Pastor Ralph Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 Bonus question: Jesus commanded his disciples, " Love your enemies" as a rule by which to conduct their lives. Can it (should it) be extended to affairs of the courts or of government? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lillie Ammann Posted April 29 Report Share Posted April 29 In a Christian nation, that should apply. But loving enemies doesn't mean there are no consequences for their wrongs. God forgives our sins if we repent, but that doesn't take away the consequences. If someone commits murder, the murderer can be loved and his sin forgiven. But that doesn't bring back the dead person, and it doesn't mean that he should not receive appropriate punishment. However, it should be geared to rehabilitation, not retribution. Unfortunately, nations are no longer Christian, so it's not likely God's commands will apply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krissi Posted May 1 Report Share Posted May 1 No. Jesus' command to love enemies applies only to people. Enemies are people we know or know of, not institutions or forms of governance. The current government has been purposely depersonalized -- we do not know the names or faces of those who work for it, and if we do, we cannot know what they do. This information is hidden from us. Bureaucrats are purposely shielded from the gaze of ordinary Americans and long ago ceased to "re-present" our desires and points of view. I understand what it is to love non-human things. I love my dog. Passionately, in fact. I love modern art, sculpture, great architecture, sunsets, beautiful sentences and phrases, well-formed ideas, etc. I have a friend who loves food so much so that he drools and gets tongue-tied when he talks about grilled meat. This passion is real! It's a form of love. But it's NOT the sort of love that Jesus had in mind when He told us to love our enemies. Again, enemies are people who have harmed us. Actual people. I've often wondered what it would be like to be in a war and kill someone I do not know. I can understand why the surviving relatives of that person would hate me, even though I had no idea of the identity of the person I killed. Is anonymous hatred real? I think Jesus' command to love would extend to a war situation, though tentatively. There used to be an expression that went something like this: love the sinner and hate the sin. This doesn't make sense to me because sin isn't a little Platonic cloud hovering over us, but is in us. It's constitutive. Sin is part of who we are -- we are forgiven sinners. I can't extract and set aside a sin from a man's character anymore than I can extract the good things. Back to war. Most soldiers, historically, have been conscripted or drafted. They did not go to war voluntarily but under extreme duress. There are videos online, now, of Ukrainian soldiers grabbed off the streets, arms hogtied behind their backs, to be forcibly sent to their certain deaths on the frontlines. These unfortunate men and anyone who is coerced to harm/kill others should be placed in a different moral category than those who eagerly sign up to kill, or those who take salaries from governmental agencies instead of finding moral employment in the private sector. Those who choose to harm others by working for the government are individuals -- actual people with names -- who must be prayed for and, if they confess and repent, forgiven. But the system for which they work ... the government ... the bureaucracy ... is evil, in it's current permutation, and merits our total disdain and hatred. We are morally obligated -- reform or revolt -- to protect others from predation and unfair coercion, and keep them from the clutches of bureaucratic evil. We should be motivated by a hatred of injustice and unbridled power to upend or try to change a system that is raw evil to it's core. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David H Lyabaya Posted May 2 Report Share Posted May 2 The government is an institution but we have individual using principle, wisdom and knowledge to govern. I believe the principle can be applied in the performance of duty in government and judiciary. When delivering service to the public you must put the interest of the less fortunate at heart and show compassion to them. While making a ruling in the judiciary must be fair to all parties and show no favoritism Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanks Posted May 3 Report Share Posted May 3 Jesus commanded His disciples, "Love your enemies" as a rule by which to conduct their lives. Can it (should it) be extended to affairs of the courts or of government? I know Jesus expects us to love our enemies, it is actually a command spoken by Jesus Himself in for example Mat 5:44; Luke 6:37; 6:35. This means that we are to do good to those who hate us, who disgrace us, and who want to destroy us. It involves not only loving them but doing good to those who hate us; to speak well of them; to pray for them. This includes those in government or judicial positions. All of this is of course impossible for us to do without the help of the Holy Spirit. It is also only possible for those who give themselves fully to God. It shows that Jesus is Lord of our life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted May 3 Report Share Posted May 3 I think that when the government are dealing with people of different political backgrounds there should be tolerance, respect and some love. But there must also be a firmness that is needed when debating issues. When it comes to dealing with criminals tough love needs to be shown, they will have to be punished but it can be done in a firm, loving way rather than a running a harsh, brutal regime. Maybe I am being idealistic when it comes to hardened criminals, but I believe God’s love can break through hardness if given a chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clelie Posted May 6 Report Share Posted May 6 The judges in the affairs of the courts or of government who deal in the affairs of the world do not use the law of God to render judgements according to Jesus teachings. Believers in Christ show their obedience to Jesus teaching by not prosecuting the offenders but by forgiving them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmela Posted May 13 Report Share Posted May 13 Jesus commanded his disciples, "Love your enemies" as a rule by which to conduct their lives. Can it (should it) be extended to affairs of the courts or of government? Not being in the position of dealings in court or government, it is easy to say that the way things are dealt with are so very wrong. How can enemies of the country be shown "love" when they do not even show "love" to their own innocent people. The government that makes abortion legal murders innocent people. How can they be trusted to make righteous decisions in anything, for that matter. The governments need to learn to "Love" the innocents first, then continue putting into practice by loving enemies. That's not a mushy love. There is justice too in LOVE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janzie Posted May 14 Report Share Posted May 14 On 4/3/2024 at 6:46 PM, Pastor Ralph said: Bonus question: Jesus commanded his disciples, " Love your enemies" as a rule by which to conduct their lives. Can it (should it) be extended to affairs of the courts or of government? The command was given to the disciples and to Born Again believers. Because we have God's Spirit within us we have the ability to forgive our enemies. Without it, we cannot. . What a great world it would be if all would accept Jesus as Savior and Lord and everyone could love their enemies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula Price Posted May 14 Report Share Posted May 14 We as Christians have a personal relationship with God, we are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. We are in a covenant relationship so we are bound by the commandments of God!! We are not responsible for the sins of others. God commands us to Love our enemies. There are no conditions , no buts, or what if's. We are accountable to God for our actions. We are to obey his commandments. Jesus did not break any government laws while here on earth. We are to follow his example. We do what he say do!! We are not of the world. We have been called out of the darkness into Christ's marvelous light. We live by faith so we are accountable to God and not man!!! With out quoting scriptures, we, who are God's chosen, know that we are to obey his every word and walk in his light. The word of God tells us to obey our goverment officials for they were appointed my him.. We are being obedient to God when we are obedient to the laws of the land. We are to have faith in God to order or steps by the Holy Spirit that leads us and guides us into all things that are holy and righteous according to the will of God. As we walk and live in this world, we have to continually pray for God to protect us and deliver us from the evil one.. In the Lord's prayer before going to the cross, (John 17?) Jesus ask the father to protect his disciples, not the world. He prayed not for the world but for those who were chosen and who followed him. He prayed to his father to protect them from the evil one of this fallen world. We are included in this prayer for protection as we are in this world. We are to pray daily not to be lead into temptation and to be delivered from all evil.. Love is the key word....Jesus is love. He said if you love me than keep my commandments. It is because of his love for us that we share in his inheritance of Salvation. Amen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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