The TOPIC of this post is whether born again Christians should join the armed services, become a professional killer and kill his country's enemies.
**WHAT DOES GOD'S WORD SAY**??
**THE ONLY SWORD BORN AGAIN CHRISTIANS MAY USE IS THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT WHICH IS THE **WORD OF GOD**!!
2 Corinthians 10:3,4: "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are *NOT* the weapons of the world."
Ephesians 6:14-17: Stand firm then, with belt of Truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the **GOSPEL OF PEACE**. in addition to all this, take up the shield of Faith, with which you can extinguish all the arrows of the Evil One. Take the helmet of Salvation and the **SWORD OF THE SPIRIT**, which is the **WORD OF GOD**!!
Matthew 26:30-34: They seized Jesus and arrested Him. With that, one of Jesus' companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "For *ALL* **WHO DRAW BY THE SWORD WILL DIE BY THE SWORD**!"
James 4:1-4: What causes fights among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but you do not have, so you kill. You covet but cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with the wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God!
John 18:36: Jesus says, " My Kingdom is not of this world. If it were my servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now My Kingdom is from another place!!"
Matthew 5:43-45: Jesus says, You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' {As per Lev 19:18} But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven!"
Matthew 5:38,39: Jesus commands, "You have heard that it was said {In Exodus 21:23-25}, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek turn to him the other also!"
Luke 6:27-29: Jesus commands, "LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you. do not demand it back!"
Romans 12:18-21: If it is possible, as far as it DEPENDS ON YOU, LIVE AT PEACE WITH EVERYONE! Do not take revenge my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written, "It is mine to revenge, I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary "If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head" Do not be overcome by evil but **OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD**!!
The TOPIC of this post is whether born again Christians should join the armed services by swearing to an **OATH** and then becoming a professional killer to kill his country's enemies!
**EVERY OATH** that you swear to is **CONDEMNED* and is **FROM THE EVIL ONE** in the New Testament era!!
When you join the military and become a professional killer you must make a **VOW** that you will obey all the commands of your commanding officer. And so if He commands you to drop an Atomic Bomb that will kill about 100,000 civilians including about 25,000 innocent children you must obey this command!!!
The following **OATH** is given by a officer in the US army to be repeated by all army recruits while they raise their right hand:
I, _____, do solemnly *SWEAR* that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. **SO HELP ME GOD**."
What is the OT command concerning *VOWS* and *OATHS*?? Numbers 30:2: Moses said, "This is what the Lord commands: When a man makes a *VOW* to the Lord or takes an *OATH* to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said!"
What are the NT commands concerning making *VOWS* and **OATHS*??
James 5:12: "ABOVE ALL, my brothers, do not swear--not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or **YOU WILL BE CONDEMNED**!"
Matthew 5:33-37: Jesus says, "You have heard that it was said to your people long ago {Numbers 30:2 above}, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' BUT I tell you, Do not swear at all....Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No, 'No'; anything beyond this comes **FROM THE EVIL ONE**!!"
And so **EVERY OATH** that you swear to is **CONDEMNED* and is **FROM THE EVIL ONE** in the New Testament era!!
The TOPIC of this post is whether born again Christians should join the armed services by swearing to an **OATH** and then becoming a professional killer to kill his country's enemies!
**THE ONLY SWORD BORN AGAIN CHRISTIANS MAY USE IS THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT WHICH IS THE **WORD OF GOD**!!
2 Corinthians 10:3,4: "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are *NOT* the weapons of the world."
Ephesians 6:14-17: Stand firm then, with belt of Truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the **GOSPEL OF PEACE**. in addition to all this, take up the shield of Faith, with which you can extinguish all the arrows of the Evil One. Take the helmet of Salvation and the **SWORD OF THE SPIRIT**, which is the **WORD OF GOD**!!
Matthew 26:30-34: They seized Jesus and arrested Him. With that, one of Jesus' companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "For *ALL* **WHO DRAW BY THE SWORD WILL DIE BY THE SWORD**!"
James 4:1-4: What causes fights among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but you do not have, so you kill. You covet but cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with the wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God!
John 18:36: Jesus says, " My Kingdom is not of this world. If it were my servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now My Kingdom is from another place!!"
Matthew 5:43-45: Jesus says, You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' {As per Lev 19:18} But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven!"
