KEY SCRIPTURE Joh 8:59 KJV” Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”

We continue with our walk with Jesus through the gospels.

This time, the Lord said to the Jews that before Abraham was ‘ I am. This statement was blasphemous to them, so they quickly took stones to kill Him. They interpreted it as He saying He is God. Why would they kill someone because he said something they did not agree? This is the problem with religion. Religion encourages the adherents to defend it by attacking those who hold contrary views. It becomes a real difficulty when the religious book teaches that people with contrary views must be killed. Judaism, which is the root of Islam and Christianity has those elements of destroying those who hold different views.

Christianity is a renewed version of Judaism. It functions under a new covenant, called grace. John 1:17 KJV “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ”. Grace is an overflow of goodness. Jesus came with the message of love and forgiveness. Mat 5:44 KJV” But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” Jesus instructed His followers to turn the other cheek when hit at the other. This was not to be taken literal, rather it meant the Christian should be none violent. Christians do not fight for God. He is too powerful for anyone to fight for Him. Dear fellow Christians never be physically aggressive toward those who have divergent views. We are taught from the scriptures that, everyone who attacks Christianity is under the power of the spirit of deception. We do not fight such people. They are only used by these devils. We fight on our knees, and this has won many hardcore opposers to the faith.

 Religious aggression is a nuisance.

Why should men kill their fellow brothers and sisters because they hold divergent views? Please consider this analogy. We practice our faith with the view to winning others from their sinful ways. If we kill them because they hold divergent views and are sinners, haven’t we pushed them into eternal damnation, and therefore you do Satan’s work for him?  This is the reason our Lord Jesus taught us to love all men, even those who hate and persecute us and go to every length to save them.  You will be doing Satan’s work to attack and destroy the one who holds a different view from yours.

CONFESSION

I am born of God, born with the love of God, I am salt and light to my world. I do not and cannot hate anyone, because I have passed from death to life. This is the way of life, this is the truth, this is peace for our world.

THOUGHT: JESUS NEVER RAISED A SWORD, YET, HAS WON MORE MEN THAN ANY WHO KILLED TO WIN.

FURTHER STUDIES

John 15:13 KJV “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Rom 12:19 KJV” Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”