Should Christians Carry Guns?

[step_by_step]

This is not an attempt to make anyone angry or stir up anything. This is a real question that I'm struggling with in my life right now. I just want to start a friendly debate/discussion and I also don't want to include politics in this.

That being said, I'm considering getting a permit to carry a concealed weapon. It's something that I've thought about for a long time now and it's been back on the front of my mind lately. I would want to train myself so I knew how to use the weapon and when using it, I would never want to kill anyone.

But my question is, is it wrong for a Christian to carry a gun? In Matthew 26:52, Jesus warns Peter that all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Does this mean that we shouldn't arm ourselves? I personally know a few Christians who live firmly by the second amendment and therefore have lots of guns for protection. Does God frown upon this?

 

[HTacianas]

This is not an attempt to make anyone angry or stir up anything. This is a real question that I'm struggling with in my life right now. I just want to start a friendly debate/discussion and I also don't want to include politics in this.

That being said, I'm considering getting a permit to carry a concealed weapon. It's something that I've thought about for a long time now and it's been back on the front of my mind lately. I would want to train myself so I knew how to use the weapon and when using it, I would never want to kill anyone.

But my question is, is it wrong for a Christian to carry a gun? In Matthew 26:52, Jesus warns Peter that all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Does this mean that we shouldn't arm ourselves? I personally know a few Christians who live firmly by the second amendment and therefore have lots of guns for protection. Does God frown upon this?

There is no religious reason to not own a gun. What you do with it may be a problem.

I own several guns but I don't carry any of them around with me. The guns I own are of the "regular" type and I don't consider them to be weapons the way some people do. They're tools that serve a purpose.

 

[Basil the Great]

I would say that it is best not to carry a gun, except in unusual circumstances, as accidents do happen.

 

[Monk Brendan]

This is not an attempt to make anyone angry or stir up anything. This is a real question that I'm struggling with in my life right now. I just want to start a friendly debate/discussion and I also don't want to include politics in this.

That being said, I'm considering getting a permit to carry a concealed weapon. It's something that I've thought about for a long time now and it's been back on the front of my mind lately. I would want to train myself so I knew how to use the weapon and when using it, I would never want to kill anyone.

But my question is, is it wrong for a Christian to carry a gun? In Matthew 26:52, Jesus warns Peter that all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Does this mean that we shouldn't arm ourselves? I personally know a few Christians who live firmly by the second amendment and therefore have lots of guns for protection. Does God frown upon this?

Jesus said something like, "Those who take up the gun shall die by the gun."

 

[FenderTL5]

There is no religious reason to not own a gun. What you do with it may be a problem.

I own several guns but I don't carry any of them around with me. The guns I own are of the "regular" type and I don't consider them to be weapons the way some people do. They're tools that serve a purpose.

Same.

 

[NothingIsImpossible]

Well its just a tool. Like any tool it only becomes good or bad depending on how you use it. If you had to shoot someone with it out of defense then thats ok. But if you lets say help up someone at gunpoint to steal something, then thats not ok. We own a gun.

 

[maintenance man]

I'm considering getting a permit to carry a concealed weapon. It's something that I've thought about for a long time now and it's been back on the front of my mind lately. I would want to train myself so I knew how to use the weapon

The world we live in requires some people to have guns - I would want them all to be Christians.

When you carry a weapon yourself you have to absolutely know how to use in and when to use it as you suggest. That's not as easy as it might seem. You don't want to pull out your gun and have a bad guy take it away from you and use it on you or someone else. Learning how to properly handle a gun takes serious practice with well-qualified instructors.

Then you need to practice what you've learned on a regular basis.

Walking around with a gun is deadly serious!

 

[section9+1]

I think living by the sword refers to those who always use the sword to solve their problems. The sword is what they turn to first. I've carried a gun ever since I knew which end the bullet came out of, but I have never used or needed one to solve any conflicts I've had. It's just a tool or device like a hundred others.

 

[Lost4words]

I think living by the sword refers to those who always use the sword to solve their problems. The sword is what they turn to first. I've carried a gun ever since I knew which end the bullet came out of, but I have never used or needed one to solve any conflicts I've had. It's just a tool or device like a hundred others.

Then why carry it?

 

[section9+1]

Why not carry it? If I am legal and peaceful and mind my manners, what business is it of yours if I carry or not?

 

[Lost4words]

Why not carry it? If I am legal and peaceful and mind my manners, what business is it of yours if I carry or not?

This is a thread asking should Christians carry guns is it not?

Why do you need to carry one if you have never needed to use it?

 

[step_by_step]

This is a thread asking should Christians carry guns is it not?

Why do you need to carry one if you have never needed to use it?

