Wow. Peter, you touched the heart of the matter for me. This crisis in eastern Europe isn't about us, but is very definitely about the lost and hurting people of the world, and in recent days, this has had a nexus in Ukraine. I have to pray for all those involved. God loves an 18 year old soldier just as much whether or not he is Ukrainian or Russian... Some of those Russian boys (and I am sure a Russian mother loves her 18 year old son just as much as you or I would love our son) have shown up in the middle of a crisis they didn't sign up for, at least this appears so at face value. Certainly the Ukrainian men, all drafted from age 18 to 60, are not where they want to be at this moment, for the most part. So in war, do you think God is more pleased with a Ukrainian soldier as he kills a lead tank with an anti-tank weapon, or a Russian soldier who fires a cluster bomb that kills innocents in some basement. God loves each soldier, but to kill is sinful in God's eyes. We can get really divided on comments like this, and I do not aim to divide. But I have a point. We each hope to spend eternity in the presence of God. But God is Holy. Holiness is the absence of sin. If God is the representation of the absence of sin, do you think He can tolerate the act of taking the life of a fellow human being and still be Who He must be, a Holy God? So how does this work? God's Word makes it clear that all of us are sinners. It is thru the blood of Jesus that all of us (all) have the opportunity to be made Holy, Holy enough to stand in God's presence, since the blood of Jesus leads to the atonement of sin, such that as far as the east is from the west, so far is our sin removed from us. So we are faced with the fact that sin leads to the absence of holiness, apart from which we could not stand in God's presence. And it makes no difference if our sins are aggregious, or minor, since God could still not abide us in His presence with a mantle of sin about our shoulders. So, with this thought in mind, do you think either soldier stands differently in God's eyes, one killing to save his family, and another killing innocents? It is clear this matters to mankind, but neither man is justified before God, apart from the blood of Jesus.
So if God loves both men, Russian or Ukrainian equally, then ought not we do the same? Love the sinner and hate the sin, my dad used to say. I know I struggle with this. May God send His angels to look over His people, and may the God of Peace, the One who gave His only Son to save each of us, bless each who hear His Word, and may His Peace come now.
Let's not forget one of the Left's mantras: "Don't let a good crisis go to waste." The problem for them with this very real and present crisis is that it points to the truth of what true socialism does. Putin is the epitome of Socialism allowed to flourish (which is really just Communism made more "palatable"), and his invasion of Ukraine is exactly what his Marxist upbringing and beliefs has lead him to do. And if he can distract the world long enough for little brother Xi Jinping to do the same with Taiwan, even better for him!
Instead of bringing the truth to bear on the situation, the socialism loving folks over at NPR must do their duty to their Comrade by encouraging people to look away, to disengage, and take time for "self care," take time to look within, and promote self interests (see Jeremiah 17:9 about this!).
Thank you for this. NPR’s thread made me want to vomit. And to be fair, I think they do NOT represent the majority of Americans! I think most of us are genuinely concerned for the people in Ukraine, and praying for them rather than cooking stress stew. NPR is just another example of a tax-payer-funded organization that is completely out of touch with the people whose money funds it.
I don't know where you heard that the Coptic Christians of Ukraine are in support of Putin's war...I would question that report...especially in light of the stories of the Ukrainians who are prepared to die for their country, for freedom...citizens of every stripe picking up arms and going mano a mano against the invading troops.....our country builds a wall around Congress in advance of the State of the Union address while refusing to build a wall to keep out thugs, drugs, and Cartel felons while the Ukrainians climb over the walls to destroy the Evil that engulfs them...I doubt that NPR would ever discuss the irony of all that....
My Christian take on Zalensky wasn't manliness but to remember that even people I might consider bad can have redeeming qualities and do things I consider right. I don't always see a God perspective from my small corner either.
Oh, I so agree with you, like I always do. I keep trying to turn my attention away from the Ukraine but our family has dozens of personal connections there with church plants and friends that are adopting. But beyond that, having studied history over and over in our homeschool journey, learning about the devastation of war, I can’t stop praying for these brothers and sisters in Christ. I’ve cried and prayed. For both sides. I can’t turn a blind eye. My body hurts from thinking about them. But I can continue to teach my children empathy and compassion and maybe someday, they can be the ones to help in the rebuilding. Only Jesus can make the difference and he already has. Praying for peace.
