Is this a True Warrior for God?

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I was thinking about this the other night and found this site.
WarriorSaints - Gatka - Martial art of the Sikhs
Quote:

Quote:

The mind of a true warrior (a WarriorSaint) is different from that of most other humans. In fact, it even differs from the mind of any usual soldier or fighter.

I want to become a Warrior for the side of good every since I became Born-again. I am tired of running scared, succombing to fear and afraid of confrontation. I don't want to fight but I want to be a fighter.

Through All the inspiration dealt in my life through books, movies and some life choices I have come to what I think is a formula for a true warrior. Let me know what you think.

A True Warrior for Christ has these qualities
1. A Beautiful Mind Meaning not having toxic thoughts and emotions.(Inspired by Book Who Switched of my Brain?) Also a Movie
Beautiful Mind i've yet to see
2. A Braveheart(Inspired by movie Braveheart and book Wild at Heart)
3. A Loving Soul (Inspired by God and his Son Christ and the book the Bible)
4. A Fighting Spirit (Way of the Peaceful Warrior movie and book and Inspired By Bruce Lee and Martial Arts)
What do you think would these components make up a true warrior?

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@Israelite007,

Why would the Prince of Peace have need of warriors?

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@Israelite007,

Well that's a posing question simply this he needs warriors not violent murders. If we are all a bunch of weak, gutless shrimp, running scared from every encounter out of fear and only try to escape our repsonibility of duty to God then we are not worthy of the cross or Christ like the Prince of peace said..

Matthew 10:37-40
37"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

The Lord is a warrior
Exodus 15:3
3 The LORD is a warrior;
the LORD is his name.

David fought the Giant Goliath and he was a warrior I assure you God and the Prince of Peace needs warriors who will fight to protect others and for mercy.

1 Reply

@Israelite007,

The alternative to violence is not necessarily "running scared from every encounter out of fear" and I still have no idea why violence would be part of "our repsonibility of duty to God".

As for the passage from Mathew, I'm not sure how this passage tell us to be warriors. Jesus is telling us to give up our lives, to take up the cross and follow him. He is telling us to lose the lives we lead now, and find life through him. Nowhere does Jesus suggest violence, quite the contrary. He tells us to love our enemies - you do not kill those you love.

I'm not trying to turn this into an argument about pacifism. For our purposes here, I'll concede that some extreme cases may justify the use of force. But Jesus' message is one of peace, not violence. A message of love, not war. It seems that if we take his advice, and love our enemies, we should be trying to phase out the need for any sort of warrior.

Regarding Old Testament passages and stories, perhaps our views of the book differ. David and Goliath is about standing tall in the face of tyranny. David uses a slingshot against a giant of a man, a great warrior. David uses the least amount of force necessary. The Exodus passage you sight says the Lord is a warrior, it does not call us to be warriors. The passage is from a song sang by the Israelites after Pharoes' army was drowned in the Red Sea - it is a song exalting and thanking God for protecting the Israelites from violence, not a song calling the people to use violence.

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@Israelite007,

Israelite007 wrote:

I was thinking about this the other night and found this site.
WarriorSaints - Gatka - Martial art of the Sikhs
Quote:
I want to become a Warrior for the side of good every since I became Born-again. I am tired of running scared, succombing to fear and afraid of confrontation. I don't want to fight but I want to be a fighter.

Through All the inspiration dealt in my life through books, movies and some life choices I have come to what I think is a formula for a true warrior. Let me know what you think.

A True Warrior for Christ has these qualities
1. A Beautiful Mind Meaning not having toxic thoughts and emotions.(Inspired by Book Who Switched of my Brain?) Also a Movie
Beautiful Mind i've yet to see
2. A Braveheart(Inspired by movie Braveheart and book Wild at Heart)
3. A Loving Soul (Inspired by God and his Son Christ and the book the Bible)
4. A Fighting Spirit (Way of the Peaceful Warrior movie and book and Inspired By Bruce Lee and Martial Arts)
What do you think would these components make up a true warrior?

Oooh, this poses a major problem. This right here is the very reason people are dying in religious wars. Everyone wants to be a warrior for their religion.

I don't believe for a moment that God calls anyone to be a warrior. Love, Peace, and Warrior just doesn't seem to balance well together.

