07/06/18 TWO DIFFERENT WARS
IDENTIFY YOUR ENEMY AND WAGE WAR ONLY ON YOUR ENEMY.
These concepts are New Testament teachings concerning Christians individually and the Church corporately (the people of God) and nothing in the New Testament contradicts these passages. THIS IS NOT ADDRESSING THE SUBJECT OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT, this is addressing the subject of State (human) and Christian (spiritual warfare or battle). (I encourage you to read my entire post. IT IS SHORT).
CHRISTIANS DO NOT FIGHT AGAINST WORLDLY KINGDOMS.
John 18:36
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.
FLESHLY (HUMAN) ENEMIES AND SPIRITUAL ENEMIES ARE NOT THE SAME.
God directs and arms the State (human government) to engage human enemies and God directs and arms Christians (individually and corporately, as the Church) to engage our spiritual enemies.
Christians wield the Sword of the Spirit (the Bible) against non-human, spiritual enemies and the State wields the sword of steel against human enemies (domestic and foreign) in order to punish the wicked and protect the righteous.
PASSAGES
Ephesians 6:17
17 And take... the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Romans 13:3-4
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4 For he(human government, the State) is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
1 Peter 2:13-17
13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
CHRISTIANS OBEY GOD RATHER THAN OBEY THE STATE OR ANY POWER, WHEN THERE IS CONFLICT OF COMMANDS.
Acts 5:29
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
OUR WARFARE, WEAPONS AND ENEMY ARE SPIRITUAL, NOT HUMAN
It is true that The State does not always wield the sword of steel for the right reasons, and therefore the State, being in anarchy, is answerable to God.
Romans 13:1-2
1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
However, when the State fails to obey God, this is not a reason for Christians or the Church to do the carnal (fleshly) work of wielding the sword of steel.
OUR WARFARE IS SPIRITUAL, NOT CARNAL (not fleshly).
2 Corinthians 10:3
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
OUR WEAPONS ARE SPIRITUAL, NOT CARNAL (not fleshly)
2 Corinthians 10:4
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
OUR ENEMY IS SPIRITUAL, NOT HUMAN
Ephesians 6:12
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood (humans), but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
