Admin
|
Should I TURN the other cheek?
Posted : 29 Mar, 2011 09:12 AM
Brothers, I want to share with you my message which I shared with my Muslim brothers before.......
Brothers,
Today let�s discuss one of the main LAWS of God:
LOVE of God and LOVE of people.
What is the basis of Teaching of Jesus?
Love and Peace.
Why is it so important to KNOW laws of God and implement them?
Because Jesus is Coming BACK to earth created by Him to JUDGE us and establish here His HEAVENLY world order.
How our world will look like during the reign of Isa/Jesus Christ?
And where is our place after the Judgment Day?
First of all I want to tell you that one of the teachings of Jesus was this statement:
�Turn the other cheek�.
Let�s read the context:
Jesus said:
�But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.�
Matthew 5:39
The nature of the first Jesus� Coming characterized by mercy, sacrificial love, and longsuffering toward sinners while at the same time affirming the principle upon which the Kingdom of God is based: LOVE of God and LOVE of people. We are told to pray for enemies instead of resisting them. All of this can be generally summarized by saying we need to be pure inside and out and should be as accommodating as possible for the sake of a lost world.
Please read now my conversation with my brothers on this issue:
Re: Turn the other cheek
Originally Posted by italianguy
What a great thread! Kudos to you Uncle Umar for bringing this up! btw, Assulamualaykum! (I should have started with that, pardon my rudeness)
Yes we as Christians follow this in context and direct meaning, can I speak for all of us, no. I do though love this verse in the Bible as I read. I have used it many times. For example whether it be in religious, faith based, political or just family argument or discussion it is a great parable to keep to, for all people. If I without notice am targeted for some argument whether intended or not, I respect the others view because either way I am supposed to show Christ�s love towards ALL people. If say a Jewish person says �Your wrong for what you believe� I can discuss this with Him/her. If I am insulted by this person or threatened, does it give me the right to retaliate? NO. I will shake his/her hand with a smile and say thank you for your opinion. I know way shape or form am I to retaliate, thus meaning turn the other cheek, be the better man, forgive and forget. And trust that I know the truth. We all believe something different, My truth is what i know, your truth is what you know and so on, I respect that and love others even more for it.
God be with you friends!
Originally Posted by Christian Lady
Hello Italianguy,
Excellent post
It is very difficult to do. I know I have a very hard time turning the other cheek and forgiving people who are rude. It�s important to me to not insult back, but it is very hard to forgive. I still need to grow in this area and I pray God helps me and all Christians to forgive those who offend, insult, and hurt us in any way. Only through God�s help is it possible to forgive and love everyone, including those who don�t love back. Thanks for your excellent post. I boldened the parts that impacted me.
Peace and God bless you
Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV) �Jesus replied: ��Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.�[Deut. 6:5] This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: �Love your neighbor as yourself.�[Lev. 19:18] All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.�
Originally Posted by Bahira Omar
As salamu alaikum brothers!
Turning the other cheek refers to personal retaliation, not criminal offenses or acts of military aggression. In the Scripture and here, Jesus is speaking of the principle of non-retaliation to affronts against our own dignity, as well as lawsuits to gain one�s personal assets, infringements on one�s liberty, and violations of property rights. He was calling for a full surrender of all personal rights. Why? Because Jesus claimed to be God of Love and peace. Turning the other cheek means not to return insult for insult in retaliation, which is what most people expect and how worldly people act. But Isa is not from our world! He brings us the NEW CULTURE which is the CULTURE of GOD. His standards are LOVE. They are high and hardly understood by people. But they are simple and offered by God for OUR HAPPINESS. Why? Because all laws of God and His commandments have one purpose that people would LOVE God and LOVE People! All who do not want to obey God, they reject and violate this �simple� standard of God � TURN other CHEEK!
Responding to hatred with love is the nature of true Christians who OBEY Allah and Implement all laws and words of Ibn Allah.
Bye the way, the Holy Scripture describes one story when wicked people wanted to rape angels. Let me remind you brothers of this story. Because the standard of living of some righteous people are really astonishing. (By the way my brother forgave sin of raping of his sister to one criminal bismi Isa Allah):
The biblical account of Sodom and Gomorrah is recorded in Genesis chapters 18-19. Genesis chapter 18 records the Lord and two angels coming to speak with Abraham. The Lord informed Abraham that �the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous.� Verses 22-33 record Abraham pleading with the Lord to have mercy on Sodom and Gomorrah because Abraham�s nephew, Lot, and his family lived in Sodom.
