Christians with guns — firearm ownership is controversial, and it’s no different within the Christian community. Should Christians own or carry guns for the purpose of self-defense? Or should we just trust God and “turn the other cheek” like Jesus said?
The Bible obviously doesn’t address guns specifically, because they did not exist. But, it does speak on the issue of weaponry, violence, and self-defense. So, using those texts and principles, let’s look at three things to consider here.
The Bible encourages self-defense and protection
If the godly give in to the wicked, it’s like polluting a fountain or muddying a spring.
This verse is saying that it’s not right for the godly to just stand around and give in to the desires of wicked people. And here’s a stronger scripture on this subject.
If a thief is caught in the act of breaking into a house and is struck and killed in the process, the person who killed the thief is not guilty of murder. But if it happens in daylight, the one who killed the thief is guilty of murder.
These verses tell us that we are justified in using self defense, depending on the situation. In the example above, if someone breaks in at night and you can’t see to assess the true danger of the situation, you are justified if you strike and kill that person. But if it happens in the daytime, where you’re able to see whether they’re just someone who needs food or something versus someone who means you and your family harm, you’re not justified if you just outright kill them.
We can see an application of this in 1 Samuel:
Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with a sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground.
Here, David was defending the safety and security of the nation of Israel. He was armed with a sling and five stones, and because he was armed, he could protect his nation.
Revenge or intimidation is prohibited in the Bible
Christians aren’t allowed to get revenge after being wronged. We don’t have the right to use weapons to intimidate others.
Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested Him. But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear. “Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword.”
Now, this is a tough passage to use to draw any major conclusions about gun issues. You can argue that Peter was acting in self-defense because Jesus was being arrested unjustly. There is a clear principle, however: Don’t be quick to jump to use a weapon. By using a weapon, you invite potential danger on yourself and your loved ones. That’s what Jesus says at the end of the passage there.
The New Testament advocates for non-violence
Here are a few scriptures to back this up:
Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful creator in doing what is right.
There’s an argument from scripture that we shouldn’t retaliate with violence at all, because we should entrust ourselves to God when we suffer.
But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.
Again, this suggests the right thing to do is endure, not retaliate, when you’re suffering for doing what is right or in God’s will.
You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.’
This is another difficult one. It seems to say not to resist, but not only that, turn the other cheek if you’re hit and let them hit you again. This can actually be interpreted in two different ways. One way is to interpret this as prohibiting an act of revenge. People who take this interpretation will say they can’t retaliate if someone harms them or takes something from them, they just have to trust God to handle it.
Others look at this in the context of self-defense. If someone slaps you on the cheek, you don’t know what they’re going to do next. Therefore, you might be justified in defending yourself in case the other person’s intends to harm or kill you.
My conclusion on Christians with guns
Guns by themselves are not evil. They can be used for good or evil, depending on the person who is using them. I don’t think we can clearly say Christians don’t have the right to carry guns if it is legal to do so (which it is in the United States). This is another issue where we have choice, and we have to follow our conscience through the Holy Spirit. Regardless of whether you have a gun or not, it’s important to know that even that can’t protect you from everything, and God is sovereign over all.
For more helpful biblical Christian content from Allen Parr, visit his YouTube channel The BEAT or browse other topics on the Let’s Equip blog!