Jesus' Quotes Demanding Actions.
Below are Jesus' words. Jesus never advocated any form of violence
or dominance. Instead, He commanded us to love, show mercy, and to
forgive others. It is inconceivable that Jesus would support war.
(Sermon on the Mount Analysis)
Non Violence:
Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place;
for those who live by the sword, die by the sword. Matt 26:52.
Meek, Merciful, and Peacemakers:
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth...
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy...
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Matt 5:5-9.
Forgive Those Who Sin Against Us:
Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my
brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?"
Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times,
but seventy times seven..." Matt 18:21-22
Love your Enemies: But I say to you that hear,
Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?
For even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who do good to you,
what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
Luke 6:27-32
Love Your Neighbor, But Who is My Neighbor?:
And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying,
"Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him,
"What is written in the law? How do you read?" And he answered,
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your strength,
and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."
And he said to him, "You have answered right; do this,
and you will live." But he, desiring to justify himself,
said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied,
"A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell
among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed,
leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down
that road; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.
So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him,
passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed,
came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion,
and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine;
then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn,
and took care of him. And the next day he took out two
denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of
him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come
back.' Which of these three, do you think, proved neighbor to
the man who fell among the robbers?" He said, "The one who
showed mercy on him." And Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
Luke 10:25-37
All of Jesus's teachings center on love, humility, and mercy.
The idea that we would fight a war in the name of Jesus is
inconceivable, because Jesus taught us to love one another.
No Evil for Evil: Do not return evil for evil. Avenge not yourselves, but rather give way to wrath; for it is written, vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsts, give him drink: for in so doing you shall heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21
Do Not Hate: Whoever hates his brother is a murderer: and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. I John 3:15
Do Not Hate: If anyone says, I love God, but hates the brothers or sisters, he is a liar...Whoever loves God must also love the brothers and sisters. I John 3:20, 21
No Revenge: See that none render evil for evil to any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. I Thessalonians 5:15
Do Not Fight: I am a soldier of Christ; it is not lawful for me to fight. Saint Martin of Tours
Do Not Fight:When Christ disarmed Peter in the garden, he disarmed all Christians. Tertullian
I am a Christian and cannot fight. Maximilian
Do Not Fight: "We (Christians) no longer take up sword against nation, nor do we learn war any more, but we have become the children of peace." --Origin, great Alexandrian theologian of the 3rd Century, A.D.
Children of Peace The test of the sincerity of one's prayer is the willingness to labor on its behalf. --St. John Chrysostom
Christians no longer take up the sword against nation, not do we learn war any more, having become children of peace, for the sake of Jesus, who is our leader. Origen
Weapons Into Plows: "We who were filled with war and mutual slaughter...changed our warlike weapons into plowshares and our spears into implements of tillage." --Justin Martyr, 2nd Century church leader
State Does Not Have Authority Over Christians "If murder is committed privately, it is a crime, but if it happens with state authority, courage is the nam;e for it. Christians are not allowed to kill, but they must be willing to be put to death." --Cyprian, early Christians leader in North Africa, who died for his faith
War is Unlawful It can never be lawful for a righteous man to go to war, since his warfare is in righteousness itself; nor to accuse anyone of a capital charge, since it makes no difference whether you put a man to death by word or by sword, since it is the act of putting to death which is prohibited.. It is always unlawful to put a man to death. Lacantius
Being the Oppressor Beginning with Constantine, Christianity triumphed at the level of the state and soon began to cloak with its authority persecutions similar to those in which the early Christians were victims. Like so many previous religions, ideological, and politcal enterprises, Christianity suffered persecution while it was weak and became the persecutor as soon as it gained strength. - Rene Girard (THE SCAPEGOAT)
Jesus claims that He is Lord. He says that we are
to believe in Him.
Bread of Life:
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life;
he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he
who believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:35
The Way, The Truth, The Life:
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the
life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. If you
had known me, you would have known my Father also;
henceforth you know him and have seen him." Philip
said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we
shall be satisfied." Jesus said to him, "Have I
been with you so long, and yet you do not know me,
Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father;
how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not
believe that I am in the Father and the Father
in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak
on my own authority; but the Father who dwells
in me does his works. Believe me that I am in
the Father and the Father in me; or else believe
me for the sake of the works themselves.
John 14:6-11
Jesus is Christ:
So the Jews gathered round him and said to him,
"How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are
the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them,
"I told you, and you do not believe. The works that
I do in my Father's name, they bear witness to me;
but you do not believe, because you do not belong to
my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,
and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and
they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them
out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me,
is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them
out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one."
The Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus
answered them, "I have shown you many good works from
the Father; for which of these do you stone me?" The
Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we
stone you but for blasphemy; because you, being a man,
make yourself God." Jesus answered them, "Is it not
written in your law, 'I said, you are gods'? If he
called them gods to whom the word of God came
(and scripture cannot be broken), do you say of him
whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world,
'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son
of God'? If I am not doing the works of my Father,
then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though
you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may
know and understand that the Father is in me and I am
in the Father." John 10:24-38
What action are we to do? Jesus teaches
us to love God and love one another. Again, His
major theme is to love, show mercy, forgive others,
be humble, and be a servant. War is not consistent
with this theme. To follow Him, is a to commit to
love and peace.
Do Good, Not Evil
Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all
who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come forth,
those who have done good, to the resurrection of life,
and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.
Stand Up For the Oppressed:
Before him will be gathered all the nations, and
he will separate them one from another as a shepherd
separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place
the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left.
Then the King will say to those at his right hand,
'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world;
for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty
and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you
welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was
sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you
came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him,
'Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee,
or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we
see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and
clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in
prison and visit thee?' And the King will answer
them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one
of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'
Then he will say to those at his left hand,
'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire
prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was
hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and
you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did
not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me,
sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'
Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we
see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked
or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?'
Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as
you did it not to one of the least of these, you
did it not to me.' And they will go away into
eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal
life." Matt 25:32-46
Belief Requires Action
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will
also do the works that I do; and greater works than
these will he do, because I go to the Father.
John 14:12
Keep Jesus' Word
Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and
make our home with him. He who does not love me does not
keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine
but the Father's who sent me. John 14:23-24