It is the desire of my heart that God be Lord of my life. Life’s experiences have killed the old man and God is building a new creation in me. I look forward to experiencing the new man God creates in the old vessel known as Archie via "God Spots".
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6 thoughts on “How do you reconcile “Thou shalt not murder” and war?”
I pulled these comments from Facebook. I’m still looking for THE ANSWER.
Phillip Higginbotham at 4:10pm June 1
I can’t. I can’t really understand how anyone can read the words of Christ when he says, “Love your enemies” and “Do not resist an evil person” and believe Jesus is who he claimed to be can still find the idea of war palatable.
Tiffany Crawford at 4:19pm June 1
being a Desert Storm Vet on the front lines, this is something Michael and I have talked about….how do you reconcile a “a time for peace and a time for war” Ecclesiastes 3??
Phillip Higginbotham at 4:32pm June 1
I see Ecc. 3 not as a condoning scripture for things but just a list of things that exist in our imperfect world. It also tells us there is a time for hate. But John write that “Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer,and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.” So I don’t feel Ecc. tells us we have license for things.
That all being said, I am very thankful for anyone who is willing to lay their life on the line to protect others. It shows a great love for others. I am thankful for our soldiers, but don’t understand war.
Joseph Wilson at 4:34pm June 1
im know among my friends as a person who is a bit crass when expressing a point so i will try not to be. if someone broke into your home and started to beat you up would you defend yourself or just let them hurt you? what if they were trying to take your family or kids away, would you just let them? if someone is trying to take my freedom, or is putting my freedom in harms way, i will defend it by any means i have. i will defend my family and myself with all i have avalible to me. i am “meek” but not “weak” YAH’WEH has been and will always be know to alot of the world as one who means business and is not to be messed with, and if they do they will dearly pay for it. he has proved that in the past, present, and according to the bible, he will do it in the future. we as christians need to stop sitting on our butts, and need to stop letting the world push us in the mud. we need to stand up, and show them not only that we love them, but that they cannot do as they please to us.
Joseph Wilson at 4:41pm June 1
sometimes you have to put your foot down and say no, youre not going to do that to me. not everyone on this earth is our brother, or sisters. remember who he is talking to in the book of john. there will be war when the end when YEH’WEH send YE’HOSHUA back to claim the earth. there will be much death, and violence from the creator himself towards the remaining people on earth. the final battle is all about war, and the fathers revenge for how we were treated and how the promised land was treated. i wil agree most wars on earth were not valid in why the had them, but were needed. its how we have the right to sit here on facebook and talk about it.
Phillip Higginbotham at 4:46pm June 1
I see where your coming from Joesph. Certainly, when it comes to my family I would have a hard time standing by if someone attacks them. But, I also believe God is in control and I have faith that he can protect me…and if it doesn’t happen that way I rest in the thought that he is still in control.
As far as Christians fighting back against the… Read More world, Jesus told Peter to put away his sword. If the world keeps attacking and we refuse to attack back and still win in the end, doesn’t that say so much more about who our God is.
Archie Rhines at 4:47pm June 1
So. This was not a come on for me. It is a sincere question. I appreciate the sincere answers. Here’s the rub. What about David and Goliah. God says don’t murder, but says go kill goliath or countless times God said kill everyone in sight including the women and children. I hope someone has an answer, because I’d really not like to think this is just another mystery of the faith.
One of the two premier late term abortion doctors was murdered yesterday. He likely killed thousands of babies. Was the suspect a hero (David) or a murderer?
Phillip Higginbotham at 4:59pm June 1
His sin was great…I agree. But if that makes it ok to gun someone down I’m in trouble. How ’bout you? If the early church felt they needed to kill Saul so they could save brothers and sisters in Christ how would things have been different?
I would find it hard to see this suspect as a hero. However, I can’t pretend I can judge this person as justified or not, I don’t have that kind of understanding.
Archie Rhines at 5:06pm June 1
From what context do we judge David a hero?
“A fair question. David was acting in faith on the authority of the Lord according to scripture. I cannot judge what the motivation was for this person. It could very well be that he was charged by God to gun down this doctor(I doubt it, but have no real basis for that other than a gut feeling)…I just don’t have the same context to judge this new David candidate.”
