"Then said he (Jesus) unto them, ... he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one .... And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough." Luke 22:36 & 38.
Two of His Apostles were already carrying weapons, which Jesus had apparently paid no attention to. A sword is hard to hide and He had not forbidden those two from carrying them.
That command by Jesus is a surprise to many Christians today because they have been taught, erroneously, that all sword use is bad. But God instituted and commanded capital punishment way back in Gen. 9:6 "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." God is saying, in that verse, that since He created us in His own image and likeness, that murder is an attack upon God Himself, and the murderer is therefore to be caught and executed. Some preachers use the sixth Commandment, Ex.20:13, which says "Thou shalt not kill" to include legal, civil executions or even killing in self defence, but the Hebrew word translated "kill" here is ratsach and means "murder" not "execute". The following chapter (21) of Exodus lists several reasons people can be put to death by capital punishment or execution. So, "Thou shalt not kill" does not include execution or self defense. When Jesus quoted the sixth commandment "Thou shalt not kill", He said, "Thou shalt do no murder". Matt.19:18.
God then reiterated legal weapons use, in the New Testament, in Romans 13:3-4 "... Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? .... For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."
So a citizen's use of weapons, in self defence, is as scriptural as an armed militia, federal, state, county, city, or civilian security guards. Here is a case in point where a "Christian, church member" took out a murderer who came to church to kill everybody there but only killed two. This guy, is old, but a Hero.
Armed Hero Jack Wilson Receives
Texas Medal of Courage from Texas
Governor Greg Abbott
From Liberty Conservative NewsOn Monday, January 13, 2020, Texas Governor Greg Abbott gave Jack Wilson the Governor’s Medal of Courage during a ceremony in Austin.
Wilson was the 71-year-old man who shot and killed an armed assailant at the West Freeway Church of Christ in the small town of White Settlement.
Abbott called him a hero for stopping the murderer in his tracks.
Wilson, a firearms instructor who trained the West Freeway Church of Christ’s volunteer security team, took out the assailant with one shot to the head.
Sadly, the gunman, Keith Thomas Kinnunen was able to murder two parishioners, 64-year-old Anton “Tony” Wallace and 67-year-old Richard White.
“When events arise, you’re going to do one of two things. You’re either going to step up and do what’s right or walk away. And I’m not one to walk away,” Wilson stated in accepting the medal at the Texas Governor’s Mansion.
Kinnunen has a history of criminal and psychological trouble. _____________________________ The correct verb is past tense, "had" a history, not "has". RB Our son, Ron, has the same ministry in his church as Bro. Wilson. Ron will be 69 in about three weeks. So it you are a murderer looking for a prey, don't mistake an older white haired guy ... or his father, as your victim. RB