Matthew 5:38,39: Jesus commands, "You have heard that it was said {In Exodus 21:23-25}, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek turn to him the other also!"
Luke 6:27-29: Jesus commands, "LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you. do not demand it back!"
Romans 12:18-21: If it is possible, as far as it DEPENDS ON YOU, LIVE AT PEACE WITH EVERYONE! Do not take revenge my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written, "It is mine to revenge, I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary "If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head" Do not be overcome by evil but **OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD**!!
The TOPIC of this post is whether born again Christians should join the armed services by swearing to an **OATH** and then becoming a professional killer to kill his country's enemies!
**EVERY OATH** that you swear to is **CONDEMNED* and is **FROM THE EVIL ONE** in the New Testament era!!
When you join the military and become a professional killer you must make a **VOW** that you will obey all the commands of your commanding officer. And so if He commands you to drop an Atomic Bomb that will kill about 100,000 civilians including about 25,000 innocent children you must obey this command!!!
The following **OATH** is given by a officer in the US army to be repeated by all army recruits while they raise their right hand:
I, _____, do solemnly *SWEAR* that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. **SO HELP ME GOD**."
What is the OT command concerning *VOWS* and *OATHS*?? Numbers 30:2: Moses said, "This is what the Lord commands: When a man makes a *VOW* to the Lord or takes an *OATH* to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said!"
What are the NT commands concerning making *VOWS* and **OATHS*??
James 5:12: "ABOVE ALL, my brothers, do not swear--not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or **YOU WILL BE CONDEMNED**!"
Matthew 5:33-37: Jesus says, "You have heard that it was said to your people long ago {Numbers 30:2 above}, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' BUT I tell you, Do not swear at all....Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No, 'No'; anything beyond this comes **FROM THE EVIL ONE**!!"
And so **EVERY OATH** that you swear to is **CONDEMNED* and is **FROM THE EVIL ONE** in the New Testament era!!
Philippians 3:19,20: Their mind is on earthly things . But **OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN**. And we eagerly wait a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies that will be like His glorious body!
Now I ask you, how can any true Christian take such an **OATH** in good conscience? How can the follower of Christ pledge faith to a manmade constitution that might require him to compromise his fidelity to the commands of the Gospel? How can a **CITIZEN IN HEAVEN** (Philippians 3:20 above) pledge allegiance to a secular government that requires him to defend it? How can a Christian swear to obey the orders of any president or any officer that commands us? How can a Christian swear to place faith in any organization, institution, or document other than Christ, and His Word?
I Corinthians 4:6: Do not go beyond that which is written!!
Matthew 28:18-20: ALL authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations... Teaching them to **OBEY EVERYTHING** I have commended you!" {Which would include Matthew 5:33-37 above!!}
Notice that there is no “conscience clause” in the soldier’s oath. In taking the oath, the soldier willingly relinquishes his choice as to which orders he will obey. If any of our commanders gives an order, the soldier has pledged to obey it – even if that order violates his Christian conscience like killing your enemies which is forbidden in God's Word or a strike that may also kill innocent civilians and children, the Christian soldier has pledged to carry out that order.
Of course, the Christian soldier is always free to renege on his oath. He can always choose to disobey those orders he deems to be unjust or unchristian, and he will have to suffer the very severe consequences. But why would any Christian willingly take such a pledge to begin with, knowing that in doing so he is promising to obey a secular government that condones immorality? To swear unconditional allegiance and obedience to anything other than Christ, His word, and His Church is a very dangerous thing. Our Lord was very clear that we cannot serve two masters: Matthew 6:24: Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” A born again Christian must never take an oath to defend a manmade constitution and he will never swear allegiance to a government that defends the slaughter of innocents. Like an order by President Truman to drop two atomic bombs that will both kill over 100,000 innocent civilians and over 25,000 innocent children!!
**THE ONLY SWORD BORN AGAIN CHRISTIANS MAY USE IS THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT WHICH IS THE **WORD OF GOD**!!
2 Corinthians 10:3,4: "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are *NOT* the weapons of the world."
**HOW DO WE FIGHT THE **GOSPEL OF PEACE**??
Ephesians 6:14-17: Stand firm then, with belt of Truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the **GOSPEL OF PEACE**. in addition to all this, take up the shield of Faith, with which you can extinguish all the arrows of the Evil One. Take the helmet of Salvation and the **SWORD OF THE SPIRIT**, which is the **WORD OF GOD**!!