Israelite, just because you have been born again, doesn't mean the whole world should be born again accordingly. I've seen it all too often where a sinner becomes born again and then they seem to forget about everything else other than going out and trying to impose their faith and religious beliefs on others. This is the same thing as radical Muslims. They too are a warrior for their God. Strapping bombs to their bodies and walking into innocent villages is what they do. It's no different than the mindset of the radical, (Born Again) Christian. They don't strap bombs to themselves, they just create more radical opposites that do.

Be yourself and forget about what others are doing. You don't need to be a warrior for God, just show people love. If you've been born again, the truth will reveal itself to you, there's no need to want to be a warrior and there's no such thing as a peaceful war or warrior, no matter what you've seen on TV. If you want to kill them, kill them with kindness and love.

Quote:

A true warrior does not slander others or lay down challenges to satisfy his/her ego. A true warrior thinks of him/herself as a servant of God, a protector of His creation and a willing sacrifice to God's law of righteousness when called upon to serve Him. - From the link

The above is radicalism. To serve God, serve your fellow man and your neighbor in the same way you would want to be served or treated.

Read about Jesus. Read the words of Jesus and the gospels of Jesus and if after than you still think you need to be a warrior, then join forces with other Christian warriors. Here's a link to their forum: Christian Warriors Online

Warriorism Smile

is not allowed in this forum under any circumstances. Discuss and grow, yes, but being a warrior is something that should be taken elsewhere.

You wanted an opinion, now you have one.

1 Reply

@Justin,

Justin Thank God for you. I respect your ideas. However you may think me wrong. I am not on the earth to cause disruption so let me explain.

I'm glad to see all the responses I am recieving and your perceptions on this issue. Even though everyone's opinions and viewpoints vary we can learn from everything and everyone around us in other words the course of life is about human experience.

Let me make myself clear I am against war, violence, and slaughter this is not Godly and not what I am saying to become some fanatic killing people in God's name.

This is what I say..
Stand up for the truth stand up for the defenseless, die to protect others and preserve God's Creation. Be a face of Love in death and struggle.

While you pose a valid point on a islamic radicals and fanaticism and being a pacifist this is what I am. I against killing and murder it disobey's God's word.
However I am saying to battle dark forces I am saying to fight against sin I am saying to lay down our lives for christ I am saying to know how to defend ourselves and others!
I am saying to be a warrior for the cause of upholding life not destroying it.

What I mean by all this Justin and Didymos is in order to accomplish good will to all men I must train to be a tool of the Lord. I cannot accomplish anything on my own. I must fight my battles in love for peace and with heart.

I am opposed to anything evil or wrong. I would not fight someone to hurt them or kill them but I want to learn to defend myself and others in order that I esteem life even more.

This is what I am saying by learning martials arts. It will teahc me discipline, control, and to train my body for pain.

My body is a vessel to serve not disrupt let us not go into the horrors caused by those who have wronged nations and cultures.

I want to run towards the battle and not from it I want to know death and overcome it I hope for a good death. I want to live wild at heart and fight for righteousness.

Let us hope through Yashua Christ that the door will open. Bless you Both

2 Replies

@Israelite007,

If you say things like 'I want to be a warrior for God' and you mean them in a figurative way (I want to be a warrior for God = I want to do what God would want me to do) this is fine.

The problem, I think, is the assumption that violence, and the capability to be violent, should be cultivated because doing so will provide you with some useful tool in doing good. This assumption seems, at least, shaky. Even if we admit that, in extreme cases, violence may be justified, justifying violence in such cases is necessarily a lesser of two evils choice. In these extreme cases violence is not useful because it can be good, it is useful because it is not as bad as the alternative.

The bottom line is that violence should always be avoided whenever possible. To cultivate one's ability to be violent is to cultivate an evil skill.

Quote:

I want to run towards the battle and not from it I want to know death and overcome it I hope for a good death. I want to live wild at heart and fight for righteousness.

Why on earth would you ever want to go into combat? Talk to anyone who has seen the horror of war, and then you will know why you should want to run from the battle.
That battle is taking place is a terrible thing. Why bolster the bloodbath by joining in? God does not need warriors to win the battle, if anything, he needs "warriors" who know the battle should not be fought, and who refuse to fight in the battle.

