Should I buy a sword?

[David Lamb]

You’re taking God’s word out of context. No one is denying there is a spiritual warfare. The overly-spiritualized deny there is a need to defend Christian nations with guns. The Bible doesn’t say we fight against tooth decay. Yet, most Christians today brush their teeth.

The Bible contains principles we live by and these principles need to be applied and extrapolated to situations beyond Biblical times, e.g., the emergence of Christian nations, starting with the Roman Empire. Now, this thread focuses on self-defense. What reason would anyone tell someone they should arm themselves? Best to start with the general principle, then apply it to a given context.

I suggest the historical precedence of millions of Christians over the centuries defending themselves with arms is determinative of the proper Christian response to physical danger.

Where do we even read of such an entity as a "Christian nation" in the Bible? Rather we are told that God saves people out of every nation:

(Rev 5:9) And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

If it is right for Christians to defend themselves against persecution with physical weapons, it is strange that Jesus didn't mention it when He warned the disciples that they would be persecuted:

(Joh 16:32) Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
(Joh 16:33) These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

We read in Acts of the persecutions that came upon Christians, but not once to we read of those early Christians retaliating, even with words, let alone with physical weapons.

 

[Wrangler]

And when Peter actually used the sword, Jesus immediately rebuked him:

If Jesus intended physical violence, that moment would have been the time to fight — but He shut it down.

Again, the purpose Jesus told his disciples to be armed was NOT to stop Jesus completing his work on the cross.

And then there is Revelation, where Jesus kills more people than ever in history by violently throwing people into the Lake of Fire.

@MatthewG, I’m interested in your lack of response to God’s ultimate solution to the problem of evil - violently annihilating all evil people who don’t believe, even resurrecting them from the dead, by throwing them in the Lake of Fire.

 

[David Lamb]

Tuesday is an example of an unnecessary qualifier designed to create a Strawman.

1. The Bible is filled with violence and even God commanding it.
2. Because that doesn’t support your position, you invoke only a portion of the Bible that doesn’t support your opponents position. That is, NT text only.
3. To show the absurdity of your Strawman, I use a Judo technique; except the thrust of your unnecessary qualifier and add to it. What NT text supports violence on a Tuesday?

The answer is none but that doesn’t change the reality of point 1, The Bible is filled with violence and even God commanding it.

There is violence in the Old Testament. I agreed with that fact. There is no command given to Christians to use violence or physical weapons to oppose non-Christians, either on Tuesday or on any other day of the week.

 

[NayborBear]

Who do you mean by "we?" Christians? I for one am certainly not in a war fought with guns or other physical weapons. The bible makes clear that the Christian's warfare is a spiritual one.

What is it that you are failing to "grasp" here?
Do you NOT realize that THESE words:
Matthew 17:17
Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you?...............

Are as TRUE to day? As it was here?:
Deuteronomy 32:5
They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of HIS children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.

WHICH? To a "reasonable mind?" SHOULD make THIS true as well!:

Deuteronomy 32:
15 But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
18 Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.
21 They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
25 The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs.
27WERE IT N0T THAT I FEARED THE WRATH OF THE ENEMY, LEST THEIR ADVERSARIES SHOULD BEHAVE THEMSELVES STRANGELY, AND LEST THEY SHOULD SAY, "OUR HAND IS HIGH!" AND "THE LORD HATH NOT DONE ALL THIS!"
28 For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them.
29 O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!
35 To me belongeth vengeance and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.
36 For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.
37 And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted,
39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

Connect the dots correctly? To see the picture MO' BETTER!

 

[NayborBear]

George Patton? That’s your response to a believer asking if “Christians should use firearms to help stop the spread of Islam?”?

If you are a Christian, your response should have been an appeal to Scripture.

Deuteronomy 32:​

27. WERE IT N0T THAT I FEARED THE WRATH OF THE ENEMY, LEST THEIR ADVERSARIES SHOUD BEHAVE THEMSELVES STRANGELY, AND LEST THEY SHOULD SAY, "OUR HAND IS HIGH!" AND "THE LORD HATH NOT DONE ALL THIS!"

 

[Wrangler]

Where do we even read of such an entity as a "Christian nation" in the Bible?

Address my point about tooth brushes. Where do we even read of such an entity as a "tooth brush" in the Bible? Yet, most Christian’s brush their teeth.

Taking Scripture out of context, refusing to apply principles to today’s issues is what you’re doing, as well as ignoring 2 Corinthians 3:17 The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Lord’s Spirit is, there is freedom. It means we have divine authority to establish Christian nations BECAUSE it is an act of freedom, which is where the Lord is.

 

[MatthewG]

@MatthewG, I’m interested in your lack of response to God’s ultimate solution to the problem of evil - violently annihilating all evil people who don’t believe, even resurrecting them from the dead, by throwing them in the Lake of Fire.

I didn’t ignore your question — I just don’t accept the framing that God’s “solution to evil” is Him violently annihilating people. That’s not how Scripture presents His character or His judgment.

The imagery of the Lake of Fire in Revelation is apocalyptic symbolism, not a literal picture of Jesus physically throwing resurrected bodies into flames. Revelation also describes Jesus with a sword coming out of His mouth (Revelation 19:15), which is clearly symbolic of His word (Hebrews 4:12), not physical violence.

