Why I Am a Conscientious Objector
C.D. Wenger
Table of Contents
Why I Am a Conscientious Objector
In 1569 a Dutch Christian named Dirk Willems fled for his life. His pursuers were hot on his trail, not because he had committed a gross crime, but because he refused to follow the teachings of the state church.
Dirk almost escaped his captors as he fled across a frozen river. Once over the river, he turned to see one of his pursuers fall through the treacherously thin ice. Quickly he dashed across the ice, rescued his drowning enemy, and helped him back to shore.
The grateful man wanted to let Dirk go free, but the other captors refused to agree. They immediately imprisoned him and later burned him to death. Dirk refused to resist evil but, as Christ commanded, he returned good for evil.
Part 1: the Word—Its Teaching
(1) But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. -Matt. 5:39.
(2) And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. -Matt. 5:41
(3) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven. -Matt. 5:44, 45.
(4) And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.... But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another. -Matt. 10:22, 23.
(5) Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. -Matt. 10:16.
(6) And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled. -Matt. 24:6.
(7) Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
-Matt. 26:52.
(8) And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
-Luke 6:31.
(9) But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified. -Luke 21:9.
(10) My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews. -John 18:36.
(11) Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. -Rom. 12:14.
(12) Recompense to no man evil for evil. -Rom. 12:17.
(13) Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. -Rom. 12:19-20.
(14) Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we intreat. -1 Cor. 4:12, 13.
(15) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. -2 Cor. 10:4.
(16) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood. -Eph. 6:12.
(17) See that none render evil for evil unto any man. -1 Thess. 5:15.
(18) Who [Christ], when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not.
-1 Peter 2:23.
(19) Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing. -1 Peter 3:9.
(20) He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. -Rev. 13:10.
Part 2: the Word—Its Authority
(1) Thy word is truth. -John 17:17.
(2)In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. -John 1:1.
(3) Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. -Matt. 24:35.
(4) If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. -John 8:31.
(5) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. -John 8:32.
(6) If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. -John 8:51.
(7) Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. -John 6:68.
(8) Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
-Acts 5:29.
(9) This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. -Matt. 17:5.
(10) Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. -Luke 11:28.
(11)He that is of God heareth God's words. -John 8:47.
(12) For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God. -John 3:34.
(13) The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. -John 6:63.
(14) He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. -John 12:48.
(15) But the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. -John 12:49.
(16) Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. -John 18:37.
(17) If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. -Matt. 19:17.
(18) For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me. -John 17:8.
(19) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:... and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:... and it fell: and great was the fall of it. -Matt. 7:24-27.
(20) If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. -Rev. 22:18, 19.
-Compiled by C. D. Wenger
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