I see what section9+1 is saying. You can't always predict when you're going to need to use a gun. I could buy one and carry it with me for the rest of my life and never NEED to use it. And it's also difficult to define when you might need to use one. So I'm not all that concerned that they carry one but don't ever use it. Like they said, it's just a tool

 

[step_by_step]

The world we live in requires some people to have guns - I would want them all to be Christians.

When you carry a weapon yourself you have to absolutely know how to use in and when to use it as you suggest. That's not as easy as it might seem. You don't want to pull out your gun and have a bad guy take it away from you and use it on your or someone else. Learning how to properly handle a gun takes serious practice with well-qualified instructors.

Then you need to practice what you've learned on a regular basis.

Walking around with a gun is deadly serious!

Yes I agree. If I did choose to get one, I would take the necessary steps to use it and carry it responsibly as I think everyone should.

 

[Lost4words]

Be better if it was against the law to carry one.

 

[PloverWing]

That being said, I'm considering getting a permit to carry a concealed weapon. It's something that I've thought about for a long time now and it's been back on the front of my mind lately. I would want to train myself so I knew how to use the weapon and when using it, I would never want to kill anyone.

But my question is, is it wrong for a Christian to carry a gun?

Violent self-defense is an issue about which Christians disagree. On the one hand, we are specifically commanded to love our enemies -- to act for the enemy's well-being -- and it is hard to see how killing or seriously injuring an enemy is consistent with loving them. On the other hand, there are some extreme situations in which it is difficult to see any way to stop a violent attack without using violence in defense -- even though this seems to require setting aside Jesus' words. I don't have a perfect resolution for this dilemma myself.

I encourage anyone who plans to use violence in a self-defense situation to consider:

a) Is it possible to find a nonviolent way to defuse the situation?

b) Is it possible to defend using minor injury or pain to deter, instead of inflicting permanent injury?

c) Is it possible to defend by injuring, instead of killing?

It's a difficult question, balancing love of self (or love of a person in your care) with love of the enemy. Guns are an especially difficult element, because they inflict such a tremendous amount of injury so quickly; it's hard to see them as a way to carry out option (b) above.

 

[step_by_step]

Violent self-defense is an issue about which Christians disagree. On the one hand, we are specifically commanded to love our enemies -- to act for the enemy's well-being -- and it is hard to see how killing or seriously injuring an enemy is consistent with loving them. On the other hand, there are some extreme situations in which it is difficult to see any way to stop a violent attack without using violence in defense -- even though this seems to require setting aside Jesus' words. I don't have a perfect resolution for this dilemma myself.

I encourage anyone who plans to use violence in a self-defense situation to consider:

a) Is it possible to find a nonviolent way to defuse the situation?

b) Is it possible to defend using minor injury or pain to deter, instead of inflicting permanent injury?

c) Is it possible to defend by injuring, instead of killing?

It's a difficult question, balancing love of self (or love of a person in your care) with love of the enemy. Guns are an especially difficult element, because they inflict such a tremendous amount of injury so quickly; it's hard to see them as a way to carry out option (b) above.

Yes that's where I'm stuck, too. It's so difficult to decide when the right time to use such a weapon is and if there even IS a right time.

 

[StevenMerten]

This is not an attempt to make anyone angry or stir up anything. This is a real question that I'm struggling with in my life right now. I just want to start a friendly debate/discussion and I also don't want to include politics in this.

That being said, I'm considering getting a permit to carry a concealed weapon. It's something that I've thought about for a long time now and it's been back on the front of my mind lately. I would want to train myself so I knew how to use the weapon and when using it, I would never want to kill anyone.

But my question is, is it wrong for a Christian to carry a gun? In Matthew 26:52, Jesus warns Peter that all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Does this mean that we shouldn't arm ourselves? I personally know a few Christians who live firmly by the second amendment and therefore have lots of guns for protection. Does God frown upon this?

Luke 22:35
"And the man without a sword must sell his coat and buy one."
​

Hello Step,
Jesus also tells His Apostles to sell their coat to buy a sword. Jesus was not talking about duck hunting. Jesus wills us to protect ourselves.

 

[AvilaSurfer]

OP: Sure, if they want to.

 

[Hank77]

In Matthew 26:52, Jesus warns Peter that all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Does this mean that we shouldn't arm ourselves?

I could do my best to explain what I believe about this scripture but I'd rather give you links to the commentaries of theologians much wiser and learned than me.
Matthew 26 Gill's Exposition
Matthew 26 Clarke's Commentary

These are my two favorites but there are many more on this site, just go to the Commentary drop down menu.

God Bless

 

[maintenance man]

Luke 22:35
"And the man without a sword must sell his coat and buy one."

It's Luke 22:36