Killing in God’s Name
Jesus Christ taught his followers the way of peace; not to kill, but to express their views or beliefs without violence
- Jesus did not come to kill; He came to promote a new order, modifying the Old Testament way of doing things.
- He told His followers they should not compel people to accept their message. He said,
“But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this that the kingdom of God has come near you.’ But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.” (Luke 10:10-12… New King James Version)
When we attack people to promote our cause, we make them to see us as violent
God does not compel people to love Him
God sent Jonah to go and preach to the people of Nineveh so they would change from their wicked ways, else He would destroy them. It was not because they did not worship Him.
Jonah fled to Tarshish in a ship. God sent out a great wind on the sea and created turbulence. Jonah told the frightened mariners that he was the cause. He said they should throw him into the sea for the turbulence to cease.
All that while, God had not killed anyone. Innocent people did not suffer because of Jonah.
They threw Jonah into the sea, and the sea ceased raging. The result was a profound impression on the people; they offered sacrifice to God and took vows.
God did not use force to make them obey, and He did not kill them because Jonah was around them.
In spite of Jonah’s behavior, God spared his life. God prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. No mention of what particular fish it was. After three days and three nights, Jonah realized God did not intend killing him. He prayed to God, and God made the fish vomit Jonah on the shore. Jonah went to tell people to change their ways and they did.
God forgave them and turned His anger away from them.
That is the way of a peace-loving God
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