Should Christians Keep and Bear Arms

[mousegunner]

Here's a little flyer I wrote for my church's literature table....

Should Christians Keep and Bear Arms

A Christian Viewpoint

Dr. Marshall C. St. John

The Constitution of the United States of

American contains this sentence:

“A well regulated militia, being necessary to the

security of a free state, the right of the people to

keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.â€

Our Constitution is not part of the Bible, however

it is based on Biblical principles.

For example, the Constitution speaks of the

necessity of a militia for the security of a free

nation. “Militia†does not mean a professional

army. It means the citizens of the nation bearing

arms. It is the teaching of the Bible that citizens

MAY, and often MUST bear arms for the

defense of the nation. For example:

7 And ye shall chase your enemies, and they

shall fall before you by the sword.

8 And five of you shall chase an hundred, and

an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to

flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by

the sword.

9 For I will have respect unto you, and make

you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my

covenant with you.

(Leviticus 26:7-9)

In order for God's people to accomplish the will

of God, it may sometimes be necessary for them

to bear arms and literally fight. King David

wrote in Psalm 18:34-39...

“He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of

steel is broken by mine arms...I have pursued

mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I

turn again till they were consumed. I have

wounded them that they were not able to rise:

they are fallen under my feet. For thou hast

girded me with strength unto the battle...â€

LESSONS FROM NEHEMIAH

When Nehemiah was rebuilding the wall around

Jerusalem, it was necessary for him and the

other men to go armed for self-defense.

Nehemiah 4:16-18

“And it came to pass from that time forth, that

the half of my servants wrought in the work,

and the other half of them held both the

spears, the shields, and the bows, and the

habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the

house of Judah. They which builded on the wall,

and they that bare burdens, with those that

laded, every one with one of his hands

wrought in the work, and with the other hand

held a weapon. For the builders, every one

had his sword girded by his side, and so

builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was

by me.â€

Many of the heros of the Bible were men at

arms: Joshua, Gideon, Samson, etc.

lessons from God’s Law

The first five books of the Bible are sometimes

called the “Torah,†which means “The Law.†In

these books we find the Ten Commandments,

and many other laws God gave to His people to

order their lives. In Exodus 22:2-3 we read:

“If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten

that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.

If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood

shed for him; for he should make full restitution;

if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his

theft.â€

In other words, homeowners are allowed by

God’s Law to defend themselves against

burglars who break in at night.

lessons from jesus

In Luke 22:36 Jesus commanded His disciples

to be armed for self-defense.

“Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a

purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and

he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment,

and buy one.â€

Jesus commanded his disciples to buy swords, if

they had none. They said they already had two,

and Jesus said that would be enough. As a band

of a dozen able-bodied men, they were quite

safe from roving bandits, even if every man in

the group was not carrying a weapon. The

application is that Jesus commands us to be

armed for self-defense, but He does not

recommend that we go overboard with our

weapons. Jesus said in another place, “He who

lives by the sword shall die by the sword.â€

Jesus encourages his followers to defend

themselves, but He does not encourage us to

be eager for battle and bloodshed.

Self-defense may be necessary as a last resort,

but violence should not be sought after and

relished. God’s people are supposed to be

peacemakers, not ruffians. Neither are we

allowed to spread the Gospel by means of

violence or military aggression.

LESSONS FROM PAUL

“But if any provide not for his own, and specially

for those of his own house, he hath denied the

faith, and is worse than an infidel.â€

I Timothy 5:8

We must provide food and shelter for our

families. It is also our duty to provide protection

from criminals. The most effective way to do this

is to move your family to a safe neighborhood.

Also, we should make sure our communities

have effective law enforcement officers. But

what would you do if a criminal broke into your

home? Are you prepared to defend your family?

We pray for God to provide for us; but that does

not excuse us from earning money, buying food

and building houses. We pray for God to defend

us from criminals, but that does not excuse us

from taking steps to protect our families.

Preserving Your Right to

Keep and Bear Arms

The importance of preserving your right to keep

and bear arms is illustrated in I Samuel

13:19-22.

“Now there was no smith found throughout all

the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest

the Hebrews make them swords or spears: But

all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to

sharpen every man his share, and his coulter,

and his ax, and his mattock. Yet they had a file

for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the

forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the

goads. So it came to pass in the day of battle,

that there was neither sword nor spear found in

the hand of any of the people that were with Saul

and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan

his son was there found.â€

The Philistines conquered and dis-armed the

Israelites. They even took away the means of

weapons production, in order to enslave them.

