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From Father Andrew Bahhi: The Sword that Saves Us

June 21, 2020
in Feature Articles, The Word
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Every single time we come to church, it is an opportunity to open our heart and repent and receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ so we can continue in our life.

Matthew 10:34 offers us one of the most complicated questions in the Bible. When Jesus was talking with His disciples and the people around him, he said “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

And yet in Matthew 5:44, we are taught: “Love your enemies. Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you and pray for those who persecuted you.”

There is a theme of forgiveness and love in Christianity. So how did Jesus say he did not bring peace but a sword? It brings up awareness and questions about these contradictory things in the Bible.

Let’s answer these questions.

The sword is not a literal sword or weapon. It has more meaning, as the word of God.

A sword as any sharp weapon, has a job to do. To cut. When we talk about a sword like Jesus said, it may come to separate the mother from daughter, the father from the children. The first meaning is to make a difference in people who believe and those who do not believe.

That’s why Jesus said He did not come to bring peace on the earth between believers and unbelievers, although we are taught to love one another. But when it comes to faith, we must be very careful because there is no compromising. When you compromise, you lose the power of the name of Jesus Christ.

Another meaning of the word sword is persecution. We are all descendants of the Sayfo, and we have the memory of the 15th of every June to remember those who suffered with Sayfo. So here the sword is not in our hand but in the hand of the persecutor who killed our people. So, don’t think being Christian is easy.

The sword also resembles a price which we must pay in order to be a good Christian.

Finally, dear brothers and sisters, there is the double-edged sword. This is the power of the word of God, which from one side cuts the bad things from our life, and the other side cuts out the sickness you may have. Like a doctor who cuts into us. This is what the word of God, the sword, does. It cuts our heart, mind or thoughts, but we know this cut is not to discourage us, but rather for good purposes.

I pray that our heavenly Father saves us and cleans our heart as a sharp weapon that cuts all the bad habits and behaviors from our life.

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