Below is a link from a blog that I am occasionally invited to read and my comments are being provided in the form of a blog post because it is too much information to be included in a Comments box. (You can refer to the statements as "my crazy thoughts" if you don't want to call it "information".)
Religion within the limits of my reason: Christianity and IS : max-aschmann-park
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MY COMMENTS:
In
Judaeo-Christian history, for the period between the Testaments
(which many in our circles refer to as Malachi to Matthew), there
were no prophets. Before Jesus arrived there was one prophet,
known as John the Baptist, “the voice of one crying in the
wilderness”. His “voice” was to let others know the Messiah
was come. He accomplished his mission and lost his head. By the
time of his death, the ministry of Jesus was in full force. The
ministry lasted for 3 years. Jesus also accomplished His mission,
was crucified, died, resurrected, ascended back up to heaven and now
“has all authority in heaven and in earth”.
By
His authority he never authorized the killing of anybody!
Jesus
made it very clear to Pontius Pilate and others while He was here on the
earth, that His kingdom is not of this world.
John
18:36
Jesus
answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this
world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered
to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
His
disciples were COMMANDED to “Go into all the world and preach the
gospel. He who believes and is baptized and shall be saved.” Converts are not to be FORCED into conversion. They must hear the Word, believe it, become convinced and convicted of sin in their life, repent (turn away from the sin), publicly confess that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God, and be baptized for the forgiveness of the sins and they are "born again", a new creature, prepared to live a sanctified life and work out their soul salvation.
Christians
don't want to conquer or rule the world!
We just want to live our
lives in peace on this earth being a "peculiar people, zealous of good works", and go to heaven when we die!
If we can
not live our lives in peace, without persecution, then whatever
happens in this life … it's God's will. We were also warned that we would be persecuted FOR OUR FAITH. We trust Him. All we need
to do is stay faithful.
Romans
8:33-39
33
Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that
justifieth.
34
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that
is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh
intercession for us.
35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword?
36
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are
accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that
loved us.
38
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
As
for ISIS, the establishment of the Caliphate, etc., etc. and any
other movement based on religious, philosophical, political or any
basis or foundation for their motivations and mission to gain power IN THIS WORLD … as far as
faithful Christians KNOW … “this too shall pass”.
+++
Often if an article is about to discuss a topic that can be categorized as "religion", the author may feel the need to state that the writing is not an attempt to convert people to their "way", i.e. beliefs, convictions, faith, etc. Point noted. However that same point can not be made by me.
