Violence. Those who live by it die by it. The real 'temple' being built by Christ can be built in peace because of the power of Christ's name to overcome evil instead of use of violence so that builders can have hands free of bloodshed. If we choose to weild His name and rely on its power we can put away the sword. There is a place for war even in religious causes and scripture makes it clear but the overriding peace of Christ gives an alternative by the power of God's name for the building of a house for Him without bloodshed. Without the name of Lord Jesus we would have to accept that there will tend to be a need to keep readiness for the resistance to violence in some way - and Apostle Paul had to resort to asking worldly rulers for armed protection in direst of times and even had to invke his being a Roman Citizen to get help from the Roman government of his time so this might be necessary after first asking the peace of Lord Jesus' name for justice. It is not incompatible to seek both God's peace and that of the police and even armed forces. So far no bloodshed by priestly 'builders of the Temple of God' is necessary but Paul shows there is a limit to even this peace when times are allowed by God to get more dire still. Yet even here martyrdom is a passive peaceful option if grace is given for it to this extreme - resisting temptation even to the point of shedding blood. The risk is then that violence might take us over as when Peter cut the High Priest's servant's ear.
In Jesus time on Earth all kinds of atrocities were being committed including the beheadng of John the cousin of Jesus - The Baptist. Jesus did not take up arms even then. That is for governments but governments were at that time the perpetrators so then it is for angels and eventually for God Himself who takes kingdoms and give kingdoms, exalts to kingship and humbles kings. In cases of injustice and atrocities seemingly unpunished there is prayer. God may answer prayers with what seems to the oppressors like atrocities or terrorism but has God's hand sometimes. Jesus now has David's throne and rules the kngdom of God which is believers but believers still have to pray and even to intercede for perpetrators and if it is a matter for Jesus the Lord then He will judge and show mercy as He deems fit according to God's will who gave Him The Kingdom. God as Father of the Kingdom folk loves them day by day and is very fatherly to them and notes those in His Son's kingdom with special love.
In Jesus time on Earth all kinds of atrocities were being committed including the beheadng of John the cousin of Jesus - The Baptist. Jesus did not take up arms even then. That is for governments but governments were at that time the perpetrators so then it is for angels and eventually for God Himself who takes kingdoms and give kingdoms, exalts to kingship and humbles kings. In cases of injustice and atrocities seemingly unpunished there is prayer. God may answer prayers with what seems to the oppressors like atrocities or terrorism but has God's hand sometimes. Jesus now has David's throne and rules the kngdom of God which is believers but believers still have to pray and even to intercede for perpetrators and if it is a matter for Jesus the Lord then He will judge and show mercy as He deems fit according to God's will who gave Him The Kingdom. God as Father of the Kingdom folk loves them day by day and is very fatherly to them and notes those in His Son's kingdom with special love.
