2 Timothy 2:24 tells us that “… the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men,…”
The Bible also tells us that God Himself gave this wonderful testimony of the great King David, saying “…I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart,…” Hmmm. A man after God’s own heart? David was anything but gentle when he slew two hundred Philistines so that he could gain Michal, the daughter of King Saul, as his wife. He wasn’t “gentle to all men” when he had Uriah placed at the forefront of the battle for the expressed purpose of having Uriah die so David could cover up his adulterous and clandestine relationship with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba. And let’s not forget the strong character of Uriah, one of David’s mightiest men. Uriah was faithful, brave, obedient, and mighty, and was not treated in a gentle way by David, but exactly in the sinfully opposite way. Even David cited his own warlike nature in explaining why Solomon would build God’s temple rather than himself, saying in 1 Chronicles 28:3, “But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.”
Yet Ecclesiastes 3:8 affirms that, according to God, there is not only a “…time to love” but also “a time to hate;” and “a time of war…” Then, Exodus 15:3 defines God this way “The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.” Does God hate and make war? And if so, just what does God hate? God hates Sin! He also hates other things like “the deeds of the Nicolaitans” (Revelation 2:6). And the Bible puts forth this question in Romans 3:5 “…Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance?” and then God answers His own the question in the next verse, “… God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?” He reiterates in Romans 12:19 “…Vengeance is mine; I will repay…” Jesus came once and did not strive. He didn’t, He wouldn’t, and He won’t, that is until…. He comes back in power and glory to take vengeance upon His enemies. You can read a lot about it in Revelation 19 and in Zechariah 14.
In times of war, we need great fighting men like King David, but without the human failures David succumbed to. We desperately need the George Pattons, the Douglas MacArthurs, and the Norman Schwarzkopfs. But New Testament Christians operating in the civilian world should never fancy themselves as military generals. We are not! If we are serving as law enforcement or military personnel, that is one thing, but as Christians, we are to love a lost and dying world for Christ’s sake!
The servant of the LORD must not strive, but be gentle (and loving) to all men!
Love and Prayers to all,
Pastor