1689Dave
Well-Known Member
Did you know Christ was teaching under the Old Covenant? And this has nothing to do with NT ethics?
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Most Difficult Concept
- Thread starter JonC
- Start date
I don’t think the oath of the soldiers reads “kill” however it does use words such as support, defend and obey.
If so then the Sermon on the Mount is the Old Covenant.
We support our nation, yet by definition our nation is "a power of darkness". You help fund the military. I am grateful men and women enter the military and in so doing serve God.
To suggest people should not feed combat soldiers, provide services for combat soldiers, minister to combat soldiers, or provide medical care to combat soldiers is not in keeping with Jesus' teaching.
The oath doesn't. You are correct.
The majority of soldiers are in service occupations. They provide food, medical care, financial support, etc. for our troops.
To say we should care for our enemies but not our citizens is a misunderstanding of "love your enemy".
1689Dave
Well-Known Member
No, the Sermon is the law spiritually interpreted as the basis for NT ethics.
1689Dave
Well-Known Member
= kill
I agree. The actual ethics in the Law never changed.
Why advocate for caring for our enemies and not caring for our own troops?
If caring for our soldiers is evil, is supporting killing....well, then so is caring for our enemy.
I do not see your logic here. It is very inconsistent.
That said, it is an individual decision to serve. I "defended" the constitution for 23 years...never killed anybody.
It is. The law has always been spiritual. Agape was always the essence of the law.
canadyjd
Well-Known Member
History of martyrs reveals otherwise. They went to their deaths without fighting, cursing, railing against their enemies. They deemed it a great honor to both suffer and then die for the cause of Christ without violence.
Like I said, difficult to understand and even more difficult to put into practice.
peace to you
1689Dave
Well-Known Member
You took a pledge denying Christ's teachings. I did not.
canadyjd
Well-Known Member
Did you ever “pledge allegiance to the flag” of the United Stated of America?
peace to you
In the branch I’m most familiar with it means kill when we tell you to and stop when we tell you to. But yes, you are a killing machine. Ooorah.
I’m not understanding how the oath servicemen talk is denial of Christ’s teachings?
For those who need to see the oath enacted by congress and modified at different times look here: U.S.C. Title 10 - ARMED FORCES
You are trained to defend yourself and others, however, you have no authority to kill at will. Even if following orders and you take the life of those not “in the fight” you can be charged, unless it is shown that the innocent(s) were hazards accidentally caught up in the conflict of defending.
There is quite a difference in defending and shooting those retreating.
Personally, if an enemy is not engaged, I question the wisdom of “preemptive “ strikes.
However, I do see the good that can come from such action, and I will trust the providence of God in expressing agreement with Paul to obey those that rule over you.
1689Dave
Well-Known Member
Not since it began bothering my conscience. I felt like a spectacle not doing so in community events but held true to my convictions. I stopped voting too.
1689Dave
Well-Known Member
If you live the Sermon on the Mount you cannot perform as a member of the military. Do you know that if you do not live the Sermon, you do not have Christ according to John?
canadyjd
Well-Known Member
Always follow your conscience… and allow others to do the same on these kind of issues.
peace to you
I would think if being in the military hindered the believer, there would be a specific illustration of that displayed in the Scriptures. However, God reached the life of both the centurion in the prison and the one who accompanied him in shipwreck, as well as “those in Caesar’s household.”
Although my citizenship is in the Kingdom of the King of kings, I do not have a particular problem with a certain level of allegiance to the rulers in which I am to pray and the constitution under which I live.
Citizenship does have advantages. Was it not used by Paul to minister to those in Rome?
However, should the government decide to discard the constitution, and Texans rise to secede, then just as R.E. Lee and T. Jackson, I will follow where I reside and trust the providence of God.