Owning gun??

Originally Posted by Esther

Right now we are both.

No, we are a people called out FROM the nations. Thus, we cease to have any worldly citizenship or allegiance.

Originally Posted by Eliseus

Paul was a citizen of heaven, as you put it, and yet also exercised his rights as a Roman citizen, and plainly declared himself to be a Roman citizen.

That doesn't make it right.

Thus, there is no conflict for a Christian to be both a "citizen of heaven" and a citizen of the country where they live or where they were born.

It's still treason against the kingdom of God because our loyalties are divided.

Originally Posted by Defender

Do you lock your doors? Do you have a smoke detector?

Your response doesn't answer my post. Now, read the actual words that I posted and note the punctuation marks that are used:

Where does the New Testament ever teach us to protect ourselves? Didn't Jesus say that if someone strikes us on one cheek to offer him the other cheek also?

JUST ANSWER THE QUESTIONS!

[MrsMcD]

Originally Posted by Chan

Where does the New Testament ever teach us to protect ourselves? Didn't Jesus say that if someone strikes us on one cheek to offer him the other cheek also?

Jesus gave me common sense.

I doubt he meant to turn to the other cheek if someone were trying to kill me.

Originally Posted by ManOfWord

There are certainly some people who are called to be martyrs. I am not one of them. Until that calling comes to me, I will do whatever it takes to protect my family, first and foremost, others and myself.

I don't want to "GIVE" my life for the Lord, I want to "LIVE" my life for the Lord.

You are sooooo wrong about this! Do you deny that Acts 1:8 is a promise that applies to us just as it did to those 120 who were shortly after that in the upper room receiving the Holy Ghost? Do you deny that you are called to be a witness for Christ? The Greek word for witnesses in Acts 1:8 is the Greek word for martyr. So, if you think you are not called to be a martyr, you deny the truth of God's word.

As for living your life vs. giving your life, this shows the worldliness in your thinking! Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross (an instrument of death) and follow Him. Paul wrote about dying to ourselves and said of himself, "I die daily." Further, it isn't YOUR life to give or live, it's God's to do with as He pleases. Paul said that we are dead and our life is hid with Christ in God.

Originally Posted by MrsMcD

Jesus gave me common sense.

I doubt he meant to turn to the other cheek if someone were trying to kill me.

Now show me where this attitude of yours is found in scripture. It doesn't matter what you believe or doubt, it matters what the Bible tells us. Doubt is contrary to faith and whatever is not of faith is sin.

[ManOfWord]

Originally Posted by Chan

You are sooooo wrong about this! Do you deny that Acts 1:8 is a promise that applies to us just as it did to those 120 who were shortly after that in the upper room receiving the Holy Ghost? Do you deny that you are called to be a witness for Christ? The Greek word for witnesses in Acts 1:8 is the Greek word for martyr. So, if you think you are not called to be a martyr, you deny the truth of God's word.

As for living your life vs. giving your life, this shows the worldliness in your thinking! Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross (an instrument of death) and follow Him. Paul wrote about dying to ourselves and said of himself, "I die daily." Further, it isn't YOUR life to give or live, it's God's to do with as He pleases. Paul said that we are dead and our life is hid with Christ in God.

Sorry.....you are wrong!

I am called to kill, martyr, overcome etc, my flesh/base/worldly desires. I am not called to become a literal martyr unless the situation warrants it and it is God's plan.

Your thinking is so warped sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees. It IS my life to live for HIM. He gave me this gift of life and also gave me a free will to do with it as I see fit. He filled me with His Spirit to guide the living of it. If I die to flesh and live to Him, it will glorify Him in life and eventual death.

We are not robots or automatons that we have no choice in our daily lives. God does NOT direct our every movement, thought, or decision in some robotic way. He gives me a brain, a free will and His word. I am to use all three for the glory of God and to enjoy all I can of this life within the confines of His word! This is His world that He has given us to enjoy and I will enjoy it to the fulness in all the joy of the Lord that I possibly can. sorry if that "wrankles" you.

shoot first and let the Good Lord straightin it out

Originally Posted by ManOfWord

Sorry.....you are wrong!

I am called to kill, martyr, overcome etc, my flesh/base/worldly desires. I am not called to become a literal martyr unless the situation warrants it and it is God's plan.

Now how about actually answering the specific questions I asked: Do you deny that Acts 1:8 is a promise that applies to us just as it did to those 120 who were shortly after that in the upper room receiving the Holy Ghost? Do you deny that you are called to be a witness for Christ?

Your thinking is so warped sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees. It IS my life to live for HIM. He gave me this gift of life and also gave me a free will to do with it as I see fit. He filled me with His Spirit to guide the living of it. If I die to flesh and live to Him, it will glorify Him in life and eventual death.

Well, no, you do not have ownership of it. Your life belongs to God to do with as he pleases. And, no, you don't have FREE will because God does not give you the right to choose against Him.

We are not robots or automatons that we have no choice in our daily lives.

Nor did I even remotely suggest such a thing!

God does NOT direct our every movement, thought, or decision in some robotic way.

Nor did I even remotely suggest such a thing!

He gives me a brain

Yes.

, a free will

No.

and His word.

Yes.

I am to use all three for the glory of God and to enjoy all I can of this life within the confines of His word! This is His world that He has given us to enjoy and I will enjoy it to the fulness in all the joy of the Lord that I possibly can. sorry if that "wrankles" you.

Where does the BIBLE tell you to "enjoy all I can of this life"? Where does the BIBLE say God gave us this world to enjoy?

[Old Paths]

"Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not."
- Thomas Jefferson