That is bravery. Standing up saying 'No, I will not fight and kill my brothers'.

2 Replies

@Didymos Thomas,

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind....

Brett.

0 Replies

@Israelite007,

Lol. Israelite, my brother.. you are really trying to get me going aren't you! Smile

Israelite007 wrote:

Justin Thank God for you. I respect your ideas. However you may think me wrong. I am not on the earth to cause disruption so let me explain.

I don't believe you are. Most born again Christians aren't purposely going out there as warriors and destroying others. However, the need to get everyone to believe the same thing as they do, creates more of what we have today. Again, while radical Christians may not be strapping bombs to their bodies and blowing up innocent people, they actually create more radical opposing forces that do. Wasn't it Jesus who told us to lay down our swords?

Israelite007 wrote:

While you pose a valid point on a islamic radicals and fanaticism and being a pacifist this is what I am. I against killing and murder it disobey's God's word.

However I am saying to battle dark forces I am saying to fight against sin I am saying to lay down our lives for christ I am saying to know how to defend ourselves and others!

I am saying to be a warrior for the cause of upholding life not destroying it.

It's not a battle. The only battles we are up against is the ones we create. Sin in your eyes may be a good deed for God in someone else's. Do you see where I'm going with this? If you want to lay down your life for Christ, that is clearly explained in the words and works of Jesus. There's nothing to defend against.

Israelite007 wrote:

What I mean by all this Justin and Didymos is in order to accomplish good will to all men I must train to be a weapon of the Lord. I cannot accomplish anything on my own. I must fight my battles in love for peace and with heart.

All you can do is Love. You don't have to train to be a weapon for the Lord. Each man will discover God when he or she is ready. All you can do is be an example of your faith. Plant seeds and if they are in fertile ground those seeds will grow. You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink.

Israelite007 wrote:

I am opposed to anything evil or wrong. I would not fight someone to hurt them or kill them but I want to learn to defend myself and others in order that I esteem life even more.

While this is may seem to fit because you were 'Born Again', this doesn't mean that you aren't a sinner. I've seen more evil and sin in Christianity than I have in Buddhism, yet the Christian will condemn the Buddhist.

When you find the truth you seek, you wont have to defend anything or anyone... One of the hardest things to do is Love the unlovely. The unlovely sin. Mankind sins. It's just the way it is. Radical Christianity is just as destructive as anything else.

Lets' not forget that you too are a sinner.

Israelite007 wrote:

This is what I am saying by learning martials arts. It will teach me discipline, control, and to train my body for pain.

My body is a vessel to serve not disrupt let us not go into the horrors caused by those who have wronged nations and cultures.

I want to run towards the battle and not from it I want to know death and overcome it I hope for a good death. I want to live wild at heart and fight for righteousness.

Are you sure you aren't just running from yourself? There is no death in eternal life. A man's worst enemy is himself... as is a mans greatest asset, is also himself.

Israelite, be careful not to get in so far as to be radical about your belief. One of the plagues in the Christian community is that they try to mind everyone else's business and shove Jesus down the throat of everyone they can. This in fact isn't what Jesus taught at all.

Please do a search on the Sermon on the Mount and read with an open mind.

You are a good person and a wonderful soul. Please don't allow yourself to fall into something without carefully meditating and thinking. If you really want to change the world, it starts at home.

What's that song... This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine, This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.... and so on. Develop the light within yourself and that will influence more people than being a warrior ever will. Lead by example.

Thank you Israelite for speaking your mind and thank God for you and everyone who makes discussion like this possible.

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@Didymos Thomas,

Thanks Didymos, I think you are cathing the jist of what I mean. About your question

Quote:

Why on earth would you ever want to go into combat? Talk to anyone who has seen the horror of war, and then you will know why you should want to run from the battle.

You really hit a key stroke with me whew! That was special!
I mean this symbolically. I see at as this. Let's say there is a battle going on between two religions and people are dieing like a holy war or something, now what I mean by running towards the battle is this, watch any movie any tv show what happens when disaster strikes? People run away in a panic. I mean that I want to run towards the battle to protect others not to fight and cause death. But to fight for life if there is such a thing to help others.
Yes maybe I should want to run from a war going on but my duty as a believer when other's are dieing and suffering my duty to God is to protect others from death and suffering that's what I am saying here.

