Violence is not what most people think of when they use the word "violence."
1 John 3:14-16 "…14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer. 16 By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.…"
Since hatred and murder are conditions of the heart, not actions, they often emerge from the heart as actions. First, the evil heart condition, and then the actions. If there is no hate in the heart, there will be no actions.
Envy and jealousy are forms of hatred. Envy is wishing we had something someone else has, and jealousy is not wanting them to have it.
Matthew 15:19
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.
A person does not have to practice envy and jealousy openly for it to dwell in their heart. However, rarely, someone who has these sinful traits does not exhibit them in one way or another, even if only covertly. (covert: meaning subtle forms of manipulation to make someone feel badly about themselves.)
Romans 13:9 "The commandments' Do not commit adultery, Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
One does not have to commit adultery outwardly for it to be adultery; if it is a desire of the heart, it is the same as the act according to God.
The same is true of all the other forbidden sins listed in the Ten Commandments and all the other commandments mentioned in the Bible. Every other command mentioned in the Bible comes under the heading of one of the ten.
Everything God tells us to do and practice in the Bible is a command to be followed. They are not suggestions that we can ignore, but are instructions to be obeyed.
It is violence in the eyes of God when someone lies against their neighbor or family. Gossip is violence with the desire is that the hearer will hate the person being spoken of as much as the gossiper does.
Inserting oneself into the marriages of others to undermine them is violence in the hope that one spouse will despise the other.
Causing division to appear superior without a desire to listen and learn from others is violence.
Proverbs 6:16-19 "There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,"
Genesis 27:41 "And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob."
Hatred in the heart always comes out at some point, even if covertly, a sort of "plausible deniability", so subtle that it can be denied and others would not notice.
The effects of love are far different from the effects of violence created by hatred.
Proverbs 10:12 "Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses."
Many Christians today are committing violence without realizing it is violence, thinking they have a good reason to be mean and rude, without any desire to understand others.
May Christians stop judging things that are none of their business and stop poking others to cause reactions.
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