Genesis chapter 19 records the two angels, disguised as human men, visiting Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot met the angels in the city square and urged them to stay at his house. The angels agreed. The Bible then informs us, �Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom � both young and old � surrounded the house. They called to Lot, �Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.��
6 So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him, 7 and said, �Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly! 8 See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish; only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof.�
The angels then proceed to blind all the men of Sodom and Gomorrah and urge Lot and his family to flee from the cities to escape the wrath that God was about to deliver. Lot and his family flee the city, and then �the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah � from the LORD out of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities��
In light of the passage, the most common response to the question �What was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah?�-Disbelief in God, hatred and disrespect of people and other sins. That�s why they perished. We will perish the same way if we will not obey God. It was the heart or the core of the message of Jesus: REPENT, CONFESS your sins, BELIEVE in Ibn Allah and your way will never perish.
Originally Posted by Ruprecht
�Turning the other cheek�, is not allowing yourself to be provoked to anger.
A backhand across the face was considered the highest insult.
However many Christians do interpret this verse, as well as Christ�s example on the cross and early Christian Martyrdom from Stephen onward, as teaching pacifism.
This view is even reinforced by the preceding words of Matthew 5:39 �But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil:�.
Of course I personally don�t believe this to be an injunction against self defense, but rather in the context of provocation.
Originally Posted by Bahira Omar
Brothers, I also don�t believe this to be an injunction against self defense. We should defense our families and our lives. But we should CONTROL our actions on the basis of the law of God- You shall NOT kill � and our conscience.
Why is it so important? Because sometimes we are ready to ignore the laws of our states and kill anyone who is trying to kill our children in Palestine. Just imagine such situation: you are in Palestine. Terrorists attacked Israel territory and Jews are looking for these criminals in your area. They enter your house. And you consider their actions as aggressive. They touch your child at hand and you decide how to react on that:
1. to kill them
2. to pray God
3. to stop them by fighting with them
4. to kill them and explode a bus with Jewish children
What should you do? Should you fight jihad in this case? But they did not kill your child! Should you kill them and be guilty of murder during the Judgment Day?
Look what I would do in this case:
I would pray God to protect my child. If Jews would try to rape my wife I should free her and protect her. If Jews will use knife to kill her I should protect her even by loosing my life. But I should NOT kill them. I should try to avoid the use of gun. I should protect the life of my child and life of my wife but only if I see that 100 % she or he will be raped or killed. Even in this case I can wound soldiers but not kill them! Can I explode a bus next day? No. The laws of my state are against such actions and the law of God is also against it. So, my position in such difficult situation should be to AVOID doing any harm to other people, but through self-sacrifice I can protect my family members. Violation of any laws of God will be punished by God but suffering for the sake of other people is the Way of life acceptable to God. Killing of children in bus is the highest crime against these children, their families and God. Such people 1000% will be in hell. That�s why such way of shahyds is not acceptable for God and should not be acceptable for us.
Originally Posted by Uncle Umar and answered by Bahira Omar
Jesus pbuh being god would contradict all other scriptures.- Brother, all Scripture called the Old Testament is about Isa Al Massih! That�s why Jews are waiting for Him now. They know these prophecies and they have always waited for Him. They will see Him soon during His Second Coming when He comes to Judge people. When they will see Him, they will believe in Him. However, every day the number of the saved Jews- who are saved by God from the coming Judgment through their FAITH in Ibn Allah � is growing. Jews would not believe in this Messiah, if ALL Scriptures would not tell them about Him!!!!
Likewise there are prophesies for Muhammad pbuh.-Brother, revelations of angel given to Muhammad CONTRADICT and REJECT all words of God said before! I highly recommend you to STUDY over 300 Bible Prophecies about the coming and reign of Isa on His earth.
Why do you Christians ignore this? This isn�t about being Muslim or Christian or Jew, this is about obeying god.- Brother, HOW can we obey Islamic god if OUR God of our father Ibrahim said- you shall NOT kill- but your god calls us for killings! How can we believe in your god if he is going to kill Jews during the second coming of Islamic jesus as we read it in Hadith? Brother, I am a Jew. But Islamic prophecies stated that Jews and Jewish women will be killed! Where is my God who is Allahu Muhibba in your religion Islam?! Brother, God NEVER was in Islam according to the words of God which we see in the Bible!
