Part of learning how to apply Christianity is to putting the "no one is good" thing in its place. No, we are not good like God. But there are a lot of good Christians and Christ expects you to be good. What would be the alternative! Ironic as it is the whole "no one is good" thing has been used by the most twisted people and cults to make you think that you are dirty filthy rags and dung in the ditch, and being good is impossible, so you might as well give up and believe that all evil is forgiven automatically and heaven is full of evildoers. No reason to attempt to be good and of good character is not the message of Christ and the Apostles. That attempting to be good is some how anti faith...comes from a twisted message.
Which leads to the study of the use of the word righteous in the Old and New Testaments. Which is interesting.
Now pacifism. The first Christians were Jewish Christians, making that group pacifists....that would be a chore.
Victory and I were discussing a verse earlier.
First Corinthians 8:13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.
This verse and the turn the other cheek verse do not workout as a whole. They have a general meaning but not a literal meaning,
The verse on never eating meat again is a matter of consideration for others. Besides the fact that we know that Christians are carnivores, the meaning of the verse is definitely not literal and would not work in practice. For example, Paul goes to a banquet and one person he meets is a vegetarian and gets sick at the sight of meat. The next person he meets cannot stand vegetables. The next person he meets cannot stand fruits. The next person he meets does not like water...(I am one of those persons, by the way.) So if all that is rejected, nothing can be served at the banquet and Paul giving it all up, he would soon die. Be considerate of others is the message. You have to put scriptures in motion and in context to understand them.
The turn the other cheek scripture in context...is Christ...a Jew...talking to Jews, about the Jewish Law...life for a life...tooth for a tooth. The Jews had been beating their heads up against a Roman wall for a few centuries. Just a few years before Christ around 2000 of them had been crucified after one of their revolts. So the message...back off the violence thing, cause it ain't working! LOL An over all peaceful approach is much better but total pacifism does not work because sheep have a tendency to become wolf poop.
Still the message is valid. The concept of loving one another and slow to anger is not only religious but wise.
You made the statement...well as you can see it's easier to get angry to the person who punch you in the face than to forgive him what's more you need not only to forgive him but to do good for him.
So what is a punch in the face? Is it the end of the world? Should you over react? Should you hate? The overall wisdom in regard to sin is that....want...hate...laziness...and fear are the primary causes of sin. Not that the devil does not tempt you...but that is what he plays on. If someone hits you or does you wrong, your first response should not be retaliatory. Fear is another topic...some say that Yahweh detested cowardice so much that that is the why the word coward does not appear in the Old Testament and if you notice cowards will be among those are thrown into the lake of fire.
People have carried around resentments for years because they were done wrong. And that is the interesting side of forgiveness. Forgiveness is very much a part of Christianity. But forgiveness does not only help those that are forgiven. If you truly forgive, you release that resentment and relieve that burden on yourself. Resentment can turn to hate and that can be like a poison inside you that changes your character and colors your life.
On the other hand violence is never good....but it is not always wrong or evil. The defense of yourself, your family, or your country.
People that have pacifistic beliefs....is there a wrong in that? A religious belief of no aggression. Hey to each his own and in a social context it can function. Love one another and slow to anger is the better way. But in in the broadest context it does not work. In order to survive, pacifists have to live along side those that are willing to fight for right and wrong or they die. Whether it be the police or the military. The world is full of wolves and if the sheep will not fight they have to be protected...what is the alternative? I have met people that would rather die...they and their families...would rather die than harm another person. It is a valid religious belief...not mine.
<<<Love one another and slow to anger is the better way. But in in the broadest context it does not work.>>>
What do you mean it does not work?
Tong
R4388