Hi Archie;
Self delusion is a powerful force. Believing you are performing a work for God by committing murder is difficult to understand.
On the other side of the coin, when the allies pushed back and killed the murderers running loose in Europe, I do not see a wrong committed.
This is where the will of God is difficult to discern. Moses killed and he was placed on a pedestal.
When and if the time comes where we have to act or react and the deed is done, what then?
Ecc. does speak of the opposites of this world…and yet like Joseph said, our world will end in war. So there must be some divine purpose in war, wouldn’t you think? There very much was so in the OT. War was and is still a necessary part of God fixing what we broke in Eden. It’s incomprehensible that God would desire for entire peoples be destroyed, but yet he very much asked that…and there were repercussions of stepping out of the will of God.
We see that in Ex 17:8-16, Deut 25:17-19 and I Samuel 15:10-23, 30 with the Amalekites. God specifically wanted these people destroyed, yet one was kept. The entire Jewish nation was nearly wiped out we see in the Book of Esther by Haman, who was a descendant of the Amalekites. A descendent of the one who was saved–who was suppose to be destroyed…hmmmm?
Yes there is defense of ourselves and our nation. And then there is divine plan because well Providence– God knows best.
The Word is clear in regards to David and Goliath. He was trained by God himself to handle such a giant. Does it make sense in our modern mind–not rightly so. Yet in comparison to the recent murder of an abortionist, I agree with ichabod in that “believing you’re performing a work for God by committing murder is difficult to understand.” But yet, it wasn’t difficult in the Old Testament, it was a way of life. It’s not difficult for those living on foreign soil who fight against Americans, it’s a way of life. Perhaps we’ve lost our fight? Perhaps the Americanized way of living isn’t as pure and holy as we think? I don’t know. I’m just sayin….
So it seems….
To reconcile murder against war, requires the acknowledgement that God makes the rules. No matter how hard we try to place Him a box, He doesn’t fit. We so easily shape our God to meet our needs and fit our preconceived ideas of who He is. Then one day, you wake up and realize God is not in the box where you put Him. You painfully once again begin the search for Him…
God Spots 
I pulled these comments from Facebook. I’m still looking for THE ANSWER.
Phillip Higginbotham at 4:10pm June 1
I can’t. I can’t really understand how anyone can read the words of Christ when he says, “Love your enemies” and “Do not resist an evil person” and believe Jesus is who he claimed to be can still find the idea of war palatable.
Tiffany Crawford at 4:19pm June 1
being a Desert Storm Vet on the front lines, this is something Michael and I have talked about….how do you reconcile a “a time for peace and a time for war” Ecclesiastes 3??
Phillip Higginbotham at 4:32pm June 1
I see Ecc. 3 not as a condoning scripture for things but just a list of things that exist in our imperfect world. It also tells us there is a time for hate. But John write that “Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer,and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.” So I don’t feel Ecc. tells us we have license for things.
That all being said, I am very thankful for anyone who is willing to lay their life on the line to protect others. It shows a great love for others. I am thankful for our soldiers, but don’t understand war.
Joseph Wilson at 4:34pm June 1
im know among my friends as a person who is a bit crass when expressing a point so i will try not to be. if someone broke into your home and started to beat you up would you defend yourself or just let them hurt you? what if they were trying to take your family or kids away, would you just let them? if someone is trying to take my freedom, or is putting my freedom in harms way, i will defend it by any means i have. i will defend my family and myself with all i have avalible to me. i am “meek” but not “weak” YAH’WEH has been and will always be know to alot of the world as one who means business and is not to be messed with, and if they do they will dearly pay for it. he has proved that in the past, present, and according to the bible, he will do it in the future. we as christians need to stop sitting on our butts, and need to stop letting the world push us in the mud. we need to stand up, and show them not only that we love them, but that they cannot do as they please to us.
