***EVER WONDERED?*** For Today! Question:- What did Jesus mean when He instructed us to turn the other cheek? Response(s); ** Vincent Mercado, Supporter, Skeptic turned believer, Catholic, father of 2- *In the face of violence, man usually has two options- fighting back or fleeing. Here, Jesus offers a third solution - stand your ground. Signal to the aggressor that you refuse to accept the set of assumptions that have made his aggression possible. A story is told of Mother Teresa, the saint of the Calcutta slums. She went with a small child to a local baker and begged some bread for the hungry lad. The baker spat full in Mother Teresas face. Undaunted, she calmly replied, Thank you for that gift to me. Do you have anything for the child? Desmond Tutu, when he was a young priest in Johanesburg, was making his way along a wooden sidewalk and was met by a white man coming from the other direction. The man said to Tutu, Get off the sidewalk; I dont make way for gorillas. Tutu stepped aside, gestured broadly, and responded, I do! On June 2, 1979, Pope John Paul II came to Victory Square in the heart of Warsaw and celebrated Mass in the presence of hundreds of thousands of people and the entire Polish Communist government. During his homily the pope spoke of God, of freedom, and of human rights - all topic frowned upon by the Communist regime. As the pope preached, the people began to chant, We want God; we want God; we want God. The pope continued to preach but the chant went on for fifteen minutes. During this, John Paul turned toward the Polish government officials and gestured, as if to say, Do you hear? ** Gary Patton, Supporter, People Development Coach to Christians- *Ill be a little more blunt than my Brother, Don Watson in disagreeing strongly with our Brother, Michael, who wrote the principal answer. Contrary to what Michael says above, Jesus knew what he meant and meant what he clearly, and unqualifyingly, says in Matthew 5:38-48, I humbly suggest as my contrary opinion. Our Master was not simply elevating You shall not murder! to a spirit level for Jews or His disciples. Jesus was radicalizing self-sacrifice to an extraordinary new level for His Followers for all time until He returns. Jesus turn the other cheek, etc., is definitely pacifism, which Michael confuses with passivism. (These are two entirely different words with radically different meanings.) Jesus pacifism was and is new radical. His is a Creative Third Way between passivism (non-action) and violence (aggression). No one, before Jesus, to my knowledge, had ever called others to pacifism before in the Mediterranean world. And Jesus intended to break new, radical ground as his first listeners heard clearly. They heard Jesus because he shocked them as He often did. Jesus clearly illustrated his intent by commanding the crowd not just his disciples, to give an evil person their underwear, not their cloak (poor translation) and be naked in public, rather than EVER resist someone in court. WOW! Given how some of you are reacting to what Jesus really said, rather than what youve been incorrectly taught, can you imagine how Jesus listeners reacted given the violent society in which they all lived under the ruthless Romans. And in case his first two radical illustrations where missed, Jesus creatively gave everyone then, but culturally less clearly for we moderns now, a brilliant example of creative non-resistance. He further commanded that they offer to carry a hated, Roman soldiers bulky, heavy pack a full extra mile than required by law. This pacifist action, not non-action nor violence, like some of the listeners neighbours practised, Jesus listeners knew would embarrass the soldiers sandals off. And potentially, it could get the warrior in trouble with his Centurion. Yes Michael, Jesus was clearly telling his first listeners, plus us, that we must place ourselves or others in mortal danger, including our own children. No Michael, our Master who was gruesomely flagellated and, then, horribly crucified as an incredible, personal example of what every Follower likewise must do (Matthew 10:37-39), intended not only complete pacifist, non-resistance to personal retaliation, but also to criminal offenses (sic) or acts of military aggression. And Jesus Followers heard their Saviour loud and clear! We know they did because it is historically, clearly documented that, for over 400 years, early Christians would not serve in the Emperors army nor any positions of authority in public service that could require a decision that could take anothers life. Yes Christian, history documents that early Followers of Jesus refused the ancient, equivalent positions of our gun-carrying prison guard or soldier, criminal court judge, and federal politician. And because they did, regularly during that 400 odd years