| The Armed CONVENTICLE: Warfare |
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| A Biblical View of Weapons and War |
| African-American Drummer |
| General Custer, controversial commander |
| Churchill and FDR |
| The Battlefield is NOT a Woman's Place |
| 1. God empowers righteous warriors. The Bible is quite clear that men of God may justly wage war. Abraham fought a successful campaign to rescue his nephew Lot from five enemy kings (Genesis 14). Joshua was a skilled general, leading the Israelites into Canaan to conquer that promised land. King David, a prophet who wrote many of the Psalms, sung of God's military aid: "Blessed be the Lord my strength that doth instruct my hands to fight: The Lord that doth mine fingers frame to battle by His might. He is my goodness, fort and tower, deliverer and shield: In Him I trust, my people He subdues to me to yield. (Psalm 144:1&2) Modern Christians, unfortunately, are quick to make the unimportant point that these are all examples from the Old Testament, as if the religion of Jesus is soft and pacifistic - as if, in fact, Abraham, Joshua and David served a merciless, sub-christian god! 2. The New Testament doesn't contradict the Old. It is simply not true that the Greek Testament teaches pacifism. Jesus came to earth at a time when Imperial Rome ruled a vast area. His mission was that of a savior, not a military leader. He did not, therefore, lead a rebellion against the existing government at that time. Yet He never told soldiers to leave their profession, although he spoke with several of them. |
| In fact, John the Baptist preached repentence from sin. Here is what he told the military men: "The soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages." (Luke 3:14) Jesus warnded His followers that Christianity would be a source of strife in families and whole societies. "Think not that I am come to send peace into the earth, but a sword. For am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's enemies shall be they of his own household. (Matthew 10:34-36) Even during His earthly ministry as a Prophet, Jesus resorted to violence, using a whip to drive the money-changers out of His father's Temple (John 2:14-17). After His death as a Priest, Jesus ascended back to heaven to be enthroned as King of Kings. "For He must reign till He hath put all His enemies under His feet" (1 Corinthians 15:25) King Jesus has brought war to the world. Whether it |
| is Constantine vs. Julian the Apostate, or the Covenanters vs. Charles Stuart, it is often Christianity that makes battles inevitable. 3. Gun Control takes a lot of Practice. Paul of Tarsus makes it clear that civil governments should use the force of weapons: "...magistrates are not to be feared for good works, but for evil ... the power ... is the minister of God for thy wealth: but if thou do evil, fear: for he beareth not the sword for nought: for he is the minister of God to take vengeance on him that doeth evil." (Romans 13:3&4) Some liberal teachers try to make this passage mean that ONLY the government may use weapons. this is a satanic lie. Jesus commanded His Apostles to |
| prize sword-ownership above even outer-clothing. "...he that hath none, let him sell his coat, and buy a sword." (Luke 22:36). The Apostles faced bandits, hateful Jews and hostile local governments as they traveled to share the gospel throughout the Roman world. Jesus tells them to go armed. Are we expected to believe that Jewish Christians in the Roman Empire had greater rights than free men in modern republics? A free people will have weapons to curb government tyranny. And a good government will want their people to be proficient in the use of arms. That way when war breaks out, the army doesn't have to train a bunch of green recruits who don't know how to handle a gun. Weapon-control has always been the tactic of pagan governments who wish no opposition to their oppressive schemes. "Then there was no smith found |
| throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears. Wherefore, all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, his mattock, and his axe, and his weeding hook. ...So when the day of battle was come, there was neither sword nor spear found in the hands of any of the people that were with Saul and with Jonathan..." (1 Samuel 13:19-22) Those who ask us to trust the with all the guns are Philistines at heart. God's people should see through their schemes. 4. War is Hell - and will go there. Although Biblical Christianity allows for the necessity of warfare in a fallen world, it does not rejoice at war. We agree with the great warrior King David that we would always prefer peace to war. Militarists make us feel very uncomfortable. |
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