The Christian and Self-Defense

7th Commandment

Exodus 20:13 You shall not murder.

Murder… Not kill.

God is not going to command His people not to kill and then contradict Himself saying go kill all the pagans in the Land.

We see this even in the very next chapter. God condemns murder in the 6th Commandment but then just 1 chapter later in Exodus 21:12 says whoever murders someone shall be put to death.

Exodus 21:12 Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death.

God does not contradict Himself and condemn killing/violence entirely but wicked, unjustified killing of another.

This is from God’s covenant with Noah.

Genesis 9:5–7 And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image. And you, be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it.

Murder directly goes against God’s Creation mandate of filling the earth with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the sea with God’s own image bearers.

Principle: Life is precious and carries with it capital punishment.

Baptist Catechism Promotes Self Defense.

Q 73. What is required in the sixth commandment? A. The sixth commandment requireth all lawful endeavours to preserve our own life (Eph. 5:28,29) and the life of others (1 Kings 18:4)..

Q 74. What is forbidden in the sixth commandment? A. The sixth commandment absolutely forbiddeth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbour unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto (Acts 26:28; Gen. 9:9).

Killing an Intruder/Protecting Others

God’s law promotes self defense against intruders.

Exodus 22:2 If a thief is found breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him.

God promotes the defending of others in the case of a woman who is seized and raped. We have an obligation to defend ourselves and others.

Deuteronomy 22:25–27 But if in the open country a man meets a young woman who is betrothed, and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die. But you shall do nothing to the young woman; she has committed no offense punishable by death. For this case is like that of a man attacking and murdering his neighbor, because he met her in the open country, and though the betrothed young woman cried for help there was no one to rescue her.

Proverbs 24:11 “Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.”

Armed Citizenry

1 Samuel 13:19-22 indicates that a citizenry that is disarmed and not allowed weapons as the Israelites were with the Philistines is one that is a conquered and enslaved people.

1 Samuel 13:19–22 Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears.” But every one of the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, or his sickle, and the charge was two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares and for the mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening the axes and for setting the goads. So on the day of the battle there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan, but Saul and Jonathan his son had them.

Turning the Other Cheek?

What about “Turn the other cheek?”

Matthew 5:38–39““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. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”

Jesus is not repudiating God’s Law on an eye for an eye. A penalty that contrary to the way we normally think of it basically said the punishment should be just/should fit the crime.

Jesus here is condemning personal vengeance not self-defense.

Being struck on the cheek was not a violent man coming to attack you. it was a backhanded slap meant to insult you and lead to escalating violence.

Vengeance belongs to the Lord (Romans 12:19).

In the midst of a crime we have the duty to defend life and intervene (see back to the Deuteronomy passage about rape), but after we do not seek vengeance but let the Civil Magistrate fulfill their duty.

Romans 13:4 For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.

Living By the Sword

But what about “If you live by the sword you will die by the sword?”

Matthew 26:51–52 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.”

Jesus here is affirming the death penalty. If you unjustly take another man’s life you will die.

Jesus was sent to die as John 18:11 makes clear.

John 18:11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

Because where did Peter get the Sword?

Luke 22:36–38 He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.” And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.”

Jesus told them to buy it. And it was a sword. Its not like it was hidden. If Jesus was condemning His disciples from owning mortal weapons before any of this happened he would have looked at Peter and said what are you doing with that?

We don’t advance the Kingdom of God with a sword.

John 18:36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.

So missions is not carried out with a Bible in one hand and a sword in the other saying, “Repent or die.”

But Remember the sword and the trowel in Nehemiah 4. The People of God had a right and obligation to defend themselves and to preserve life.

Nehemiah 4:15–18 When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me.

Against Pacifism

To say the Bible condemns perpetrating violence on another is always wrong is to make God a sinner and His commands wicked.

David was a Man of War Psalm 144:1 Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.

God describes Himself as a Man of War Exodus 15:3 The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is his name.

Jesus is the King of kings who Revelation 19:11 rides a white horse… judges and makes war.

The Point

The key to keep in mind is we are talking about self-defense from a violent attacker who would seek to do us harm and take our life. Not insult.

We are not to be violent. Quarrelsome. Contentious or given over to fits of anger.

1 Timothy 3:3 not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome…

We are called to be defenders and use wisdom in an evil and fallen world