Wow. Peter, you touched the heart of the matter for me. This crisis in eastern Europe isn't about us, but is very definitely about the lost and hurting people of the world, and in recent days, this has had a nexus in Ukraine. I have to pray for all those involved. God loves an 18 year old soldier just as much whether or not he is Ukrainian or Russian... Some of those Russian boys (and I am sure a Russian mother loves her 18 year old son just as much as you or I would love our son) have shown up in the middle of a crisis they didn't sign up for, at least this appears so at face value. Certainly the Ukrainian men, all drafted from age 18 to 60, are not where they want to be at this moment, for the most part. So in war, do you think God is more pleased with a Ukrainian soldier as he kills a lead tank with an anti-tank weapon, or a Russian soldier who fires a cluster bomb that kills innocents in some basement. God loves each soldier, but to kill is sinful in God's eyes. We can get really divided on comments like this, and I do not aim to divide. But I have a point. We each hope to spend eternity in the presence of God. But God is Holy. Holiness is the absence of sin. If God is the representation of the absence of sin, do you think He can tolerate the act of taking the life of a fellow human being and still be Who He must be, a Holy God? So how does this work? God's Word makes it clear that all of us are sinners. It is thru the blood of Jesus that all of us (all) have the opportunity to be made Holy, Holy enough to stand in God's presence, since the blood of Jesus leads to the atonement of sin, such that as far as the east is from the west, so far is our sin removed from us. So we are faced with the fact that sin leads to the absence of holiness, apart from which we could not stand in God's presence. And it makes no difference if our sins are aggregious, or minor, since God could still not abide us in His presence with a mantle of sin about our shoulders. So, with this thought in mind, do you think either soldier stands differently in God's eyes, one killing to save his family, and another killing innocents? It is clear this matters to mankind, but neither man is justified before God, apart from the blood of Jesus.
So if God loves both men, Russian or Ukrainian equally, then ought not we do the same? Love the sinner and hate the sin, my dad used to say. I know I struggle with this. May God send His angels to look over His people, and may the God of Peace, the One who gave His only Son to save each of us, bless each who hear His Word, and may His Peace come now.
Let's not forget one of the Left's mantras: "Don't let a good crisis go to waste." The problem for them with this very real and present crisis is that it points to the truth of what true socialism does. Putin is the epitome of Socialism allowed to flourish (which is really just Communism made more "palatable"), and his invasion of Ukraine is exactly what his Marxist upbringing and beliefs has lead him to do. And if he can distract the world long enough for little brother Xi Jinping to do the same with Taiwan, even better for him!
Instead of bringing the truth to bear on the situation, the socialism loving folks over at NPR must do their duty to their Comrade by encouraging people to look away, to disengage, and take time for "self care," take time to look within, and promote self interests (see Jeremiah 17:9 about this!).
Thank you for this. NPR’s thread made me want to vomit. And to be fair, I think they do NOT represent the majority of Americans! I think most of us are genuinely concerned for the people in Ukraine, and praying for them rather than cooking stress stew. NPR is just another example of a tax-payer-funded organization that is completely out of touch with the people whose money funds it.
I don't know where you heard that the Coptic Christians of Ukraine are in support of Putin's war...I would question that report...especially in light of the stories of the Ukrainians who are prepared to die for their country, for freedom...citizens of every stripe picking up arms and going mano a mano against the invading troops.....our country builds a wall around Congress in advance of the State of the Union address while refusing to build a wall to keep out thugs, drugs, and Cartel felons while the Ukrainians climb over the walls to destroy the Evil that engulfs them...I doubt that NPR would ever discuss the irony of all that....
Hey, I wasn't referencing the Coptics in Ukraine. I meant the Russian Orthodox church - this is what the progressives were using to make their point: https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1497894875458588678
My Christian take on Zalensky wasn't manliness but to remember that even people I might consider bad can have redeeming qualities and do things I consider right. I don't always see a God perspective from my small corner either.
Oh, I so agree with you, like I always do. I keep trying to turn my attention away from the Ukraine but our family has dozens of personal connections there with church plants and friends that are adopting. But beyond that, having studied history over and over in our homeschool journey, learning about the devastation of war, I can’t stop praying for these brothers and sisters in Christ. I’ve cried and prayed. For both sides. I can’t turn a blind eye. My body hurts from thinking about them. But I can continue to teach my children empathy and compassion and maybe someday, they can be the ones to help in the rebuilding. Only Jesus can make the difference and he already has. Praying for peace.