I find it interesting that Jesus
A) Told His disciples to buy weapons (Luke 22:36)
B) Told them not to use them (John 18:11)
It's as if God allows his sheepdogs to bear their teeth, but doesn't want them actually biting.
God has allowed me to own guns, and I used them to protect people and myself by showing the attackers my weapon, which always was enough to scare them away (Praise God!). But now God has taken them away and I cannot own them.
As I read Foxes Book of Martyrs, I find it amazing that none of them took up weapons. They had decided beforehand that they would not fight with weapons to save their own lives or even the lives of their loved ones.
It's an interesting subject to me, as I believe we have a right by God's Law to defend our lives and other's lives with weapons, but Jesus and all the early Church show us the greater Way of yielding up our lives and the Right to defend ourselves for the sake of God.
What do you think? Would you as a Christian be willing to lay down your weapons and follow Christ even knowing they will kill you and even though you have the God-given right to defend yourself? Would you STILL be willing to lay down your life for Christ?
A) Told His disciples to buy weapons (Luke 22:36)
B) Told them not to use them (John 18:11)
It's as if God allows his sheepdogs to bear their teeth, but doesn't want them actually biting.
God has allowed me to own guns, and I used them to protect people and myself by showing the attackers my weapon, which always was enough to scare them away (Praise God!). But now God has taken them away and I cannot own them.
As I read Foxes Book of Martyrs, I find it amazing that none of them took up weapons. They had decided beforehand that they would not fight with weapons to save their own lives or even the lives of their loved ones.
It's an interesting subject to me, as I believe we have a right by God's Law to defend our lives and other's lives with weapons, but Jesus and all the early Church show us the greater Way of yielding up our lives and the Right to defend ourselves for the sake of God.
What do you think? Would you as a Christian be willing to lay down your weapons and follow Christ even knowing they will kill you and even though you have the God-given right to defend yourself? Would you STILL be willing to lay down your life for Christ?