Comments on: Thursday July 28, 2005

By: monicateresa

monicateresa — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 19:51:00 +0000

I saw this book a couple months ago and really wanted to read it…I wish books didn’t cost so much! I’ll definitely have to find a copy somewhere and give it a go.

By: Wekwom_Teks

Wekwom_Teks — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 21:57:00 +0000

i wonder if “free_by_grace,” who posted a comment above on the old testament wars, remembers that the old testament is just that…an old covenant, meaning that for it to be referred to as old there must be a “new” covenant that we have now entered into. i think that the matter does require further research, but just as bono said in your quote at the top of your post, “maybe the distance grace covered on the cross is a clue.” in the old testament times, adherence to the laws of God were what ensured your salvation and so forth. but then in the “new testament”, or the new covenant, which we are now under, through God’s saving grace and Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross, those laws are no longer solely determinant in our standing with God. what now matters most and is essential to our salvation is to come to believe in and have faith in the fact that it was all taken care of on the cross when Christ died for us. do we have faith enough to rely on God to find vindication and justice in a world without it, or will we have little faith and seek justice and retribution for the slights that we incur for His glory on our own? war to further God’s purposes on earth in the time of the old testament did happen, but the circumstances God’s people were in, namely, the conditions of the old covenant, were different than the new one that we are now bound, or rather set free, from. and to stand on one side claiming to be “for God” in the exploits and killings of fellow human beings smacks dangerously of the crusades. remember those? or how about the spanish inquisition? or the salem witch trials? any war today, regardless of it’s original intent and continued propagating, is easily and most definitely corrupted by the greed and selfishness of men. we are so steeped in and consumed by our own imperfections; we have fallen so far from the tree, that only Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient enough for us in any circumstance. no war, no killing, no political agenda will change that. when in doubt, ask yourself “what would Jesus do?” and you have your answer right there.

esther. i enjoyed your post immensely. i find comfort in the fact that no man, no government here on earth, no political power can ever get it right, and will fail in the end, for that testifies to the sovreignty and almighty glory of our God in Heaven.
much love and prayer.

By: walkalongside

walkalongside — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 20:12:00 +0000

Esther. I am currently reading “A Revolution of Compassion”. It addresses your #1 ‘I believe’. For more info see my July 5 post, “My Salutes this Weekend”. Keep on sharing!

By: free_by_grace

free_by_grace — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 18:05:00 +0000

Didn't God have his people Israel (meaning Wrestles with God) fighting many many wars with other people. King David had men under him besides Uriah who were dying in war and killing in war. I am definitely not saying that God has initiated the wars we have today, but at the same time I am saying that God has endorsed war in Old Testament times, including the killing of people.

It sure seems gory and wrong, but I think it's worth asking why there is this discrepancy between loving our enemies and the wars and killings of the OT.

By: XA_NMSU

XA_NMSU — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 09:44:00 +0000

Amen!

By: WatkinsTalkins

WatkinsTalkins — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 09:39:00 +0000

I hear you and agree with you! :)