“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
John 10:10
“But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.”
Mark 12:14
To the Pharisees, the Spiritual elites in Jesus’ time, He said,
“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
John 8:44
The difference between Christianity’s atrocities and Islam’s is plainly that the so called Christians who killed in the name of God are in direct opposition and disobedience to the Word of God, the Bible, while Islamic Jihadists are in full obedience to the mandate in their Qur’an. I heard this from J.D. Farag who is a faithful watchman to the brethren and he couldn’t have said it more eloquently.
Now let’s examine the stark contrast,
This is the Bible’s mandate
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48
This is the Quran’s mandate
“151. We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve, because they joined others in worship with Allah, for which He had sent no authority; their abode will be the Fire and how evil is the abode of the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers).
152. And Allah did indeed fulfil His Promise to you when you were killing them (your enemy) with His Permission; until (the moment) you lost your courage and fell to disputing about the order, and disobeyed after He showed you (of the booty) which you love. Among you are some that desire this world and some that desire the Hereafter. Then He made you flee from them (your enemy), that He might test you. But surely, He forgave you, and Allah is Most Gracious to the believers.” Sura 3:151-152
Now reread John 16:2-3 at the very top
And this even applies to some of the so called “Holy” men of the Reformation whose works undeniably impacted Christianity without question but led lives and held to heretical beliefs themselves (Do your own research on this and some of you probably already know but have reasoned and are convinced those “times” called for different measures) contrary to the teachings of Jesus, whom they claimed to follow and are sadly touted by believers today almost as if these so called holy men’s theologies supersede and are the authority of interpreting the revelation given to us through the bible, which by the way were penned by lay people (except for Paul, a Pharisaic scholar) led by the Holy Spirit, people deemed as nothings in modern day academia.
Jesus then gave us these words to discern who truly belongs to Him.
A Tree and its Fruit
“By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.…” Matthew 7:16-17
True and False Disciples
“…Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’…” Matthew 7:21-23
Whose words and actions hold more weight? Jesus’ whom you claim to be your savior? or the fallible men of the Reformation whose actions contradict Jesus’ own words? Yes we all sin, deliberately and unknowingly, it’s inescapable but we are talking about murder. Jesus never advocated to hunt down and kill those who held to different beliefs, He merely told His disciples,
“If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.“
Matthew 10:14
Point to Ponder: Paul sought to kill believers of The Way and he thought he was doing a service to God before his encounter with Jesus Christ. Shortly after his conversion, Paul then became from being the hunter to the hunted, stoned and left for dead on the street. We can see that genuine conversion warrants nothing more but yielding to the dictates of obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ, God incarnate.
I know I will get flak for this, but TRUTH must PREVAIL!