All Preachers Should Have A Conceal Weapon Permit

[John81]

Trust in the Lord with ALL thine heart and lean NOT unto thine own understanding.

[HappyChristian]

If my pastor felt led to get a concealed carry, I would be no less happy than  I am without it (for all I know, he has one - it matters not to me).  Just because a man or a woman carries a gun does not mean they aren't trusting the Lord.  And that goes for preachers.  I think that might fall under individual liberty and how God leads a particular person. Let's not forget the same person who wrote psalm 91 wrote "Blessed be the LORD my strength [note that he lists God as his strength before he says :] which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight. My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me."  David's trust was in the Lord, but he knew how to fight - and was taught so by God.  Hmmm...

 

I daresay that it would be pleasant to watch as people would come in to a church service and mow down women and children with their weapons, wouldn't it?  It's happened before, not here in the US, but it has happened.  We can claim it as a victory, but it really isn't.  There is nothing wrong with defending oneself.  If someone comes into a church intent on harm, it is the responsibility of the men in that  church to protect the women and children.  Until such a time that the laws of the land give permission to the government to raid church services, unwanted harmful interference is still trespassing, just as it is in one's private home.

[The Glory Land]

Then the Lord rebuked them and healed the man who had his ear cut off.

 

We read from Acts on of the apostles and other Christians being attacked, beaten, robbed, stoned, imprisoned, left for dead and such and they didn't swing swords but rather trusted in the Lord. The Lord received glory in all this and Christianity spread far and wide.

 

 

I can see that He also said, go and detroy those wicked people, in the Old Testament.

[The Glory Land]

He the pastor, may never in his life need to pull his gun out, but if he did, he will have the support of his Country and all his members that are still alive and well.  

[The Glory Land]

Where do these evil people attack?  Where there are signs of no weapons alouded.  Think about it, schools, Movies, if they had signs that said, under cover arm officer on property at all times. these evil people would not even thing about.

[swathdiver]

John, the Apostles during Christ's ministry had different rules regarding self defense.  Paul's writings then take us back to something more akin to the OT.  I just read those verses this morning but do not remember them exactly.  Unless someone beats me to it, I'll post them tonight for you.  

[John81]

I can see that He also said, go and detroy those wicked people, in the Old Testament.

Are we Jews under that command or Christians under the New Covenant?

[The Glory Land]

Are we Jews under that command or Christians under the New Covenant?

No, but I believe that the old and new tesatament is the Complete Word of God. No short cuts my friend. New Only ?

[John81]

No, but I believe that the old and new tesatament is the Complete Word of God. No short cuts my friend. New Only ?

The New replaced the Old, God's Word is clear on that. All NT teachings are what Christians are to live by. Some of the teachings within the OT were carried over and they are addressed in the NT. Christians are not under Jewish law and God has not commanded Christians to "go and destroy those wicked people".

 

On a side note, even in the OT where God told the Jews to destroy a people it was only specific peoples for specific reasons as the arm of God's judgment.

[JerryNumbers]

Psalm 91, as well as other precious promises from Scripture, makes it clear the Lord is more than able to protect our pastors, churches and ourselves.

 

I've read enough cases of the Lord protecting His own to know He is faithful and trustworthy. The Lord's angels had no problem dealing with an entire city of homosexuals when they rescued Lot.

 

Seems many Christians have become gun nuts. Maybe I should have expressed it differently, yet at the present that's the only thing that comes to my mind.

 

We never have had a bring your gun to church Sunday, nor have we had our services at the shooting range. Yet one local church did. I hear they had a very short devotional, them a prayer, them spent 2 to 3 hours shooting & comparing their guns with one another. Afterwards saying we will have to do this quite often. To be honest I think they would have been much better off to have spent all that time in the Word.

 

Amazing, isn't it, many churches can spend much time doing worldly things but complain about the length of church services.

 

If church services goes into overtime for them, they react bad, yet if they're at a ball game that goes into overtime they're happy. 

[John81]

Seems many Christians have become gun nuts. Maybe I should have expressed it differently, yet at the present that's the only thing that comes to my mind.

