Brock/Francis Debate on Christians and War

 
 
Proposition:
The N.T. teaches a Christian must obey the call to war by his government..
which results in killing other people.

Affirm: Dennis (Skip)Francis
Deny: Nelta Brock

To all readers...as I end this debate with my final rebuttal.

Notice the word MUST in the proposition. In the last post it was said he NEVER 
said one MUST obey the call to war by his government, when he signed the 
proposition he agreed to the MUST part.

This affirmation has not be proven. Up to the last post this debate was presented 
without caustic... sarcastic remarks. (Debate tactics.) I had hoped it would be 
presented without such. 

Here are the points brought up that were not proven:

1) When Jesus said *take the sword* He meant for His apostles to protect 
themselves by killing another person if necessary. This of course, goes against 
ALL the teaching of our Lord. Nothing in all the N.T. even hints to the Christian 
killing anyone.

2) God has the same laws/purpose for His children as He does for the world. If 
this were true then the world would be expected to preach the gospel and bring 
sinners unto Him. However, that is not the civil government's business just as 
taking care of the unruly is not the Christians business as he goes about his life 
being the light and the salt.

3) Because the civil government is ordained by God for the good of God's people 
we should partake in bringing about that *GOOD.* I believe this needs no 
explanation.

4) Because it is not recorded that Cornelius was to now go about His Father's 
business instead of tending to the affairs of the world, it was all right to continue. 
No response was ever forthcoming to what I said (twice) about all the things the 
record does not state about what he MUST do to become a Christian: placing 
membership in the Church of Christ, forsaking not the ASSEMBLY on the 
*Lord's Day*....etc. Nor that the slave-owners were not told to give up their slaves 
when they were taught the gospel.

5) That it is necessary to give up SELF-CONTROL in this life, as to the civil 
government. When in reality a person must always be in control of his mind and 
his life else he couldn't obey the command of "giving the body as a living 
sacrifice to God.* Each Christian will stand before God to give an account for his 
OWN actions.

6) That when a person goes to war and kills for the civil government it is not he 
who is doing it but the civil government, so he will not be held accountable in the 
day of judgment for *the deeds done in the body.* See above.

To sum up: When a sinner becomes a Christian his allegiance is to the Father. 
Jesus taught throughout the years He was on this earth that Christians are only 
pilgrims on this earth...just passing through. His purpose is to agape all and to 
pray for ALL. With the fruit of the Spirit he is to live his life as a light of the 
world..as the salt of the earth. Jesus lives in the heart of such a person. The 
weapon He teaches us to use is the Sword of Truth....the sword of the Spirit. The 
sword.....His word.

No, a Christian should NOT help the civil government in carrying out its purpose 
of taking care of the unruly. That goes directly against all the teachings of our 
Lord.

Thanks to all.

Nelta