Kartographer:
Despite Luke 22:36, shortly after we have Jesus saying ...
“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.”
http://bible.cc/matthew/26-52.htm
“Swords” are definitely not for resisting the governmental authorities per Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2:13.
More on warfare in the New Testament ...
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
http://bible.cc/ephesians/6-12.htm
... puts Psalm 144:1 and 2 Timothy 4:7 in clear context as a spiritual battle, not a physical battle, for modern Christians.
Obama wants to raise taxes? This is Jesus on taxes:
“...Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
http://bible.cc/matthew/22-21.htm
Here are more verses that should settle in your mind that armed revolt against the government is rebellion against God:
“And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.”
http://bible.cc/matthew/5-40.htm
“But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
http://bible.cc/matthew/5-39.htm
Again, Ezekiel 33:4 is warning of the trumpet announcing God’s judgment sword against sin among believers. It is NOT a call to arms against a foreign power. This is abundantly clear in Jeremiah 38:2 saying...
This is what the Lord says: ‘Everyone who stays in Jerusalem will die from war, famine, or disease, but those who surrender to the Babylonians* will live. Their reward will be life. They will live!’
http://bible.cc/jeremiah/38-2.htm
Given all the above, 1 Timothy 5:8 is for feeding your family. It is not about fighting a foreign power, or the government.
Americana Gun Culture IS NOT Christianity. We have turned our backs on the Lord, and he has raised up evil government, and evil foreign powers, and the only way out is revival.
Your guns are as useless to you today, as spears and arrows were to Israel against Babylon.
You have been warned. Your blood is not on my hands.
Gilbo_3:
1) Just read Jeremiah. Israel back then is just like us.
2) God punishes nations that turn their back on him, like we have. He did it in Bible times, and “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” per Hebrews 13:8 still applies
3) China has civilian fallout shelters and is making more, and they are working on ballistic missile defense.
4) We have tons more enemies. All want us dead.
I don’t need a personal revelation from God. I just need to read the news, and the Bible.
When you revolt with arms against Obama, China and Russia will have metric tons of room to attack.
I don’t have to be a CIA analyst to figure this out. All I need to do is connect the dots.
1) enemies preparing to nuke us
2) enemies preparing to survive nukes
3) armed uprising causes chaos in the USA
4) PERFECT opportunity for China/Russia to be rid of the USA
Keep clamoring for armed revolt, instead of Christian revival. You’ll lose your country, and hopefully not more.
ronnyquest: Your “intestinal fortitude” will INVITE attack from China and Russia. China/Russia would be FOOLS not to take advantage of your rebellion. They are not fools. The church is lukewarm and disgusting and sinful, so why would righteous God NOT wipe out this country, like he wiped out sinful Israel in Bible times, UNLESS we have a Christian revival.
Eagle Eye: My tagline is a preemptive call to revival, which is the only escape from tyrannical government, and annihilation by foreign powers.
Final note gentlemen: If you’ve ever read Josephus’ account of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70A.D., when Titus’ Roman legions broke down the walls, guess what they found? The Jews were FIGHTING EACH OTHER.
That’s right. There is historical precedent for what I am saying. China and Russia would be FOOLS not to attack when you people throw your precious lives away on rebellion instead of Christian revival. That would be a tragic final mistake for the people of this nation.
that said, the Bible is the personal revelation in each of our hearts, and the words of The Lord in context, for myself, says that my role as a body part is a bit different than yours, but a means to the same end, that is the Glorifying of God thru Faith in Lord Jesus...
again, Lukes gospel is pretty clear that we are commanded to prepare for battle in the physical 'world' by arms [22:36] and the later rebuke of Peter was NOT for the simple act of using the sword, but was for the timing of and and ultimate motivation for that usage, namely in attempting to prevent God's Will in the conclusion of Jesus' mission...this usage didnt happen 'by mistake', no more than when Mary, a fallible human went to Jesus and petitioned him for more wine for the feast...remember His words ??? he rebuked her for bad timing, yet did it anyways, which says that she was actually right on time with the request, in the bigger picture...
22:36 tells me that there is a time when the Lord will use man for His Glory thru arms, its just that we need to be damn certain of our timing and unfortunately, that means that the blood must begin by the other side...we have a portion of the body thats called to be martyrs, and a portion thats meant to be prepared to fight...if not, the best wishes for all of us would be for our families to be slaughtered by anyone, quickly, to hasten our exit of this world and get on to Glory...but for some reason we aint wired that way, instead we chase life in its various forms and hang onto it until we are certain of the next steps we must take... we can certainly render many different interpretations of the same passages, as the eye cannot hear, and the hand cannot taste, etc, but the 'governmental authority' of ceaser or obambam is all rooted in human institution, and only truly powerful in our own minds and Spirits...
when government decrees that yer 2nd child must be put to death for global warming, and its codified into 'law' does that represent Gods will in bowing to authority ??? of course not...
'render to ceasar'...well, if God created all, then nothing belonged to ceaser to give back to him, except as man what we deem him to posses...
and lastly, if the russians or chicoms or bambam himself decides its 'time', because of wordly circumstances, i have nothing to fear except the limitations of my ability to be a useful tool in the Lords hands...this reality of life is less than a blink of the eye in the grand Plan, so i do not fear being overrun, i should welcome it as an opportunity to get home, but the martyr thing doesnt appeal to me, as my guts say that there is evil to be defeated as an example FOR revival...
Blessed day to all /my .02
Can't argue with that.
Look at Romans 13 a bit closer and you'll see that Romans 13 is talking about the church rulers. Otherwise you have to admit that God ordained Stalin and Hitler to rule. Even if he did, Romans 13 is not talking about civil rule but church rule.
Funny thing is that Joshua, David, and Jehu all used the sword to fight tyranny, infidels, and corruption.
So I think that blanket statements are really not in order.