after Jesus sacrifice of Himself as our model, they were brutally persecuted and horribly put to death for their pacifism...just like Jesus was! So where does our modern church support for national wars and Jesus Follower participation in combat roles in the military as protective violence come from? Our unBiblical, personal violence is the demonic, death-producing child of the non-New Covenantal Just War Doctrine of the Catholic Bishop of Hippo. In the early 5th Century, Augustine conspired with the Roman government to promulgate and have Priests teach a brand new doctrine, not Scripture. It was designed to convince the many, still-non-violent, Jesus-obedient Followers to join the Emperors armies. Christian soldiers were desperately needed to fight off the pagan hordes attacking the Empire, including the Catholic Churchs, already-vast land holdings and other wealth, from every direction. Please Christian, do not hear me arguing against Conscientious Objector participation in the military for Jesus Followers. I honour and pacifisticly support the guard, military and police wo(men) who protect the rest of us from foreign enemies or native criminals & terrorists. Also, I agree that the New Covenant does not oppose non-Jesus Followers from holding positions in government or elsewhere that can take others lives. Nowhere does the New Covenant say non-Followers must obey the Biblical injunctions which we must. Also, Romans 13:1-7 makes clear using violence is God-directed to protect society...including pacifist Jesus Followers following Jesus Third Way. ** Adam Bullock- *Everything in the past is perfect -it happened, everything in the future is perfect - its in Gods hands. All we have to take care of is our present choices. If your cheek is struck, theres nothing you can do about it! What happens next is what matters. If we strike back,we inherently justify the original action and are brought into the company of brawlers, thieves, etc. We have an obligation of stewardship to care for what God has trusted us with, our person and families, with wisdom and gentleness. If we find ourselves through no fault of our own the recipient of injustice, we have to submit to Gods judgement upon us. More often, we are in bad situations through poor choices and must take responsibility and make the most of a bad situation, seeking a peaceful outcome. The world has its villians, and its defenders. We should not seek to align with the company of either, but maintain our caution and awareness as sojourners in a hostile land. ** James Sanders, Licensed Counselor- *This issue has always bother a little. Turning the other cheek seems to be what Christ did in his last days. If He means for us to do the same, even unto death or the death of innocent, that seems counter to his message of protecting the self and the innocent. Certainly, take every measure to avoid violence or any other morbid act by other humans against us is to be done. But It seems to me that by laying down we are not doing Gods will. Taking the Bible literally, Jesus said turn the other cheek.. one time; that is ONE cheek. After that I would say stand your ground and protect yourself yourselves and other. Are we to say to the threatened, Turn the other cheek! It is Gods command and keep turning! I dont think so. The God I have come to know is loving and powerful. He wants all of us to be same. It is difficult. ** Thanjan Gnanadurai- *An eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth in the OT expects a self protective response equal to, but no more and no less than the initial act of aggression. By turning the other cheek instead, Jesus tells us to forgive and forget totally, no matter the initial aggressive behavior, just as Jesus forgave our sins on the cross, regardless of its gravity. ** Naveena Aggarwal- *I know that jesus said we have to forgive others if we want God to forgive us for our wrong doing.God sent his only begotten son to die for our sins, but who himself was without sin, that is a debt that we can never repay back, jesus died in our place so that we can be reunited with our heavenly father after death into eternity forever. John 3:16 tells us how much our Almighty God Father loves us so much. God has a plan for each and every individual. God loves the sinner but hates sin. ***BREAKING**BREAKING*** WELL BE TRANSFORMING EVER WONDERED? INTO A PAGE SOON. SO EVERYONE CAN POSE THEIR CHRISTIAN BASED QUESTIONS AS WELL AS GET ANSWERS TO CRITICAL ISSUES CONCERNING THIS FAITH RACE THAT WE RUN, TO HELP STRENGHTEN ONE ANOTHER. Please Encourage us here by indicating your support, by commrnting your feelings, so we know we are growing as part of a larger family. GOD BLESS YOU!
Posted on: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 10:38:19 +0000
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