1 Reply

@Israelite007,

Quote:

you are really trying to get me going aren't you!

You know all too well. So maybe I am overboard with my beliefs at times and that's something you have helped me to realize. Thanks for keeping a continual observance of character you seem to know yourself quite well.

Quote:

Are you sure you aren't just running from yourself? There is no death in eternal life. A man's worst enemy is himself... as is a mans greatest asset, is also himself.

This above statement may very well be the truth I have been running all my life it's what i do best so what do you suggest?

DO I want people to accept Yashua Christ as their personal savior? You bet that is my main goal but I can like you say not make them drink the water I can only lead them to it.

Me a sinner? I have commited 1,000s of sins and maybe even 10,000s of sins I am sinner indeed but yes I must not keep from a holier than thou attitude after all I am here to serve not be served.

Thank you Justin for all your comments and guidance you most certainly have contributed in my learning and seeking for a better self in Christ.

May God lead you friends into inner peace and give you greater understanding with each day, that's what we are here for after all? To help each other? To build realtionships? To grow and flourish in the Kingdom of God's graces

1 Reply

@Israelite007,

So, why does God need warriors?

0 Replies

@Israelite007,

One doesn't have to go seeking to find the Kingdom of God.

Take a look at your goal. You are still young, your goals will change. It doesn't matter what everyone else does, that's simply not within your control. I'm going to ponder a while now and read.

1 Reply

@Justin,

Quote:

One doesn't have to go seeking to find the Kingdom of God.

One only has to look around.

This is moving off topic, but there is an old Sam Cooke song called "That's Heaven to Me". Mr. Cooke knew what heaven was.

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@Israelite007,

Hi Israelite007. To get first things first, I'll reiterate (and I can see that you all ready agree) that all actions of those following Christ must be in the context of loving other's as themselves.

That said, I actually don't have complete objection to the use of "warrior" as a metaphor, though it must be seen as only one of many metaphors used in the Bible. The idea of an alert, training, and selfless person who is dedicated to living by Love is a wonderful idea, and it is a good description of Jesus. (IMO Justin is trying to do this very thing, so under my use of the metaphor, I might classify him as a warrior for his beliefs. No offence Justin!)

But remember that enthusiasm can make us act overzealously or immaturely. My advice is this- carefully (and I mean that) find some mature people who you would be happy to become like (hopefully those that act out the teachings of Christ), and allow them to mentor you as you grow. Hopefully this would be a good experience for them as well as you, and IMO is really is a part of acting out Jesus' example. Also, allow yourself some room for error, and put your faith in God's free forgiveness rather than your ability to be a "warrior" for Him.

Just a few thoughts, and I hope they find you well.

1 Reply

@NeitherExtreme,

Hello Isrealite007,

I can see some places in the scriptures that remind me of battle, and I remember being soo very fired up like you are. I appreciate your zeal:).

I think about Paul putting on the sword of faith and the breastplate of rightiousness. "for we battle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and evil spirits in high places" (I hope thats not a miss quote).

I too have wondered why many christians seam so sheepish, but as time goes on you realize, the church is the body, and we can not all be the same member, so don't blame the ears for not seeing. Find your calling, be true to yourself and to god; with above all else love, and battle spiritual wikedness:D.

thanks

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@Israelite007,

Thank you NeitherExtreme for the insightful post. Surrounding yourself with more mature people is also a great recommendation. I've had the wonderful opportunity to develop relationships with people much older and wiser than myself and it's certainly a rewarding experience.

I remember when I first swallowed the born again pill... My friends in school thought I was most likely to become a preacher. However, I've always been one to look at things from a birds-eye-view perspective and analyze and listen. The more I understood it, the more awakened I became to realize and desire real truth.

Actually when I was born again I didn't understand it. It was just the thing to do. In our church there were raising of hands, rolling around on the floor, speaking in tongues, and of course going up to the alter to be officially born again. As I've grown I, realize how much I didn't understand about life and the beauty of of it.

Enthusiasm is great. It can actually change the physiology of a human body and does, this in turn can create changes in life... just keep an open mind and open heart.

