A question of defince.

• Messages sorted by:[ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]

Bro. Jerry?
I think that it would depend upon whether they were
persecuting you as a
christian, or just persecuting you. 

Me:
Rom:12:19:
 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give
place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I
will repay, saith the Lord. (KJV)

Bro. Jerry:
I don't think that when we turn the
other cheek, we have to just allow ourselves to be run
over. Unless... it's
a test of our christianity. 

Me: 
Any time you are put in danger it is a test of your
Christianity.  God can either protect you or He cannot,
that simple.

The "turn the other cheek" thing comes from:
Ex:21
23: And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life
for life, 
24: Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for
foot, 
25: Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for
stripe. 
26: And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye
of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for
his eye's sake. 
27: And if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his
maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his
tooth's sake. 

We are called to be the "servants" of all and when we a
"smitten" it is OUR freedom.

This is what Jesus meant when He said "you have heard of
old and eye for an eye, but I say unto you that if a man
smite thee on the right cheek (where your eye is BTW) that
you offer him the left also" (paraphrase).  

Jesus was saying that you are the other man's servant and
that in his unrighteous abuse of you you gain your freedom
when the case is taken before the Judge.

When can we strike back?  When we get to be the master of
the man who strikes us.

That job is taken BTW.

But Bro. Tim, what if they do something bad to my family?

Jesus put it best:
Mt:26:53:
 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he
shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
(KJV)

Could I watch as someting like this happened.  I really
don't know but my duty before the Lord is clear: Trust in
Him.  Trust Him to not put more on me that I can stand,
trust Him to protect my family (even though they are at
present, lost) for MY sake because He loves ME, trust that
should He allow such a thing to happen that He really does
know what is best.

I can tell you from experience that there is no wound that
He cannot heal!

We are told not to retaliate not SO much for the sake of
Love since Justice demands that someone PAY for evil deeds,
either the offender or our precious Jesus, but because it
is not OUR place.

This is why the Old Testament saints were instructed to
kill.  Since vengence is God's, He can give it to whom ever
He pleases.  It is Him that is owed and He can apoint His
own "agent" to collect.  When Jesus died on the cross He
was given the job of "Collector" forever.

Timothy Litteral
472 Grant St.
Marion Ohio 43302
brotim@gte.net
http://members.tripod.com/~trlitteral/