In order to revolt, the few Israelites who had

weapons attacked some Philistines and took

their weapons. This process continued until

many Israelites had arms. In modern times, It

is impossible to overthrow tyrants and have

a free society unless the citizens have

firearms, and know how to use them.

RIGHTS COME FROM GOD

It is vital for every Christian to realize that all

our rights actually come from God. The

government never gives you rights, but only

recognizes rights you already have, or tries

to take your rights away from you, to

increase its power. It is clearly obvious that

as government grows larger, our liberties are

gradually being taken away.

The second Amendment of the Constitution, the

second right enumerated in the Bill of Rights, is

the right to “keep and bear arms.†As we have

seen from the scriptures quoted above, this right

is rooted in the Bible, because the right to

self-defense, and the obligation to protect the

weak, is rooted in the Bible.

An Objection Answered

Someone may ask: “But what about turning the

other cheek and not resisting evil? Aren’t

Christians supposed to act like that? Aren’t we

supposed to be pacifists?â€

The answer is simple: In those verses Jesus

was telling Christians how to react to minor

insults: a slap on the cheek, the loss of a coat,

and so on. He was not addressing the

Christian’s response to criminal activity or a

tyrannical government. He did that when He

said, “Do unto others as you would have them do

unto you.†and “Love your neighbor as yourself.â€

If we love our neighbors, we will take steps to

keep them safe from criminals. That may mean

that we will personally need to use weapons to

help our neighbors. It also means that we will

support our local police in the apprehension of

criminals. It also means that we will do whatever

we can to make our government one that honors

individual rights and liberties.

Instead of taking vengeance on criminals

personally, we will call on the police to find and

arrest them, and bring them to justice. But

when criminals attack us or our neighbors, and

the police are not present, we will do what it

takes, not just for our own sake, but for the

Christian love we have for our families and

communities. To dis-arm and to allow criminals

to attack us and our neighbors unopposed is to

be negligent about our Christian duty.

Presbyterians thought this out a long time ago.

In our official doctrinal statement, the

Westminster Larger Catechism, Answer # 135

we read:

“The duties required in the sixth commandmentâ€

include “just defence against violence.â€

Self-defense, and that involves keeping and

bearing arms, is not only your privilege as an

American Christian, it is your duty.

Wayside Presbyterian Church

2502 Fairmount Pike

Signal Mountain, TN 37377

www.waysidechurch.org

[Guest UKTN]

What a well thought out piece of literature. So many people have the wrong Idea about Christians and turning the other cheek. Do you carry in your church and how do you feel about your congregation carrying during sermons etc?

[molonlabetn]

Do you mind if we print that out to show others, in our own churches?

[Smith]

As a fellow Pastor and "bible believing, gun totting, conservative", I say...... well done!

[Guest Tombstone]

I really like the research that you did. I have heard a lot of comments that there should be no need to carry a gun if you trust in God. When I ask them about what the bible says, they either get real quiet or say that was different times and different situations. My thought on that is this; If that doesn't pertain to how we are to live our lives then I guess we shouldn't worry about anything else the bible says.

On a personal level I believe that God gave us enough brains to know when it is necessary to protect ourselves or our someone in serious risk of harm. I am glad that we have the legal right to do just that.

I don't carry when I go to church services but I do when I go to a Christian mens meeting. I am actually still undecided about carrying in church. I am not all that worried about something happening there as I am while traveling to and from.

Again... Nice job.

[molonlabetn]

I carry in church. And I'd be shocked if I was the only one.

[Guest jcoyle6]

Glad to see the Bible verses, I agree with Tombstone on God giving me the brains to know that I should work to protect myself

[Guest db99wj]

Wow, very nice.

[Guest Nash45]

God gave us a lot of leading when he gave us a brain. Christians can be murdered or attacked like anyone else. I remember a young girl who was driving home from Memphis for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago. She had a habit of picking up hitchhikers to share the gospel with them. She got murdered for picking up the wrong guy. Common sense should have told her not to do it. God didnt step in to stop it. Does God expect me to protect myself and my family ........of course!!!

[analog_kidd]

Excellent piece. As a Christian, I initially struggled (a little:)) with handgun ownership. You found lot's of verses to support your (our) point of view. I really don't like it when people, right or wrong, base their belief on just one sentence in the whole bible.

Thanks for a great post!

[Guest 270win]

I often do carry to church because i do not want to leave a handgun in a car for someone to steal. I feel it is not responsible to leave a gun in a car when you can carry it legally. I may live in Collierville, but i often do things after church in Memphis (like the museums, eat out, zoo for instance) and definitely want my gun at those places in town, so i don't see it too good of an idea to put a gun in my pocket, pull it out and put it in the glovebox when i get to church, then put it back in my pocket when i get to my destination after church. A big hassle.