 

We never have had a bring your gun to church Sunday, nor have we had our services at the shooting range. Yet one local church did. I hear they had a very short devotional, them a prayer, them spent 2 to 3 hours shooting & comparing their guns with one another. Afterwards saying we will have to do this quite often. To be honest I think they would have been much better off to have spent all that time in the Word.

 

Amazing, isn't it, many churches can spend much time doing worldly things but complain about the length of church services.

 

If church services goes into overtime for them, they react bad, yet if they're at a ball game that goes into overtime they're happy. 

Worldly pleasures and things that appeal to the flesh draw a crowd, make folks feel good, keep their attention.

 

American Christianity has long leaned toward such things. Funny these sort of churches think they are some conservative alternative to the liberal churches when oftentimes they are as far away from keeping the Word and abiding in Christ as the liberals.

 

Many churches today are more like NRA social groups, Republican political action gatherings, and such things. This is no more right than the churches which promote governmental increases in welfare and those which are like Democrat gatherings.

 

The purpose of a local church is to be a place where local believers gather to be built up in the Lord and sent forth to spread the Gospel and make disciples.

[Steve Schwenke]

I have an "open carry" permit - it is called the Constitution of the United States. 

 

Actually, in the great state of Texas, we legally "open carry." 

 

But I have to agree with the sentiments of others here.  When the persecution comes, we are to take it.  Paul did.  Jesus did.  All of the Apostles did.  And while Paul did use the legal system to correct a legal injustice (he appealed to Caesar to escape a certain death in Jerusalem!), he did not take up arms to "defend himself." 

I have no idea on how things will end up.  Things are definitely accelerating out of control much faster than we can even keep up with it.  If the Lord continues to delay His return, then I believe we will end up in a scenario similar to the first 3 centuries of Christianity - an "on again off again" persecution, depending upon who Caesar is at the time.  We may end up going "underground" as are brethren are in China and the Middle East.  We may end up persecuted so severely that we will be scattered everywhere, and not even able to witness to our own spouses and children, as often happened in the Dark Ages. 

But in order for the end times prophecies to be fulfilled, AntiChrist will end up with a one-world Government AND a one-world religion.  In order for that to happen, the Bible-Believers must be gotten rid of!

 

In Christ,

[Invicta]

It seems that to many Americans, their gun is their god.

 

The Anabaptists did not fight again st the king when persecuted, in fact they said the sword was to be borne by the magistrate to use as they thought fit.

[swathdiver]

Old Testament:  

 

Exodus 21:23-25  "And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe."

 

Christ's Ministry:

 

Matthew 5:38-39  "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."

 

Church Age:

 

Romans 12:17-18  "Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."

 

Seems to me folks have been given different instructions for different times.  Paul's instructions are a cross between the two, we're not to act as sheep to the slaughter when we can help it.  

[Steve Schwenke]

Old Testament:  

 

Exodus 21:23-25  "And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe."

 

Christ's Ministry:

 

Matthew 5:38-39  "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."

 

Church Age:

 

Romans 12:17-18  "Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."

 

Seems to me folks have been given different instructions for different times.  Paul's instructions are a cross between the two, we're not to act as sheep to the slaughter when we can help it.  

Right, and that is why we can and should challenge unconstitutional laws and rulings in our court systems, as Paul did.  But Paul was beaten illegally in Philippi (Acts 16) and he did not say or do anything to stop it, even though he could have.  Later, when the Philippian rulers wanted him to leave quietly out the back door, he pulled the law out on them, and scared them.  Later, when the roman centurion was going to beat him in Jerusalem, he pulled the law out, and saved himself a beating, and then later appealed to Caesar.

As long as we operate under the rule of law, we should use that system to the best of our ability.

 

But when they line us up for execution, well.....I don't think tyrants and dictators care all that much for law and order, so no appeals will be heard, or offered.

 

PS - the OT "eye for an eye" was not a free ticket to take vengeance of a wrong personally.  It was done legally.  The matter was brought to the elders of the nearest city, and the instructions given here demanded this verdict.  Then the local government exacted the penalty.  That's how I read it anyway.

Edited September 11, 2013 by Steve Schwenke