As Christians, we must always be alert that we are not being a stumbling block to people. A stumbling block is a person who teaches others to set their minds on the things of man and not the things of God.
Matthew 16:23 – Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
Mark 8:33 – But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
To set your mind on the things of man, is to set your thoughts on things such as greed, revenge, malice, etc., instead of the things of God such as love, forgiveness, generosity, etc. Paul confirms this also:
Colossians 3:2, 7-10, 12-14 – Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things…7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator…12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
In today’s current world affairs, we are faced with the unfortunate war between Russia and Ukraine. We can become a stumbling block in this matter to the world, including the Ukrainian people. We can become a stumbling block when we encourage others to set their minds on the things of man. When we counsel and advise them to fight back against the Russian people.
As Christians, we are not meant to resist evil men, who wish to take from their neighbor by violence and force. It is true that what Putin and the Russian people are doing is wrong and against God’s word.
Exodus 20:17 – You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Deuteronomy 5:21 – “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Deuteronomy 19:14 – Do not move your neighbor’s boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess.
Deuteronomy 27:17 – “Cursed is anyone who moves their neighbor’s boundary stone.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!
Proverbs 22:28 – Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers set up by previous generations.
We know that to covet is a form of greed and against God’s kingdom.
Ephesians 5:5 – For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
And as for the Ukrainian people, Jesus told us not to resist an evil person. He taught us to turn the other cheek instead.
Matthew 5:38-40 & 45 – “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well…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.
This is spoken of in the Old Testament as well:
Proverbs 20:22 – Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.
Proverbs 24:29 – Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me; I’ll pay them back for what they did.”
Paul also confirms this in the New Testament.
Romans 12:19 – Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
If someone steals from us, we are not to fight for it back. Just like the Russians are attempting to steal Ukrainian land.
Luke 6:29-30 – If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.
Matthew 5:40 – And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.
Paul confirms this:
1 Corinthians 6:7 – The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?
By advising the Ukrainian people to resist, fight back, and to seek to obtain back with violence, we are becoming a stumbling block to them. This is a sin on our behalf. This does not mean that the Ukrainian people cannot rebuke Putin for his sinful actions. They must speak out against the wrong he is doing. But they must not seek to harbor hatred, take revenge or bear a grudge against him and the Russian people.
Leviticus 19:17-18 – ‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
Jesus speaks precisely on this subject:
Matthew 5:43-45 – “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor 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.
He taught us a more righteous way, just as he revised the concept of an eye for an eye.
Matthew 5:38-39 – You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
Jesus said this to the Jewish people while they were experiencing the cruelty of being occupied by the Roman empire. It was relevant then and it is relevant to the situation between Russia and Ukraine now.
Christian Ukrainians must remember that they are to view themselves as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven and not of this world. They must not fight back for worldly land such as the country of Ukraine, as we are merely passing through this world, on our way to our final destination, the Kingdom of Heaven. They should be fighting a victorious spiritual battle to ensure they have secured a place for themselves in the Kingdom of Heaven.
1 Chronicles 29:15 – We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.
1 Peter 2:11-12 – Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
Matthew 6:33 – But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Corinthians 2:9 – However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him—
God has prepared the Kingdom of Heaven for those who seek and love Him, and not the things of this world (land, money, etc). We are called not to love the world or anything in the world.
Patriotism is wrong for we are sojourners in this world, just passing through.
With our citizenship being from the Kingdom of Heaven, we live by its rules.
1 John 2:15-17 – Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 5:19 – We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
The country of Ukraine is part of this world, and therefore, not worth sinning for by fighting for it.
Matthew 16:26 – What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
The things of this world are temporary. We cannot take it with us to the age to come and so we must not be fools who invest in it.
Psalm 49:7-13 – No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them—8 the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—9 so that they should live on forever and not see decay. 10 For all can see that the wise die,that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others. 11 Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves. 12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish. 13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
Jesus was offered all the things of this world by Satan. He overcame the world by refusing the temptation.
Matthew 4:8-9 – Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
In order to receive, keep and defend the things of this world, we have to worship the devil. Jesus resisted Satan’s temptation.
Matthew 4:10 – Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’
We must follow Jesus’ example and not follow the world’s ways of fighting, killing and dying for earthly land. It is foolishness, since the land will never be ours to own forever. The Bible states this clearly:
Leviticus 25:23 – ‘The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers.
This world, along with its ways, is full of iniquity and it is passing away. As Christians we must obey the teachings of Jesus and the Holy Spirit rather than our own spiritual flesh which is of the earth (iniquity).
Romans 13:14 – Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
Galatians 5:16 – So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
1 Peter 4:2 – As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
We must not give advice based on worldly ways and philosophies.
1 Peter 2:1-2 – Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
We must be foreigners and exiles in this world, not defending and investing in temporary things that pass away with death. We should be investing in eternal life, which is the Holy Spirit.
Philippians 3:20 – But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
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