I understand our nation’s history, her Minutemen, Paul Reveres, etc., but I’m having a hard time reconciling some of the remarks made by my Christian brethren with what Jesus Himself said.
“Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52 ESV)
“You have heard that it was said, ’An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil…” (Matthew 5:38-39 ESV)
“…Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8 ESV)
“By your patience possess your souls.” (Luke 21:19 NKJV)
When I mention the need to trust God, rather than be so “up in arms” fanatical, you’d think I was the antichrist.
There’s basically one thing you’re going to leave this world with. Everything you have with God is directly tied to that one thing.
Faith.
It’s the one thing God requires.
And I would hope that ANYONE who puts their finger on a trigger is a God fearing, God honoring person with a DEEP faith in God. You should, as well.
Since when did God start demanding of His kids that we talk mean and hateful, strutting our stuff around on Facebook like we’re the saintly version of John Wayne? Or, maybe Chuck Norris and Clint Eastwood?
Somehow I find it very difficult to picture Jesus walking down the streets of Jerusalem with a Colt 45 strapped to His side.
You say He didn’t carry a weapon because He came to give His life a ransom for many? True!
But when asked by Herod why He wasn’t defending Himself, He DIDN’T say, “Listen punk, don’t you realize I’ve got a whole cache of weapons back home in the upper room? My boys are just waiting for My word.”
No.
Instead He said, “You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.” (John 19:11 NLT)
Earlier, when Herod began his questioning of Jesus, Jesus responded, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36 NLT)
His particular wording I find interesting. We, in many ways, have become so patriotic we have lost focus of God’s kingdom and its principles.
We’ve traded our trust and walk with God for our election process, and our constitutional rights.
Folks, I am NOT discounting our rights! I’m saying that first and foremost we, those of us who claim to be followers of Jesus, must be KINGDOM OF GOD oriented and inclined, or we will not fulfill God’s will for our lives, and this country will forever fall short of its destiny.
Am I saying we can’t defend ourselves, either individually or as a nation?
No!
King David was allowed by God to have an army. In fact, the King was quite the soldier. He was the Audie Murphy of his day.
No one messed with David’s army and got away with it.
But here’s a point you must see. David, a man after God’s heart, was enticed by Satan to sin before the God David loved. What was the temptation?
It went something like this:
“Psst, David! Hey, you, Mr. King! Yeah, you. Haven’t you noticed the headlines lately?”
“What do you mean?”
“All the Syrians and Philistines have been chanting ‘death to Israel’, and they’ve recruited an awful lot of people for their armies. Doesn’t that scare you?”
“Well, come to think of it…”
“Yeah, you know you’re scared. So how many soldiers do YOU have, O King?”
“Well, I’m really not supposed to be thinking about that. God wants me…”
“Oh, knock off with the faith stuff. You know what it’s like to run short of people; people who know how to fight! C’mon, man, use your head! Get some data so you’ll know how many to draft. You mustn’t be caught unprepared!”
So, David grabbed one of his generals and told him to number the troops.
And God said, “Wrong move, mighty warrior.” (1 Chronicles 21)
It wasn’t wrong to have an army!
It’s not wrong to own a gun, or three!
It IS wrong to TRUST in them.
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. O Lord, save the king! May he answer us when we call.” (Psalm 20:7-9 ESV)
But if you simply MUST trust in chariots, then choose wisely whose chariots you’ll trust in.
“The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them…” (Psalm 68:17 ESV)
If you haven’t figured out what I trying to say, maybe these passages will help:
“The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.” (Psalm 33:16-19 ESV)
“The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.” (Proverbs 21:31 ESV)
Victory belongs to the Lord. Do all you can; saddle your horse, load your gun, whatever you feel you should do. But before you do, there’s one question every Jesus follower should ask first.
“Lord, what would You want me to do? How can I follow you in faith in the situation I’m facing?”
Because remember, whatever is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:23)
So can we drop the God, Guns, and Guts bit, replacing it with, “God, Guns (if you want), and FAITH”?
Jan Grace 