Think of this, every religion claims that if you join their religion you will go to heaven. Islam doesn�t teach this. Actually Islam is the only religion that guarantees that you will be punished for your sins if you do not repent.- Brother, our God Ibn Allah of our father Ibrahim will punish every sinner during the Judgment Day! But one of the features of our Allah is that He is Ar-Rahman! That�s why He DESIRES to save us and forgive us though our FAITH in Ibn Allah. Ibn Allah was punished by death to give us ETERNAL LIFE. And now we are able to WORSHIP Him by our lives and hearts. How? By living according to what we are reading in the Bible.
Bahira Omar, you still going on about this? - Brother, I am glad to talk to you again. It is always pleasure for me to meet you. God gave me this honor and chance. I thank Him for that! Al Hamdu Lillah!
All the prophets said to not have unrealistic expectation from god. All of them.- Brother, we SHOULD TRUST in God. I had such situation in my life when I thought that I should kill a criminal who was going to kill a child of my brother. This criminal was going to kill all family and this 3 years old child. I remember I was waiting for his attack and I was ready to cut off his throat. I knew that my state would condemn me and would put to jail but there was no other chance to save our child and I decided to be a killer. But I gave a chance to God to CHANGE this situation. I prayed Him and God CHANGED motives of this criminal during a few minutes! God who is Allahu Muhibba is GOING to protect you if you will BELIEVE in Him.
When somebody has a gun pointed at your kids head, or trying to rape you wife, you are to protect them. That is their right. As a man, you are expected to defend your family, even if it means your death.- Yes, but as a HUMAN BEING I SHOULD to submit to God and OBEY and IMPLEMENT one the 10 HOLY Commands of God which reads, � You shall NOT kill! � Brother any your ACTION you SHOULD make on the basis of your FAITH and the LAWS of God. If you will VIOLATE the laws of God or, in other words, al Shariah, then God will JUDGE you for your own laws, your own life style, your wrath, your murder! Are we FREE in this case to act as we want? No. We are FREE to LIVE �conformed� to His ORDER!
And you�re allowed to fight your enemy as they fight you. So this means if they are trying to kill you, there is no sin on you to kill them, but its better if you subdue them without the loss of life. but when fighting for you life, or the life of others, things don�t always turn out rosey red like that. � Brother it is exactly what I call the DIFFERENCE between Islam and God of our father Ibrahim! Do you know why? Because HE tells you how to ACT and WHAT to do. But YOU do what He didn�t say! Note again: � You shall NOT kill! � It is NOT my call but the CALL and COMMAND of GOD.... not a commandment. It is the COMMAND of the ONE who is the Supreme Being and the HIGH Justice and Supreme Judge. Now as any criminal you have a choice to be FREE, living as the laws say, or to VIOLATE laws by following your uncontrolled desires and wrath. We have NO other choice! We should IMPLEMENT words of Allah we see in the Bible! Or this Word will judge us during His Coming Judgment!
As for the bus blowing up thing, you are incredibly ignorant. � No, I just saw a burial of 10 years old girl coming from school in Israel and her bus was exploded. Of course she is in the Kingdom of Heaven now. But the JUDGE who is GOD is going to judge all who have VIOLATED the laws of God and voice of their conscience. There are so much madness in our world that I OBSERVE but there is NO MADNESS only in the One who is God of our father Ibrahim! He is NOT kidding and recommending us NOT to KILL but He is ORDERING, and Commanding us and even WRITING HIMSELF these 10 HOLY Commandments given to Moses!
Lets ignore the fact that the Jewish people drop bombs from 3000 feet in the air, and Christians too, and kill hundreds of civilians at a time, and wipe towns off the face of the earth, but I don�t expect you to care about that.- I care about that because my brothers are in Palestinian government. They suffer in their country. But there are many reasons of their sufferings.
1. There is no efficient economy to support people. Because Palestinian parties are using money of donors to continue war. They should RE-CONSTRUCT economy! Because this economy gives them food and bread. The source of food should be NOT money of donors, but ECONOMY! Arabs NEED to WORK to live!
2. They want to get back the land GIVEN by Allah to Jews! And this DESIRE is like a FIRE burning them. Quran states that this land was given to Jews for eternal possession. But of course Arabs should share this land with Jews to live in PEACE. How to share this land with Jews? On the basis of the LAWS of God! First Law- Love of God. Second Law- love of neighbors.
