Firearms Refresher Course

Originally Posted by stmatthew

I honestly think that you are stepping beyond the realm of New Testament scripture with you above post. I guess Stephen was a fool, as he did not fight to save himself amidst the stones that were hitting him. He rather prayed that God would not lay this thing done to the attackers charge. I guess Paul was a fool to allow himself to be captured and taken to Rome in bonds after he was already showed that it would happen. He could have at least taken up sword and given a good fight. I guess when Saul/Paul was catching all those Christians out of hiding, men women, and children, and dragging them off to prison that they should have took up arms and instituted a revolt.

Matthew, I have not spoken of defending myself.

What about all those that died during the Inquisition, or those that have been tortured for Christ without ever "fighting back". Was Richard Wurmbrand wrong to pray for his torturers instead of plotting an riot to destroy them?

I have no problem with dying as a martyr or suffering any other violence for whatever cause, especially for the cause of Christ.

No my Brother, You cannot kill your enemies and love your neighbor as yourself at the same time. Vengeance, and justice for that matter, is not in our hands, but in Gods hands.

Yes you can. You defenitely can. No veagence is NOT our hands. That belongs to God alone. However justice and righteousness is in our hands. For instance, capital punishment for certain crimes is justice and it is godly. It is a demonstration of charity to society as a whole to carry out that execution. There are wars that you can engage in and love your neighbor as yourself at the same time. In times like that, you love your neighbor MORE than yourself especially when you are called upon to give YOUR OWN LIFE for the cause of the greater good...which is charity in its highest representation.

And by the way, no one here said we would not protect our loved ones.

Yes, Lost said that he would not. He said that he would only trust God and do nothing himself. I hope that he has told his wife not to depend on him to protect her from a rapist.

Not speaking for others, but what I have said is that to the taking of a life is not an option. I would give mine for the sake of my families if need be. But to use fatal force would be unbiblical to a New Testament Saint. God does NOT call the New Testament saint to "take up arms". This is an Old Testament shadow of a New Testament spiritual war. We wrestle NOT against flesh and blood.

It is not a shadow at all. Men have been in spiritual warfare since Adam. It was no shadow, it was very tangible and real. You are arguing a position from NO scripture in this regard.

But using your logic, we would not wrestle against flesh and blood even to protect our families, though you are now saying that you would...if that is your interpretation of wrestling. But that is not what that scripture is talking about.

So, would you wrestle to protect your family even since the scripture says NOT to wrestle?