Whether Jesus was or wasn't doesn't matter, the message of Love does and it's not always easy and I can testify to that. Had I been on a forum like this 4 years ago, I'd have been banned!... Lol.

Thank you everyone for the supportive and insightful comments in this thread. On many forums people would be attacking each other in a post such as this and it's pleasing to see this is not happening here.

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@Israelite007,

israelite
I believe what is misunderstood is what is the Lord's warrior. Would it not be one who stands in the Truth for it is the Truth that he loves. But the war is with in you my friend for the primary purpose of the sword of the Truth is for separating the soul from the lie not the running through of some one that hates the Truth. The Truth must remove and replace, heal, and correct that which is with in you first then you can stand. And it is the mercy of God that glorifies, not weapons held in the hand. Is there a spiritual warfare going on, yes but it is spiritual not the violence in the nation against nation warfare. The peace spoken of by such as apostle Paul is peace with and in God, not with and in the world. Heck even if the world was to have peace, it would still have to cause pain and suffering to enforce it.

If you want to learn the disciplines of marshal arts there is no wrong in that, but a solder of the Lord stands with the Truth in Spirit.

But first things first, if the Holy Spirit dwells in you then your body is the dwelling of the Spirit of God. Therefore there is the matter of that land (flesh is of the ground) or dwelling becoming and conforming to an acceptable use by God. Therefore Love the Truth (the Lord Jesus). Being born of the Spirit or born again is awesome but it is the beginning of your eternal Life and the Lord has taken you unto Himself and will now prove you to make you become that which He has taken you to be. Look upon your body, heart, and mind like is the land of the Lord Jesus and let Him subdue it. All those lies that you once thought were true must be replaced with the Truth. And before warned in the dwelling place of the Lord there is no dark rooms. But be not afraid for the Lord has seen it all and heard it all. It is merely a process of repenting from and the Holy Spirit burning it out and then the Truth will replace it. When Israel was to take the land that the Lord gave their fathers. It was that they were not to start wars with others, they where to purge the land that they would become masters of it, and that the Lord would dwell with them. It is the same that should happen within you, for the Lord has given you your body to dwell in.

On the subject of Love. If God is Love then what is it that He Loves. Does the Father Love the Son? How much? Enough that He gave Him all, and no one comes to the Father but through the Son. Therefore Love that which the Father Loves then you understand God's Love. It is that the Son (Jesus) is the Truth the Way and the Life that is what the Father Loves. And anyone who Loves the Son loves the Father and anyone who love the Father loves the Son. This is the first Love.

And how can you love thy brother as yourself if you do not love yourself ? And how can you love yourself if you do not love the Truth, even if it is for your own sake and salvation?

1 Reply

@dpmartin,

You guys are really something. This was just another experiement in my course of discovery. I keep learning so much, I have changed drastically since even being here.

I am really struggling to find balance in my life, I guess what I really want is not to be a warrior but to be balanced and Justin you have really excelled in your ideals on this topic, so thanks and What is being balanced in life about?

1 Reply

@Israelite007,

Israelite007 wrote:

You guys are really something. This was just another experiement in my course of discovery. I keep learning so much, I have changed drastically since even being here.

I am really struggling to find balance in my life, I guess what I really want is not to be a warrior but to be balanced and Justin you have really excelled in your ideals on this topic, so thanks and What is being balanced in life about?

I can't asnwer for everyone here, so I'll just give a few thoughts of what balance means to me. A big part of balance in life is avoiding the harmful extremes to which I seem constantly drawn. (So my screen name is not a statement of where I am, but where I hope to be.)

For me that means many things... Believing in and searching for truth while acknowledging that I can not fully understand it. Turning enthusiasm into motivation to mature, and enfusing any maturity that I find with enthusiasm (the latter is harder for me personally). To allow skepticism and belief to both do their work, without becoming a witless slave to either. To balance independance with accepting authority (freedom is found within good rules rather than in anarchy). To love with honesty and strength as well as with compassion and gentleness...

Haha, I could go on for quite a while, but I think you get the point. One more personal one I'll add, is the balance of relying on God and recognizing my own weakness, while still responding the best I can to His call to Love.

IMO, life very much resembles the narrow road that Jesus talked about... and peace and joy are found in the balance.

1 Reply

Is this a True Warrior for God?

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