THE QUR�AN SAYS THAT ALLAH GAVE THE LAND OF ISRAEL TO THE JEWS
AND WILL RESTORE THEM TO IT AT THE END OF DAYS:
How to change this situation in our Holy Land? TO DO what God says- we should LOVE God and brothers! Do Jews love Arabs? YES. Do Arabs LOVE Jews? Yes. There is peace in Israel! But we ALL need to IMPLEMENT laws of God, brothers! And we ALL will do it. Do you know when? During the Second Coming of Jesus! There will be PEACE in Israel secured by Jesus. He is going to judge us and establish His LAW � Al Shariah- on earth. His Shariah is LOVE of God and people. Let me remind you that:
Love thy neighbor was, in part, Jesus� answer when the Pharisees asked Him about the greatest commandment in the Law (See Matthew 22:36-40). The answer of Jesus stunned them: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.� This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: �Love your neighbor as yourself.� All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
Jihad, the collective duty, was part of the Old Testament.- The Old testament does not mention any jihad! But only WARS to GET to the HOLY Land promised by Allah to Jews.
Jesus pbuh came to revive the old laws. Thus, if Jesus pbuh ministry got to the point of the statehood, there would have been jihad.- Jesus� LAWS, as we see it quoted above, are AGAINST violence, war or murder! Let me love you and kill a Palestinian child! In such action there is NO LOVE! Love is contrary to violence! Peace is contrary to WAR. Let me quote you one of the prophecies of God speaking of the RULE of Jesus which will be PEACE:
(Isaiah 9:6-7)
6. For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.
Christians conveniently ignore that Jesus pbuh was a rebel. � He turned the world RIGHT SIDE up! We can call Him as we want, but He and His followers are changing this world to establish here the Kingdom of Heaven!
A trouble maker. He was trying to overthrow the leadership.- Allah promised to give Him the Kingdom and to make Him MALIK!!!
Do you know and realize that the title given to Jesus in the Bible,
�KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS� is at odds with the Qur�an?
Not only does the Qur�an denounce calling any human being LORD, the Ahadith state:
Allah�s Apostle said, �The most awful name in Allah�s sight on the Day of Resurrection, will be (that of) a man calling himself Malik Al-Amlak (the king of kings).�
(Sahih Bukhari, vol. 8, number 224)
Stop making Jesus pbuh look like some hippy. He was a prophet, fighting for gods laws.- He was and is the King who is Coming back. Do you remember did Quran and Hadith promises you that you will be judged by Isa? Yes, you will be judged by Him says Islam.
The first phase is always just preaching, and you can see that in Moses pbuh time (let my people free) and Muhammad pbuh time (13 years in Makah).- In His Preaching or TEACHING �Isa is calling you to REPENT, CONFESS your sins and LIVE as He is teaching. Why? Because our Scripture so BOLDLY claims that He is Ibn Allah who created this earth and people and He is COMING BACK in His ANGER. Sober up now, or the WRATH of God will DEVOUR you!
God please save Umar and all my Muslim brothers who listen to Your words. Amen. Amen. Bahira
Summary: What is the basis of Teaching of Jesus?
Love and Peace.
Why is it so important to KNOW laws of God and implement them?
Because Jesus is Coming BACK to earth created by Him to JUDGE us and establish here His HEAVENLY world order.
What our world will look like during the reign of Isa?
It will be PEACE in Palestine and allover the world.
And where is our place after the Judgment Day?
We will reign with God Jesus on His earth if we will BELIEVE in Him and OBEY to everything what He says. If you have not had a chance to believe in God Jesus then REPENT of your sins, CONFESS them all to God Jesus in a prayer/conversation and BELIEVE in Him implementing everything what He teaches us.
Matthew 5 (New King James Version)
Matthew 5
The Beatitudes
1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 � Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness� sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 �Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Believers Are Salt and Light
13 �You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 �You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Christ Fulfills the Law
17 �Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Murder Begins in the Heart
21 �You have heard that it was said to those of old, �You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.� 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, �Raca!� shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, �You fool!� shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
Adultery in the Heart
27 �You have heard that it was said to those of old, �You shall not commit adultery.� 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
Marriage Is Sacred and Binding
31 �Furthermore it has been said, �Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.� 32 But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality[e] causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.
Jesus Forbids Oaths
33 �Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, �You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.� 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God�s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your �Yes� be �Yes,� and your �No,� �No.� For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
Go the Second Mile
38 �You have heard that it was said, �An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.� 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
Love Your Enemies
43 �You have heard that it was said, �You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.� 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Post Reply
|
