 Cor 3:11-15, Rev 3:14-22.

 

[Wrangler]

I am not sure how as Christians we could justify not sharing food with other people who are starving

Give. Take. Not the same. See Matthew 25. The parable is NOT the 5 wise virgins giving the foolish virgins oil they ‘need.’

 

[Rockerduck]

I suppose some might read it that way ... I do not because it just isn't what is happening in the Church. It is evident that some are "full of the Holy Spirit" and others are just lukewarm believers. The Scriptures distinguish these different groups in a number of places, such as Mat 13:22-23, Mat 25:1-13, 1 Cor 3:11-15, Rev 3:14-22.

None of those scriptures have to do with those whom are sealed by the Holy Spirit. In Matthew 13 if you are saved and chasing riches instead of God, you are in the thorns of life. Matthew 25 is between the saved and unsaved. 1 Cor. 3 , well are you saved or not. and Rev 3 once again if you are in the thorns, you need to stop it, and submit to Christ.

 

[Gray_Joy]

I have noticed my American Christian friends have quite a different outlook on owning firearms than we do here in Australia.
The thought of keeping a weapon for personal protection is so unfamiliar to our way of life that it seems quite bizarre.
Not that we don't have plenty of crime and plenty of criminals, but historically Australia has never had a lot of use for defensive weapons ... no War of Independence, no Civil War, no Indian Wars ... Aboriginal people here were just mowed down because they had very little organized defense.
My son owns hunting rifles which are under very secure lock & key regulations.
I am not opposed to owning & using firearms for defense, but the thought of owning such a weapon seems rather weird to most people here.

What weapons of choice do those of the criminal element you mentioned use?