BROTHERS – A Poem

“Long have I held that war is an enormous crime; long have I regarded all battles as but murder on a large scale.” C. H. Spurgeon

During World War II, I had relatives living in Italy and relatives living in the United States. Two warring nations. A close family friend who had immigrated to the U.S. from Italy was in the U.S. military. I assume he was drafted. I don’t know too many details, and those who can fill in the blanks are long gone. The story goes that he requested that he not be sent to Italy for obvious reasons. His request makes perfect sense, and it was granted. If I’m not mistaken, he was sent to Japan instead.

This makes me think of days gone by when Christian churches of various denominations taught about conscientiously objecting to participating in war. Things have changed in our modern day churches. As we hear of wars and rumors of wars, I’m praying for a move of the Holy Spirit among our youth that will bring them back to the old paths. My family friend, though not a believer, acted with wisdom. How much more should the church of Jesus Christ do so.

BROTHERS – A Poem

There were two men,

Who went to war,

One from a from abroad,

One from our shore.

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In the battle,

They killed and maimed,

The enemy,

Both did the same.

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It happened that

They chanced to meet,

And fought as told,

The foe defeat.

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Brothers in Christ

Were these two men,

They did not know,

Both born again.

Cathy White 2023

See also… WAR

MY AUGUST 2016 VISION DREAM

I had the following dream in August of 2016. It was long, it came in segments, and it had the quality of a vision, so I call it my vision dream.

“In my dream I saw uniformed Chinese or Korean soldiers, wearing caps, standing shoulder to shoulder in formation. They were standing behind a low brick wall, very easy to cross over, with only their upper bodies showing. They were ready to enter our country and I thought, they’re here, I wonder why they aren’t entering. What are they waiting for.

In the next segment of the same dream Billy was sitting at a table with a man. The man was Putin, and he was in our country. He was casually questioning/interrogating Billy. Billy looked calm but very guarded. I came into the room and started walking toward the table where they were sitting. Billy looked at me and nodded with a facial expression as if to say don’t come any further, get out of here. I left. I wandered. I didn’t know where to go, where to hide.

Someone gave me money for something. I went somewhere to hide where people couldn’t see me look at the money. I thought to myself, I’ll buy food with the money. (The feeling was that food and money were scarce). Then I felt guilty because the money may have been given to me for another reason.

In the next portion of the dream I saw crowds and confusion, and I saw a toddler lost in all the confusion.

In the last part of the dream Billy and I woke up in the morning. We walked into the living room, but it didn’t seem like it was our home. The TV was on and there were several other people watching, people we did not know. We felt uncomfortable. We were no longer in the privacy of our own home.”

With all that’s going on now in the world the dream came to mind again. When I looked up the date (I took notes at the time) I was surprised that it was so long ago, 2016.

Matthew 24:3-8 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

WAR, A COMMON QUESTION…

Originally posted in 2008, reposted with editing.

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A common question when discussing a born again Christian’s participation in war …

“Regarding war, how do you think from our Christian point of view, what we should have done with Hitler or a Stalin? Are we not allowed to fight evil men and women? Or are we to stand on the sidelines praying?”

A Biblical answer …

The people in the true story at the link below were Baptists. They were about their Father’s business in the midst of Nazi occupied Yugoslavia during WW2. The father/husband was an evangelist who eventually started and pastored a church. His wife was a praying woman, and like her husband, received tangible answers to prayer which ministered to the needs of many. They prayed for friend and foe alike. They never picked up a weapon nor killed anyone. The modern day church has lost it’s way and has apostatized from basic Christian teaching.

We, as Christians, are called out out of the world to be peacemakers and ambassadors for Christ. There is a great conflict of interest between a born again Christian, who is an ambassador for Christ, and the military goals of any nation.

See  … OF WHOM THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY

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.