Joseph Wilson at 4:41pm June 1
sometimes you have to put your foot down and say no, youre not going to do that to me. not everyone on this earth is our brother, or sisters. remember who he is talking to in the book of john. there will be war when the end when YEH’WEH send YE’HOSHUA back to claim the earth. there will be much death, and violence from the creator himself towards the remaining people on earth. the final battle is all about war, and the fathers revenge for how we were treated and how the promised land was treated. i wil agree most wars on earth were not valid in why the had them, but were needed. its how we have the right to sit here on facebook and talk about it.
Phillip Higginbotham at 4:46pm June 1
I see where your coming from Joesph. Certainly, when it comes to my family I would have a hard time standing by if someone attacks them. But, I also believe God is in control and I have faith that he can protect me…and if it doesn’t happen that way I rest in the thought that he is still in control.
As far as Christians fighting back against the… Read More world, Jesus told Peter to put away his sword. If the world keeps attacking and we refuse to attack back and still win in the end, doesn’t that say so much more about who our God is.
Archie Rhines at 4:47pm June 1
So. This was not a come on for me. It is a sincere question. I appreciate the sincere answers. Here’s the rub. What about David and Goliah. God says don’t murder, but says go kill goliath or countless times God said kill everyone in sight including the women and children. I hope someone has an answer, because I’d really not like to think this is just another mystery of the faith.
One of the two premier late term abortion doctors was murdered yesterday. He likely killed thousands of babies. Was the suspect a hero (David) or a murderer?
Phillip Higginbotham at 4:59pm June 1
His sin was great…I agree. But if that makes it ok to gun someone down I’m in trouble. How ’bout you? If the early church felt they needed to kill Saul so they could save brothers and sisters in Christ how would things have been different?
I would find it hard to see this suspect as a hero. However, I can’t pretend I can judge this person as justified or not, I don’t have that kind of understanding.
Archie Rhines at 5:06pm June 1
From what context do we judge David a hero?
“A fair question. David was acting in faith on the authority of the Lord according to scripture. I cannot judge what the motivation was for this person. It could very well be that he was charged by God to gun down this doctor(I doubt it, but have no real basis for that other than a gut feeling)…I just don’t have the same context to judge this new David candidate.”
Hi Archie;
Self delusion is a powerful force. Believing you are performing a work for God by committing murder is difficult to understand.
On the other side of the coin, when the allies pushed back and killed the murderers running loose in Europe, I do not see a wrong committed.
This is where the will of God is difficult to discern. Moses killed and he was placed on a pedestal.
When and if the time comes where we have to act or react and the deed is done, what then?
Ecc. does speak of the opposites of this world…and yet like Joseph said, our world will end in war. So there must be some divine purpose in war, wouldn’t you think? There very much was so in the OT. War was and is still a necessary part of God fixing what we broke in Eden. It’s incomprehensible that God would desire for entire peoples be destroyed, but yet he very much asked that…and there were repercussions of stepping out of the will of God.
We see that in Ex 17:8-16, Deut 25:17-19 and I Samuel 15:10-23, 30 with the Amalekites. God specifically wanted these people destroyed, yet one was kept. The entire Jewish nation was nearly wiped out we see in the Book of Esther by Haman, who was a descendant of the Amalekites. A descendent of the one who was saved–who was suppose to be destroyed…hmmmm?
Yes there is defense of ourselves and our nation. And then there is divine plan because well Providence– God knows best.
The Word is clear in regards to David and Goliath. He was trained by God himself to handle such a giant. Does it make sense in our modern mind–not rightly so. Yet in comparison to the recent murder of an abortionist, I agree with ichabod in that “believing you’re performing a work for God by committing murder is difficult to understand.” But yet, it wasn’t difficult in the Old Testament, it was a way of life. It’s not difficult for those living on foreign soil who fight against Americans, it’s a way of life. Perhaps we’ve lost our fight? Perhaps the Americanized way of living isn’t as pure and holy as we think? I don’t know. I’m just sayin….
So it seems….
To reconcile murder against war, requires the acknowledgement that God makes the rules. No matter how hard we try to place Him a box, He doesn’t fit. We so easily shape our God to meet our needs and fit our preconceived ideas of who He is. Then one day, you wake up and realize God is not in the box where you put Him. You painfully once again begin the search for Him…
Only, to find Him and put Him back in the box…
Hi Archie;
Beautiful comment you should post.