Throughout Scripture, God’s desire toward humanity is restorative, not destructive:

• “God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
• “The Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” (Luke 9:56)

Even God’s judgments are described as purifying, not merely punitive:

• “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” (Malachi 3:3)

And Jesus Himself rejected violence as the method of His kingdom:

• “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight.” (John 18:36)
• “Put your sword back… all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52)

You also mentioned “annihilating all evil people who don’t believe,” but Jesus actually speaks of something very different — an outside part of the Kingdom, not total destruction. He says:

• “The sons of the kingdom will be cast into the outer darkness.” (Matthew 8:12)
• “Outside are the dogs, sorcerers, and idolaters…” (Revelation 22:15)

“Outside” is not annihilation — it’s exclusion from the blessings of the Kingdom, not the end of existence. Jesus uses this language repeatedly to show that judgment is real, but it is not God acting like a violent human ruler.

So no — the Bible does not present God’s final answer to evil as “violent annihilation.” Revelation uses symbolic imagery to describe God’s justice, but the consistent testimony of Scripture is that His heart is mercy, restoration, and righteousness.

Judgment belongs to Him alone, and whatever it looks like, it will reflect His nature — not human violence.

 

[David Lamb]

Address my point about tooth brushes. Where do we even read of such an entity as a "tooth brush" in the Bible? Yet, most Christian’s brush their teeth.

Taking Scripture out of context, refusing to apply principles to today’s issues is what you’re doing, as well as ignoring 2 Corinthians 3:17 The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Lord’s Spirit is, there is freedom. It means we have divine authority to establish Christian nations BECAUSE it is an act of freedom, which is where the Lord is.

We have principles in Scripture. There is a principle in these words of Jesus to Christians:

(Mat 5:43) "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.'
(Mat 5:44) But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

There is also the principle in the Bible of caring for our bodies. That would include our teeth. To deliberately let our teeth rot through lack of care is to despise our God-given bodies. I think it is stretching things to compare keeping our mouth free from germs that can rot our teeth, to Christians attacking their persecutors with physical weapons.

I don't see 2 Corinthians 3:17 as divine authority to establish Christian nations.

 

[Gray_Joy]

No it doesn't.

I disagree.

They wilfully ignore what God teaches about weapons and self defense.
Martyrs are a unique issue in and of themselves.

However, injecting such a topic isn't answering the question. It instead furthers their Isegesis.
Avoidance and olbstinacy working contrary to God's teachings is not righteous.

I think it rather curious you attempt to speak his mind there.
In any case,this issue is not between us. I replied as a courtesy.

God bless

You had asked: "Are you aware God's people throughout the Bible were armed with weapons?" Therefore, what Anchorite asked you to do is, in my view, a fair response to your question. He wrote: "So do tell us which New Testament believers were armed and used weapons to defend themselves." If, as you claim, God's people throughout the bible were armed with weapons, it should be easy for you to point to plenty of New Testament believers who armed themselves with physical weapons. Instead, we have statements that the Christian warfare is a spiritual one, that the Christians armour is likewise spiritual, and plenty of examples of believers being persecuted, or even killed for believing in Jesus Christ. When Stephen was stoned, did he take out a sword or a bow and arrow, or throw stones back at his attackers? No, he prayed for God to forgive his attackers:

(Act 7:59 NKJV) And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
(Act 7:60) Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Similarly when James was killed, or when Paul was beaten.

 

[Gray_Joy]

Do you think Jesus taught "an eye for an eye"?

I know that Jesus in the New Testament is God in the Old.
Jesus spoke against revenge.

Not self defense or defense of the kingdom. Otherwise, he would be condemning his leadership of the Hebrews in the Tanakh.

I think this is where a confusion arises in discussions.
Forgetting God in the Old Testament is Jesus in the New.

Consistency and context is helpful to apply in our discussions.

I am not against prepping ... in fact I have food & water stored for an unexpected event.
However, I don't see how I could keep this all for myself and not share it with others who were without.
I might feel differently if I had young children to feed.

 

[MatthewG]

The Old Testament often reveals Yahavah through qualities we tend to associate with strength, justice, protection, and righteous authority. When Jesus comes in the flesh and lives fully by the Spirit, we also see qualities like compassion, mercy, gentleness, nurturing, and self‑giving love. These aren’t contradictions — they’re different expressions of the same God.

Scripture itself gives room for this understanding. Genesis says:

“God created man in His own image… male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27)

Both male and female reflect God’s image. That means the fullness of God’s character includes what we call “masculine” and “feminine” qualities — strength and tenderness, justice and mercy, authority and compassion. The Old Testament highlights certain aspects of His nature, and the life of Jesus reveals others, but together they show the complete picture of who God is.

And it’s important to remember that the Bible was written in history, to specific people, in specific cultures, with their own ways of expressing ideas about God. Understanding the historical context, the audience, and the world they lived in helps us see why certain traits of God are emphasized in different parts of Scripture. The Bible wasn’t written directly to us, but it was written for us — and considering the people, culture, and context of the time helps us understand the fullness of God’s revelation.