2 Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

Matthew 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech youby us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

2 Corinthians 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

A thought to ponder… What if in a conflict there are born again believers on opposing sides? Should we be fighting each other either within our own country or in a foreign war? Do we, when we participate in war as born again Christians, put ourselves in a position that it would be possible to kill a brother or sister in Christ?

IF MY KINGDOM WERE OF THIS WORLD, THEN WOULD MY SERVANTS FIGHT

2 Corinthians 5:17-20 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

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.

Matthew Henry:

Art thou the King of the Jews? That King of the Jews who has been so long expected?Messiah the Prince; art thou he? Dost thou call thyself so, and wouldest thou be thought so?

Christ answered this question with another; not for evasion, but that Pilate might consider what he did. He never took upon him any earthly power, never were any traitorous principles or practices laid to him.

Christ gave an account of the nature of his kingdom. Its nature is not worldly; it is a kingdom within men, set up in their hearts and consciences; its riches spiritual, its power spiritual, and its glory within. Its supports are not worldly; its weapons are spiritual; it needed not, nor used, force to maintain and advance it, nor opposed any kingdom but that of sin and Satan. Its object and design are not worldly.

When Christ said, I am the Truth, he said, in effect, I am a King. He conquers by the convincing evidence of truth; he rules by the commanding power of truth. The subjects of this kingdom are those that are of the truth.

Pilate put a good question, he said, What is truth? When we search the Scriptures, and attend the ministry of the word, it must be with this inquiry, What is truth? and with this prayer, Lead me in thy truth; into all truth. But many put this question, who have not patience to preserve in their search after truth; or not humility enough to receive it.

Barnes:

My kingdom … – The charge on which Jesus was arraigned was that of laying claim to the office of a king. He here substantially admits that he did claim to be a king, but not in the sense in which the Jews understood it. They charged him with attempting to set up an earthly kingdom, and of exciting sedition against Caesar. In reply to this, Jesus says that his kingdom is not of this world – that is, it is not of the same nature as earthly kingdoms. It was not originated for the same purpose, or conducted on the same plan.

He immediately adds a circumstance in which they differ. The kingdoms of the world are defended by arms; they maintain armies and engage in wars. If the kingdom of Jesus had been of this kind, he would have excited the multitudes that followed him to prepare for battle. He would have armed the hosts that attended him to Jerusalem. He would not have been alone and unarmed in the garden of Gethsemane. But though he was a king, yet his dominion was over the heart, subduing evil passions and corrupt desires, and bringing the soul to the love of peace and unity.

Not from hence – That is, not from this world.

Matthew Poole:

My kingdom is not of this world; that is, I cannot deny but that I am the King of the Jews, but not in the sense they take it, not such a king as they look for in their Messiah; my kingdom is spiritual, over the hearts and minds of men, not earthly and worldly. And of this thou thyself mayest be convinced; for was there ever an earthly prince apprehended and bound for whom none of his subjects would take up arms? There is none of my disciples that takes up arms, or offereth to fight for me; which is a plain evidence, that I pretend to no kingly power in disturbance of the Roman government.

Pulpit Commentary:

In reply to this challenge, Jesus answered—obviously assuming the fact that he was a king in a sense entirely different from that which had been maliciously suggested to Pilate—My kingdom—the kingdom that is mine—is not of this world.

Neither now nor at any future period will it derive its origin from this world.

So far as Christ is King, his royal power and state are not furnished by earthly force, or fleshly ordinances, or physical energies, or material wealth, or imperial armies. The dominion that he will wield will be one over hearts and lives; the authority of the Lord Jesus cannot be arrested or overpowered by physical force.

 

WAR AND THE BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN

I just updated the page on war.  I don’t know what the future holds but, if at all possible it is always good to be prepared for any situation that might arise.  Today’s church organizations are not preparing our young.  That’s a tragedy of great magnitude.  Many esteem the teachings of popular pastors, churches or ministries above God’s word.  God’s word tells us it would be so … 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

WAR