Even though i live in a safe city, you never know what nut jobs will try to attack large groups of people. I am aware of other people who are probably carrying, but it is nice to know i can take care of myself instead of relying on someone else to 'rescue' me.

I think God gives people resources to take care of themselves, from jobs, to knowing to take precautions, and living a healthy lifestyle. We can't expect to sit in a house, never pay bills, go to the store, not work and for God to drop everything we need to live out of the sky. He can do anything, but that's not the way it works. I feel the same way about self defense, guns, and hunting. He gave me the ability to be fortunate enough to be brought up in a home where i learned how to hunt and shoot as a child. If you can hit little squirrels in trees and one shots on deer, then you have a gift that should not go to waste whether it be enjoying the sport of shooting, hunting, or being sure to take care of yourself self defense wise.

[Guest slothful1]

I would also appeal to this passage from Matthew 24:43-44:

"But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

Obviously the point of this illustration is about the timing of Christ's coming, and not self-defense -- but note the unspoken assumption that a homeowner will naturally stand and defend his home, instead of, say, running off and letting the thief have his way.

[Pokey]

Great piece!!! Again, if you don't mind I'd love to print this out and share this with my Sunday School Class. At our church we had a sportsmans bash a couple of months ago and the pastor arranged for anyone who wanted to sign up for the handgun permit class, the church paid for 1/2 the class. So I knew right then and there that our church supported protecting ourselves and our families...again, great piece!!!!

[Guest looneeetunes]

a really great piece. very impressed. and i see a lot of work has gone into getting it together. i also am a church going christian. i just recently have been carrying in church also. i like someone else said earlier felt legally responsible about leaving it in the car, but a piece that was on here a month or two ago about what happened in an umarmed church got me to go ahead and carry there as well. none of the congregation know except for my wife. and i feel well with that.

i too have read mathew 24 sloth and i agree it is talking about the second comming of jesus, but on the same hand it is comparing if you knew something were going to happen you would be ready. i dont think god turns his head to self defense. and all throughout the bible it talks about the husband being the head of the household and protecting and keeping the family.

[Guest Tombstone]

the church paid for 1/2 the class. (Pokey)

Wow, Now that is a church that has it together. LOL Are they open to new members?

Just joking. I have a great church here in Maryville, but I am impressed with the outlook of yours Pokey.

[Rightwinger]

I echo the above sentiments, very well written and researched.

I too carry at church. My gun bag (I know, I know.... "man purse" "fag bag") sits right next to the wifes bible holder in the pew. She is very comfortable knowing what I have. Once I get the funds to see Joe at Hero Gear, I'll be able to walk in with a pocket gun and forgoe the bag!

[Marswolf]

On a personal level I believe that God gave us enough brains to know when it is necessary to protect ourselves or our someone in serious risk of harm.

I frequently tell people that I believe God gave us brains so we could use them.

[Guest Boomhower]

the church paid for 1/2 the class. (Pokey)

Wow, Now that is a church that has it together. LOL Are they open to new members?

I think they need the extra fire power just in case the snakes get loose

Just kidding :doh:

[Guest canynracer]

Well written and researched Mouse...great job!

[ffr1910]

While we were kinda discussing bible verses, I thought I would share one that I remembered:

Exodus 22:2 (New International Version)

"If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed"

ffr1910

[Guest dotsun]

I think they need the extra fire power just in case the snakes get loose

Just kidding :rofl:

LOL, you're not right man.

[Guest Boomhower]

You told me I needed to find a stand up partner.

[Guest Phantom6]

Boom must have some family up in Grainger or Claiborn Counties.

[Varmint]

(Part of original text posted by "Mousegunner")

“If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten

that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.

If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood

shed for him; for he should make full restitution;

if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his

theft.”

In other words, homeowners are allowed by

God’s Law to defend themselves against

burglars who break in at night.

I am by no means a Bible scholar, but by this definition, if the burglar breaks in during the day, you're not allowed to defend yourself.

I would take to mean: "If a burglar be found to be breaking in, and be smitten that he die" At this point, you are unsure of his intentions and are therefore in fear of life and limb. = Justification

"If the sun be risen upon him" At this point, time has past, the sun has had time to rise, you are no longer in danger. All that has happened is that you have lost some property. Now it's just revenge. Instead he is required to make restitution.

"Varmint"

[Guest Boomhower]

Boom must have some family up in Grainger or Claiborn Counties.

Never heard of those places