Matthew 26:30-34: They seized Jesus and arrested Him. With that, one of Jesus' companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "For *ALL* **WHO DRAW BY THE SWORD WILL DIE BY THE SWORD**!"
James 4:1-4: What causes fights among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but you do not have, so you kill. You covet but cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with the wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God!
John 18:36: Jesus says, " My Kingdom is not of this world. If it were my servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now My Kingdom is from another place!!"
Matthew 5:43-45: Jesus says, You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' {As per Lev 19:18} But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven!"
Matthew 5:38,39: Jesus commands, "You have heard that it was said {In Exodus 21:23-25}, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek turn to him the other also!"
Luke 6:27-29: Jesus commands, "LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you. do not demand it back!"
Romans 12:18-21: If it is possible, as far as it DEPENDS ON YOU, LIVE AT PEACE WITH EVERYONE! Do not take revenge my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written, "It is mine to revenge, I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary "If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head" Do not be overcome by evil but **OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD**!!
**EVERY OATH** that you swear to is **CONDEMNED* and is **FROM THE EVIL ONE** in the New Testament era!!
When you join the military and become a professional killer you must make a **VOW** that you will obey all the commands of your commanding officer. And so if He commands you to drop an Atomic Bomb that will kill about 100,000 civilians including about 25,000 innocent children you must obey this command!!!
The following **OATH** is given by a officer in the US army to be repeated by all army recruits while they raise their right hand:
I, _____, do solemnly *SWEAR* that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. **SO HELP ME GOD**."
What is the OT command concerning *VOWS* and *OATHS*?? Numbers 30:2: Moses said, "This is what the Lord commands: When a man makes a *VOW* to the Lord or takes an *OATH* to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said!"
What are the NT commands concerning making *VOWS* and **OATHS*??
James 5:12: "ABOVE ALL, my brothers, do not swear--not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or **YOU WILL BE CONDEMNED**!"
Matthew 5:33-37: Jesus says, "You have heard that it was said to your people long ago {Numbers 30:2 above}, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' BUT I tell you, Do not swear at all....Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No, 'No'; anything beyond this comes **FROM THE EVIL ONE**!!"
And so **EVERY OATH** that you swear to is **CONDEMNED* and is **FROM THE EVIL ONE** in the New Testament era!!
Philippians 3:19,20: Their mind is on earthly things . But **OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN**. And we eagerly wait a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies that will be like His glorious body!
Now I ask you, how can any true Christian take such an **OATH** in good conscience? How can the follower of Christ pledge faith to a manmade constitution that might require him to compromise his fidelity to the commands of the Gospel? How can a **CITIZEN IN HEAVEN** (Philippians 3:20 above) pledge allegiance to a secular government that requires him to defend it? How can a Christian swear to obey the orders of any president or any officer that commands us? How can a Christian swear to place faith in any organization, institution, or document other than Christ, and His Word?
I Corinthians 4:6: Do not go beyond that which is written!!
Matthew 28:18-20: ALL authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations... Teaching them to **OBEY EVERYTHING** I have commended you!" {Which would include Matthew 5:33-37 above!!}
Notice that there is no “conscience clause” in the soldier’s oath. In taking the oath, the soldier willingly relinquishes his choice as to which orders he will obey. If any of our commanders gives an order, the soldier has pledged to obey it – even if that order violates his Christian conscience like killing your enemies which is forbidden in God's Word or a strike that may also kill innocent civilians and children, the Christian soldier has pledged to carry out that order.
Of course, the Christian soldier is always free to renege on his oath. He can always choose to disobey those orders he deems to be unjust or unchristian, and he will have to suffer the very severe consequences. But why would any Christian willingly take such a pledge to begin with, knowing that in doing so he is promising to obey a secular government that condones immorality? To swear unconditional allegiance and obedience to anything other than Christ, His word, and His Church is a very dangerous thing. Our Lord was very clear that we cannot serve two masters: Matthew 6:24: Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” A born again Christian must never take an oath to defend a manmade constitution and he will never swear allegiance to a government that defends the slaughter of innocents. Like an order by President Truman to drop two atomic bombs that will both kill over 100,000 innocent civilians and over 25,000 innocent children!!
