OK, I'll bite. You know me. Hot button D. I have some thoughts about this. They exist in different categories in my head, so to speak. 1. I'm pretty sure that I am not in the least offended by the notion supported in this to pray for your enemies (even those who are literally seeking your physical destruction). I agree I think it is fully in line with Christ's teaching. Quite honestly, I have not done so as much as I should have, but I'm pretty sure that is for the same reason that I have not prayed for the troops, my wife, my pastor, and many others enough. I just don't pray like I should.
2. There is another and very different thought that comes to my mind that you may think runs counter to my first point, but I don't think it does. It is a little harder to define clearly, but I'll try. Pictures like these sometimes seem to infer that the only legitimate response of a Christian to evil in this world is to pray for the perpetrators of that evil. This is my interpretation of an inference. I disagree with this belief strongly. For instance, I believe that a cop(who acts on the part of the sovereignly appointed government) can be a Christian and can perhaps be involved in Prison Fellowship and be praying for and ministering to the criminals he may have locked away and the next day pull the trigger on one of those same criminals that he would have gladly made himself available to in prison if circumstances had allowed. In both the case of his praying and ministering and his justified shooting(assume this for the sake of my point), he was living a life pleasing to Christ. I know this kind of goes into some tangential stuff, but those are my thoughts. Keep posting thought provoking stuff. I can assure you that though in some cases I may disagree with your take 100%, I am not in the least offended at your decision to seek to dialogue and express your thoughts openly. I applaud it. Love your ridiculously long winded friend, Dennis
2 comments:
hmmmm.... no comments here, huh?
how about this?
I think that if this image disturbs you when you first see it, then you may well have not truly considered Jesus' words in Mt. 5:44.
But perhaps all agree with my sentiment.
OK, I'll bite. You know me. Hot button D. I have some thoughts about this. They exist in different categories in my head, so to speak.
1. I'm pretty sure that I am not in the least offended by the notion supported in this to pray for your enemies (even those who are literally seeking your physical destruction). I agree I think it is fully in line with Christ's teaching. Quite honestly, I have not done so as much as I should have, but I'm pretty sure that is for the same reason that I have not prayed for the troops, my wife, my pastor, and many others enough. I just don't pray like I should.
2. There is another and very different thought that comes to my mind that you may think runs counter to my first point, but I don't think it does. It is a little harder to define clearly, but I'll try. Pictures like these sometimes seem to infer that the only legitimate response of a Christian to evil in this world is to pray for the perpetrators of that evil. This is my interpretation of an inference. I disagree with this belief strongly. For instance, I believe that a cop(who acts on the part of the sovereignly appointed government) can be a Christian and can perhaps be involved in Prison Fellowship and be praying for and ministering to the criminals he may have locked away and the next day pull the trigger on one of those same criminals that he would have gladly made himself available to in prison if circumstances had allowed. In both the case of his praying and ministering and his justified shooting(assume this for the sake of my point), he was living a life pleasing to Christ. I know this kind of goes into some tangential stuff, but those are my thoughts. Keep posting thought provoking stuff. I can assure you that though in some cases I may disagree with your take 100%, I am not in the least offended at your decision to seek to dialogue and express your thoughts openly. I applaud it. Love your ridiculously long winded friend, Dennis
Post a Comment