should CHRISTIANS OWN WEAPONS OR FIGHT BACK AGAINST THE SYSTEM?

[HAZARD]

God’s all for self defence, in fact if a man failes in defending his own life and the lives of his family God says he's nothing more than a poisoned spring! "A troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring." (Proverbs 25:26).
Proverbs 25:26
26 A righteous man who falls before the wicked is like a murky spring and a polluted well.
1 Timothy 5:8
8 But if anyone does not provide (protection) for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

[john1]

On ‎8‎/‎7‎/‎2015 at 1:03 AM, gdemoss said:

The day is coming when they will beat their swords into plow sheers and learn war no more.

I'm to weak to turn the other cheek, I don't own firearms but I want people to own them, I kick box, but don't want to own firearms.

2 Corinthians chapter 11

 ²⁰ In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. ²¹ To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!

[HAZARD]

24 minutes ago, Davida said:

Well, i mean ....LOL!  what's Dirty Harry going to say? huh?---  Punk!  

Here's what he said;

“I know what you're thinking. Did he fire six shots or only five? Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I've kinda lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?”

[CompleteAgape]

On 11/21/2016 at 8:26 PM, Guest Robert said:

Scripture tells us this:

"Honor widows who are widows indeed; but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God. Now she who is a widow indeed and who has been left alone, has fixed her hope on God and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day. But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives. Prescribe these things as well, so that they may be above reproach. But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." (1 Timothy 5:3-8, NASB, emphasis mine)

We are to provide for our families and not leave them to want or be in need. That also extends to protecting them, and as the heads of our households, the Lord expects us to do His will. If we're not willing to care for what He has entrusted to us (which includes protecting them), then we are doing worse than defying Him.

We can't make an assumption that providing for our families means using judgement (which we're not authorized to do) to determine whose life is worth killing and whose is not; which is what one would be doing if they deliberately killed someone.  God is the one to exact vengeance, not His people.  This scripture can not contradict other scripture and there are numerous scriptures which speak directly to Christians taking revenge on someone and how we treat our enemies.  This verse does not state that we are to kill for our families; yet many verses state we are not to kill anyone.  Jesus was very clear in the principles that He gave us.

[CompleteAgape]

On 11/22/2016 at 1:31 AM, shiloh357 said:

So how does defending your family against an attacker violate loving your enemies?    Do you really think that passage is a command to not defend your family against those wishing to do your family harm?

1 Corinthians 13:1-8

God expects us to sacrifice our life for Him.  He tells us to consider others as more important than ourselves.  God expects us to defend anyone with our own life, not take someone's life.  As Christians we follow Jesus' example.  Some of the qualities of love that would contradict someone physically harming another:  Is kind, Does not seek its own, Is not provoked, Does not take account of wrongs suffered.

There are numerous scriptures which speak directly to the principles' that Jesus gave us regarding how we treat everyone, how we are not to repay evil with evil, how we are not to retaliate.  No where do the principles' of Jesus condone nor instruct His followers to physically harm someone just because they are being evil towards someone else.  We find no except as to how we treat our enemies based upon who they are being evil to.  

A side point to think about, God did not protect the disciples when they went about spreading the Gospel.  All but John were prematurely killed.  We have early accounts of Christians being murdered for their beliefs (even today); yet God does not defend all of them from the evil attackers.

[CompleteAgape]

On 11/22/2016 at 11:29 AM, The_Patriot2018 said:

It is still a weapon. You can say it was "just for driving cattle" but, it was just as commonly used to torture people by pretty much every culture in existence. In fact more people have had whips used on them then cattle. Just saying. And Jesus didn't use it to drive cattle either. 

A whip is just a tool, just like a gun is just a tool.

Within the principles' of Jesus there is never a justification for harming another person.  No example of Jesus ever doing it.  No example of Jesus telling anyone to harm someone else.  Regarding the scriptures of Jesus telling disciples to obtain swords and of Jesus in the temple with a whip:  it is a fallacious argument to draw the conclusion that violence is authorized or that Jesus partook in it against people.  Scripture simply does not say this.  We have to be careful not to read something into these scriptures.  They are actually silent regarding harming a person.  Also numerous scriptures speak plainly and clearly regarding how Jesus expects us to treat everyone, this includes evil people.  Jesus' foundational theme was absolute love.

[CompleteAgape]

On 11/22/2016 at 1:14 PM, Salty said:

Did anyone quote Luke 22 yet?

Luke 22:35-38
35 And He said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.

36 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.

37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in Me, 'And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.'

38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And He said unto them, It is enough.
KJV

 

Is that a contradiction of His command to turn the other cheek? No.

The difference is what He told His disciples to turn their other cheek for. It was when they went to preach The Gospel and they were persecuted for it, slapped on the face so to speak. That is a lot different than someone coming at you with knife bent on killing you.

We have the God-given inalienable right to defend ourselves, and this Luke 22 Scripture is proof of it.

If some of you guys abhor guns, you might want to rethink this, because guns are the common weapon of defense today, as the sword was in the Apostle's day. If you are too scared of guns, you'd probably be better off not messing with one, since you might wind up shooting yourself or someone else by accident.

 

Sorry, Luke 22 is in no way proof for Christians to harm another, no scripture says that.  Your are reading that into the text.  No where has God given us the right to physically defend ourselves or anyone else for that matter.  In fact He speaks very clearly regarding this very matter in countless places which absolutely contradicts physically harming anyone.  By the way I have a gun, it is irrelevant to the validity or invalidity to this argument, but I state it none the less.  I use it for hunting animals.  I also have numerous knives which can be used for many things other than harming someone.  Possessing weapons is not the issue of what may or may not be contrary to God (Jesus telling disciples to purchase swords); what ultimately matters is what do we do with a weapon, how do we treat another creature of God whose value is just as equal as anyone else's.  In God's eyes we were all His enemy yet he died for us, (didn't kill us).  We don't have the authority to judge who should be killed.  God is the one who will enact revenge.

[other one]

***shakes head and walks away***

[Steve_S]

This is a three year old thread and the OP is no longer a member. Locking.