-
Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.
If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!
To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
W
That is a difficult one.
I personally don't think it is my place to forgive someone for their actions towards anyone else than myself, (and love requires forgiveness I guess) .... but if I am to spend time being angry at all the worlds evil then there will be little time for anything else, (Not saying we shouldn't speak up against evil, mind, it's maybe more a matter of how we spend (or waste) our energy). For all we know, even dictators may show great love to their own (while some individuals are nice to everyone else and abuse their own).
The love the bible speaks of is often of a practical kind.
I don't think God wants you to have fuzzy feelings for dictators, but maybe we are called to remember that all humans are,
well, human.
I personally don't think it is my place to forgive someone for their actions towards anyone else than myself, (and love requires forgiveness I guess) .... but if I am to spend time being angry at all the worlds evil then there will be little time for anything else, (Not saying we shouldn't speak up against evil, mind, it's maybe more a matter of how we spend (or waste) our energy). For all we know, even dictators may show great love to their own (while some individuals are nice to everyone else and abuse their own).
The love the bible speaks of is often of a practical kind.
I don't think God wants you to have fuzzy feelings for dictators, but maybe we are called to remember that all humans are,
well, human.
If God hates hands that shed innocent blood,
I think it's okay for me to hate them too.
Proverbs 6
16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
I think it's okay for me to hate them too.
Proverbs 6
16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
You love monsters and evildoers by exposing their evil deeds to the world and telling them to repent. That is how Christ and the prophets "loved" evildoers. John the Baptizer has already given you the guidelines (Matthew 3:7-12):
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Hi Rossella,
It's a difficult thing to love those who are so hateful and wicked as Hitler.
One thing that has always puzzled me why the evil and wickedness of the Romans leaders such as Nero wasn't mentioned in the pages of God's word.
Instead, we're told to submit to the governing authorities. Paul was persecuted by Rome and killed by them as well. And yet he tells us to submit to them, to pray for them. It's like upside down thinking to do what Paul called us to do.
And Jesus said to love our enemies. That's upside down thinking as well. It's not what the natural mind wants to do.
We must walk by the Spirit of God and reach out in love. God loved us in our wicked state and forgives us all of our sins. And when we were sinners, Christ died for us. While we were wicked, Christ died for the Hitlers of this world.
Our hope is that they will repent. That all will repent. And as a messenger of God, His message is one of love and reconciliation. And that's what we must do as His ambassador. We must love people into the Kingdom. It's what the gospel is all about.......love.
So as difficult it is for the flesh to love wicked evil tyrants, God give us a love for all of mankind within us through the power of the Holy Spirit.
To love with God's love doesn't mean we condone the evil of mankind. How do we approach anyone that's a sinner. It's what we once were and it's what we hope for others.....to be forgiven and reconciled to God.
Last edited:
I think we should be more selective about who we give our love to. Jesus held contempt for the religious leaders of His day. Exodus 20:13 say's, "You shall not murder." Jesus also sought refuge when people were trying to take His life, "but His time had not yet come." Love is more of an action followed by emotions - prove the things that are good.
-
● Gen 37:4 . . When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than
any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
The hatred that Joseph's brothers felt for him is understandable, but there is
no excuse for their failure to keep a civil tongue in their heads when they
talked with him.
Civil can be defined as polite, courteous, gracious, mannerly, considerate,
nice, thoughtful, sensitive, couth, respectful, decent, cordial, friendly, genial,
hospitable, pleasant, sociable, charitable, and tactful, etc.
/
● Gen 37:4 . . When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than
any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
The hatred that Joseph's brothers felt for him is understandable, but there is
no excuse for their failure to keep a civil tongue in their heads when they
talked with him.
Civil can be defined as polite, courteous, gracious, mannerly, considerate,
nice, thoughtful, sensitive, couth, respectful, decent, cordial, friendly, genial,
hospitable, pleasant, sociable, charitable, and tactful, etc.
/
D
Loving doesn't mean liking.
Hitler is easy. He's dead, so I don't have to worry about liking or loving him.
Harder is dealing with the guys who raped me. I don't ever want to see them again. (40 years, so even if I did, I wouldn't recognize them.) I can't say I'd ever have them over for dinner, or introduce them to my friends and family. I can, and really really only through the Lord working it through me, say I love them in the biggest way I can think to love anyone. I pray for their salvation and ask for the Lord's mercy on them in the same way he gave me mercy. I no more deserve him then they do, so it is something I cherish, and something I offer.
To me, that's the best love I can give anyone.
Corrie Ten Boom ended up on stage to give her testimony along with a group of other people. Much to her shock, she recognized one of the men who was going to give his testimony too. He was the man responsible for killing her family in the concentration camp. She prayed. (She prayed big time.) And after everyone gave their testimonies, she was able to go to him, let him know who she was, forgive him, and hugged him. THAT is the power God puts in us to love those we have every right to despise.
Jesus didn't die for good people. We are the people he died for.
Hitler is easy. He's dead, so I don't have to worry about liking or loving him.
Harder is dealing with the guys who raped me. I don't ever want to see them again. (40 years, so even if I did, I wouldn't recognize them.) I can't say I'd ever have them over for dinner, or introduce them to my friends and family. I can, and really really only through the Lord working it through me, say I love them in the biggest way I can think to love anyone. I pray for their salvation and ask for the Lord's mercy on them in the same way he gave me mercy. I no more deserve him then they do, so it is something I cherish, and something I offer.
To me, that's the best love I can give anyone.
Corrie Ten Boom ended up on stage to give her testimony along with a group of other people. Much to her shock, she recognized one of the men who was going to give his testimony too. He was the man responsible for killing her family in the concentration camp. She prayed. (She prayed big time.) And after everyone gave their testimonies, she was able to go to him, let him know who she was, forgive him, and hugged him. THAT is the power God puts in us to love those we have every right to despise.
Jesus didn't die for good people. We are the people he died for.
Who would guess that inquiring about the accuracy of a historically ambiguous event would carry a penalty of life in prison?
Who would guess that so-called Jewish rulers of Russia would genocide countless millions of Europeans but it wasn't taught in schools because the victims weren't so-called Jews?
Who would guess that so-called Jewish rulers of Russia would genocide countless millions of Europeans but it wasn't taught in schools because the victims weren't so-called Jews?
C
It is not our jobs to hate them. It is our jobs to pray for them.
Do not assume the news presents the whole picture regarding the present day "Enemies" as it is very one sided. Take a look at each situation and find out what is actually going on. For example, why was the North Korea leader issuing threats unless he was provoked? Provoked by who? Now is your chance to do so research as if your results mirror mine it is eyeopening! (I'm not saying the man is perfect before anyone quotes me! I'm saying there is a far bigger picture to the situation, just like if one does some research into Saddam or Bin Laden (Who was reportedly killed over ten times over many years... Seemingly timed just before each election! Not surprising the coffin was eventually buried at sea as if it was on land and questions were asked and they dug it up, would they find a body?)
Do not assume the news presents the whole picture regarding the present day "Enemies" as it is very one sided. Take a look at each situation and find out what is actually going on. For example, why was the North Korea leader issuing threats unless he was provoked? Provoked by who? Now is your chance to do so research as if your results mirror mine it is eyeopening! (I'm not saying the man is perfect before anyone quotes me! I'm saying there is a far bigger picture to the situation, just like if one does some research into Saddam or Bin Laden (Who was reportedly killed over ten times over many years... Seemingly timed just before each election! Not surprising the coffin was eventually buried at sea as if it was on land and questions were asked and they dug it up, would they find a body?)