Lets Suppose For A Minute That Jesus Actually Existed...

[RATTER15]

and he appeared in today's world, what would he make of today's Christians, their big elaborate churches and cathedrals, the pope and the Vatican and all their wealth etc...

I would imagine he would probably collapse in tears!

[naomi24]

SirOracle, //Naomi What happened to Peter ? //

Why don't you tell me? Go on... you know you want to. ;o)

[goodlife]

In all honesty, my brain needed cleansing.

Who today are heeding this magnificent prophecy worldwide?
Who were the ones who died in Rwanda rather than kill their fellow believers of a different tribe?
Who were the ones who died in Nazi concentration camps rather than serve in Hitler’s armies?
Who have spent time in the prisons of many countries rather than learn war?
They are those who have enjoyed the fulfillment of Isaiah 54:13: “All your sons will be persons taught by Jehovah, and the peace of your sons will be abundant.

Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide have that peace now because they have accepted Jehovah’s teaching from his Word, the Bible. They follow the teachings and example of Christ Jesus..Said By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.” (John 13:34, 35) Jehovah’s Witnesses practice this in Northern Ireland.

Though formerly religious enemies, they now cooperate as Christians in Israel, Lebanon, and other lands. They learn war no more. What a difference it would make if all peoples of the world heeded Jesus’ words and applied them in their lives!

You get sadder by the day.

[Hypognosis]

@goodlife

It is the fate of all hippy-peacenik cultures to find tanks on their lawn, one fine morning.

Knowing this, the Mormons set up their headquarters as far is as possible from two oceans and as far as possible from the Canadian an Mexican borders. No risk of any tanks on their lawn (give or take differences of opinion with the IRS).

Sorry but I forget where the Witnesses are based, if I ever knew.

Anyway, easy to preach peace when you have the most powerful armed forces in the world looking after you and a gun in every bedside cabinet. (sorry, I mean child-safe wall cabinet!)

[atalanta]

goodlife - which of Jesus words are those which, if heeded, will bring the whole world peace ? The ones which go " I come not to bring peace but the sword ?"
You really must explain those words if you claim Jesus is a prophet of peace and nothing but peace.

[jourdain2]

I don't have the references to hand, but Jesus certainly existed. There are Roman records and others. Whether he was what others claimed that he was is another question.

[beso]

jourdain2 //I don't have the references to hand, but Jesus certainly existed. There are Roman records and others. //

There are no contemporary accounts of Jesus.

The first mention in any other text is by Flavius Josephus in "Antiquities of the Jews" (circa 94CE).

[goodlife]

atalanta @ Was that the only occasion on which Jesus said this? Was he making a general pronouncement that was to hold true at all times? Or has that only been a presumption men have drawn from his words?

When the soldiers laid hands on Jesus the apostle Peter cut off the ear of the slave of the high priest. Then it was that Jesus said to Peter: “Return your sword to its place, for all those who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father to supply me at this moment more than twelve legions of angels?

In that case, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that it must take place this way?”—Matt. 26:52-54. and that is also true of today.

[vulcan42]

goodlife, seeing as how you are in an explanatory mood, could you tell me why, when the soldiers put hands on Jesus, peter cut off the ear of the slave of the high priest? What did he think this would achieve and how did it help Jesus?

[goodlife]

Today people in general do not take into account that the Creator of heaven and earth is closely watching human affairs. And why should the Creator not do so?

Well one of the last things that his prophet Isaiah wrote down is this statement: “This is what Jehovah has said: ‘The heavens are my throne, and the earth is my footstool.’” (Isa. 66:1)

Well, then, should not this King, who thrones over all creation, be interested in his earthly footstool and what takes place here.

So when he said do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father to supply me at this moment more than twelve legions of angels.

Then he said how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that it must take place this way”—Matt. 26:52-54.

So for true Christians today is to fight a spiritual warfare, not fleshly WARFARE.
In order for you to know the reason for the fight and what we are fighting against. (Revelation 17:1-3)

[scorpiojo]

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+17%3A1-3&version=NKJV

[scorpiojo]

Revelation 17:1-3New King James Version (NKJV)

The Scarlet Woman and the Scarlet Beast
17 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me,[a] “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”

3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

Footnotes:

Revelation 17:1 NU-Text and M-Text omit to me.
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[naomi24]

Goodlife, //Today people in general do not take into account that the Creator of heaven and earth is closely watching human affairs. And why should the Creator not do so?//

Why would it?

[atalanta]

goodlife, you're wriggling. Matthew 10:34 very clearly quotes the words of Jesus who says "NOT peace, but the sword". You are quite happy quoting words which Jesus uses only once if they fit your propaganda, but it's different here, isn't it ? - you claim that if he used these words only once he didn't mean them. It could not be clearer, in all the available translations. You can't have it both ways, so go on, if you claim to practice a religion of peace based on jesus Christ, I insist you explain first "NOT peace" and then explain "but the sword".

[Peter Pedant]

Ratter there is a play on those lines

second coming and it was televised starring Jacobi.....

[Peter Pedant]

scorpio jo you have discovered that GoodLife's quotes and little snippets bear absolutely no relation to the rKJV references he includes

it appears mainly to be cut-and-paste from some wholesome divine tract

[goodlife]

Paul said: “A physical man does not receive the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; (1 Cor. 2:14, 15)

Do not be fooled you are dead spiritual.

[naomi24]

//....whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. Matthew 5:22 //

Wonder where Paul ended up?

[vulcan42]

goodlife. Any thoughts on Matthew 6: 14-15?

[goodlife]

spiritual fear is wholesome, not morbid. It motivates one to be firm for what is right, not to compromise by doing wrong.

It is not like your fear, childish imagination.

[naomi24]

Goodlife, if you need spiritual fear to prevent you from compromising basic human principles of right and wrong, I feel very sorry for you.