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[Sorin]

All I know is, the intruder would have to kill me first before I'd allow him,her,or them to harm my family or loved one. if that's a sin then so be it.
love is a powerful thing.

[Joey Porter]

I have shown again and again how we can intervene without actually returning evil for evil.  If you believe the right thing to do would be to stand and watch your family get harmed, and believe you would be able to refrain from intervening in that situation, perhaps you're just further along than the rest of us.

I didn't see those posts so I'll go back and look.  There is nothing wrong with intervening.  I was specifically referring to intervening with evil (violence or threat of violence).

I make no claim as to what I would actually be able to do under those circumstances.  Peter swore up and down he would not deny Christ but he still did.  I am only making the case as to what we should and should not do.

Here is something to consider.  There are two verses in which we are instructed to not repay evil for evil.  Those verses are Romans 12:17 and 1 Peter 3:9.  The word rendered "repay" is the Greek word "ajpodivdwmi" and here are the definitions:

to deliver, to give away for one's own profit what is one's own, to sell
to pay off, discharge what is due
a debt, wages, tribute, taxes, produce due
things promised under oath
conjugal duty
to render account
to give back, restore
to requite, recompense in a good or a bad sense

Here we can see that this word actually means to render account or take back what is due.  This is more along the lines of executing judgment.  So, Rom 12:17 and 1 Peter 3:9 could almost be paraphrased as "do not carry out vengeance for evil that is done to you."  This is miles away from taking some type of necessary physical action of subduing someone who is endangering the safety of a victim.

[bobf]

I see what you're saying Joey but I think it goes beyond not taking vengance.  We do not wage war with the same weapons they do. I hope I'm not being a legalist as the pharisees were with the Sabbath.

I will leave this thread with one last thought: If you believe Christ would do it then do it.  If you believe Christ would not do it then do not do it.

He is our example and we are called to be as He was.

1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 2 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.

Blessings
Bob