Many of you are translating this verse to mean passivity. The main thrust of the Bible, in which everything should be followed, is through love for God. The second is like unto it, that we are doing it for our neighbor (more than regard for ourselves). I am here to tell you, that if you live in the USA, you should not translate this "Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" as be passive and unresponsive! That is not thinking of others. Unfortunately, the people in the USA do not know their history, and do not understand that our forefathers who fought for freedom, believed that overcoming evil was TO FIGHT EVIL. To fight evil is fighting for everybody.
We have become such a wimpy passive soy boy society. You do not live in a communist country or a tyrannical dictatorship, yet. Therefore, to knoweth to do good, by using your God given rights and privileges and thinking of everyone, and doeith it not, to him it is sin.
When you don't protect and fight for your freedom, and you just comply, you are allowing lies to flourish, and allowing the takeover by the Evil One.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
I feel to reply to your post and expand to what Carleton stated. In this wicked world we live in one of the most important questions we, those who follow Christ, can ask ourselves when a situation occurs is "what would Jesus Christ do"?
It is right that the truth be spread and exposed. What is right and wrong. A big problem is the evil powers of this world own pretty much everything to do with mass communication. T.V., radio, internet, schools, etc and many people are brainwashed and deceived. Only a very small portion can be trusted to follow truth in whatever way. Although the devil mixes lies with truth to make it even harder for people to denote one from the other.
As I have been following what has been going on with the powers that be in the world for probably the last decade. Violence and fighting physically accomplishes nothing but more violence and blood shed. What the evil one wants. People to destroy themselves, by dividing them in any way, for their gain.
We, who follow Christ, are to live in peace. To turn the other cheek. To love and have mercy even on our enemies. Who I do not see as any other "person". It is the devil and the evil powers that be who control people in this world. That is what/who I hate. Not people. As I feel sorrow that they are being led to damnation. Hoping, and praying, one day in their lives they shall see the light and give themselves to the Lord. One more repentant sinner who has been saved.
Here are a couple verses from the OT and NT for you. With Romans 12:21. Reading Romans 12:17-21 gives a better view. Fear not those who can destroy the body, but Him who can destroy both body and soul in Gehenna/Hell.
Matthew 10:27-28.
Ecclesiastes 5:8
Micah 6:8
Matthew 5:39-45
Ephesians 6:11-17
They that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Matthew 26:52.
Jesus Christ is the only way. Not fighting for this, or any, "country". "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord."
Richard, may the Spirit grace us with HIS wisdom and His understanding.
When Christ returns with his saints to rule and judge this world then we will see:
Isaiah 26:9 With my soul I have desired in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I speak early: for when thy JUDGEMENTS are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world WILL LEARN RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Revelation 17:16-17 And the ten horns (overcomers, judges) which thou saw on the beast (man who does not have the name of their Father written in their forehead) shall hate the whore (those unfaithful to Christ their husband) and shall make her desolate and naked (judgement), and shall eat her flesh (judgement), and shall burn her with fire (judgement).
(vs 17) For God has put in their hearts to fulfil his will (turn the other cheek, love your enemies), and to AGREE (with him), and give THEIR KINGDOM unto the beast, until the words of God be fulfilled.
Revelations 15:4 ..... for ALL NATIONS shall come and worship before thee; for thy JUDGEMENTS are made manifest.
Psalms 67:7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.
Isaiah 52:10 The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of the God.
"And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven"
Jesus is the Lamb and I want to be like Jesus. Those who want to fight are plenty, those who want to be a lamb are few. The world will be the world to the end, it is corrupt and is close as our very flesh. But Jesus died for me so that I can have power over my lustily flesh to avoid revenge and power to love my neighbor as myself and present the message in this untoward world that Jesus is Calling.
We have become such a wimpy passive soy boy society. You do not live in a communist country or a tyrannical dictatorship, yet. Therefore, to knoweth to do good, by using your God given rights and privileges and thinking of everyone, and doeith it not, to him it is sin.
When you don't protect and fight for your freedom, and you just comply, you are allowing lies to flourish, and allowing the takeover by the Evil One.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
I feel to reply to your post and expand to what Carleton stated. In this wicked world we live in one of the most important questions we, those who follow Christ, can ask ourselves when a situation occurs is "what would Jesus Christ do"?
It is right that the truth be spread and exposed. What is right and wrong. A big problem is the evil powers of this world own pretty much everything to do with mass communication. T.V., radio, internet, schools, etc and many people are brainwashed and deceived. Only a very small portion can be trusted to follow truth in whatever way. Although the devil mixes lies with truth to make it even harder for people to denote one from the other.
As I have been following what has been going on with the powers that be in the world for probably the last decade. Violence and fighting physically accomplishes nothing but more violence and blood shed. What the evil one wants. People to destroy themselves, by dividing them in any way, for their gain.
We, who follow Christ, are to live in peace. To turn the other cheek. To love and have mercy even on our enemies. Who I do not see as any other "person". It is the devil and the evil powers that be who control people in this world. That is what/who I hate. Not people. As I feel sorrow that they are being led to damnation. Hoping, and praying, one day in their lives they shall see the light and give themselves to the Lord. One more repentant sinner who has been saved.
Here are a couple verses from the OT and NT for you. With Romans 12:21. Reading Romans 12:17-21 gives a better view. Fear not those who can destroy the body, but Him who can destroy both body and soul in Gehenna/Hell.
Matthew 10:27-28.
Ecclesiastes 5:8
Micah 6:8
Matthew 5:39-45
Ephesians 6:11-17
They that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Matthew 26:52.
Jesus Christ is the only way. Not fighting for this, or any, "country". "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord."
With respect. God Bless.
When Christ returns with his saints to rule and judge this world then we will see:
Isaiah 26:9 With my soul I have desired in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I speak early: for when thy JUDGEMENTS are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world WILL LEARN RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Revelation 17:16-17 And the ten horns (overcomers, judges) which thou saw on the beast (man who does not have the name of their Father written in their forehead) shall hate the whore (those unfaithful to Christ their husband) and shall make her desolate and naked (judgement), and shall eat her flesh (judgement), and shall burn her with fire (judgement).
(vs 17) For God has put in their hearts to fulfil his will (turn the other cheek, love your enemies), and to AGREE (with him), and give THEIR KINGDOM unto the beast, until the words of God be fulfilled.
Revelations 15:4 ..... for ALL NATIONS shall come and worship before thee; for thy JUDGEMENTS are made manifest.
Psalms 67:7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.
Isaiah 52:10 The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of the God.
These verses are for all of us!
Matthew 16:17
"And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven"
:)
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