Should Christians Be Encouraged to Arm Themselves? A Response to John Piper

John Piper has written a thoughtful blog post in which he discourages Christians from owning firearms.  He brings up several true points, backed by Scripture, as follows:

1.  God has appointed government authorities to “bear the sword” and enforce justice (Romans 13:1-4). 

2.  God has called Christians to leave vengeance to God, and “repay no one evil for evil” (Romans 12:17-21).  Instead, we are to love our enemies and “turn the other cheek” (Matthew 5:38-39, 44-45).

3.  As Christians, we should expect to share in Christ’s sufferings, including persecution and unjust treatment, which we should bear with joy (1 Peter 2: 19-20, 4:14-16).

4.  We are to trust God for all of our needs (Philippians 4:19).

On a more personal note, Piper states that he does not keep a firearm, and that he does not know whether he would “shoot my wife’s assailant” when faced with that situation.  Piper charitably states “I would be very slow to condemn a person who chose differently from me.”

Piper’s points above are 100% true, and they are backed by even more Scripture references than those quoted by Piper in his blog post.  Nonetheless, I do not believe the above points lead inexorably to the personal dis-armament of Christians.  

1.  The use of personal firearms to provide for your family is both legal and moral.

Piper concedes that “the Lord ordains for us to use ordinary means of providing for life,” including food, drink, sleep, medicine, and personal savings.  God may call upon us to give up any of these things at any time, whether by voluntary sacrifice, or by involuntary persecution.  Nonetheless, in the meantime we are instructed to live quiet lives and work with our hands “so that you will not be dependent on anybody” (1 Thessalonians 4:10-12).  The faithful work of the Christian and God’s faithful provision together allow us to be generous to those in need (ex. 2 Corinthians 9:13). 

We live on a rural homestead and raise chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys.  Sometimes snakes, opossums and armadillos threaten our flock.  When our dog Missy alerts us to an unwanted pest, my husband John will take his gun and shoot it.  Firearms are an important tool to protect the animals under our care.  Proverbs 12:10 tells us that “a righteous man cares for the needs of his animal.”  The use of firearms to care for our animals (and thus provide for our family) is completely moral.

In addition, hunting is a big part of the culture where we live.  John and I did not grow up hunting, and we have not had much success (yet).  Nonetheless, we can appreciate the value of responsible hunting:  spending time in nature with family and friends; providing food for the family; and keeping animal populations in balance.  Perhaps Piper and others who live in large cities see firearms through an urban cultural lens, forgetting that the Bible is big enough to embrace many cultural traditions.

Guns can be misused, for sure.  So can many other things, including pharmaceuticals and the internet.  This does not mean that Christians must refuse drugs or technological advances. God and the laws of our country have given us freedom to use firearms to provide for their families, by killing unwanted pests and by responsible hunting. 

2.  The use of personal firearms to defend yourself and innocent victims is both legal and moral.

Self-defense – protecting yourself or innocent victims from immediate bodily injury – is a basic legal right across cultures.  Killing another person in self-defense is sometimes necessary to stop a greater evil (the murder of innocent victims), and it is also a useful deterrent to other would-be criminals.  There are many studies that indicate crime goes down with more lenient gun ownership laws.  Self-defense is different from revenge, which involves harming a perpetrator after the immediate danger is over.

The Bible does not condemn, and in fact sanctions, self-defense.  The Old Testament teaches that it is not murder to defend against and kill a night-time intruder, since it is a reasonable presumption that a night-time intruder has evil intent.  (Exodus 22:2-3).   Queen Esther saved the Jewish people by proposing a law that gave the Jews the right to defend themselves and their families, to the death (Esther 8:11).  While overseeing the rebuild of the Jerusalem city walls, Nehemiah posted armed guards to defend against those who would oppose the effort.  He encouraged the Jewish people, “Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”  (Nehemiah 4:14).

In his blog post, Piper brings up Luke 22:35-38, where Jesus tells his disciples that things are about to get dangerous, and they should arm themselves with swords.  Although Piper tries to explain away Jesus’ words, the most reasonable interpretation is that the disciples were expected and permitted to defend themselves.

We can all agree that attacking, raping or murdering an innocent victim is wicked.  God has provided lawful means of preventing these wicked acts (i.e., responsible ownership of personal firearms).  We can honor God by fighting evil using the means he has provided.  The Bible calls us to “rescue those being led away to death,” (Proverbs 21:11), “loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, set the oppressed free and break every yoke.” (Isaiah 58:6).  It is naïve to think that rescuing the oppressed will always be non-violent, or that it will always involve official government authorities.   Again, I am not speaking about illegal violence or revenge, I am speaking only about the legal right to defend yourself, your family and innocent victims.

Piper brings up the famous passage in Matthew regarding “turn the other cheek.”  It is important to note that Jesus is not referring to the threat of death or immediate bodily harm.  Instead, Jesus is referring to a slap in the face, a personal insult.  Jesus calls us to show love to our enemies by forgiving personal slights and being willing to “go the extra mile.”  Jesus did not set down a general principle against defending ourselves or our loved ones from death or bodily injury.

I believe there is Biblical support for the further proposition that it is a moral duty for fathers and husbands to protect their families from bodily harm.  Paul instructs husbands to love and care for their wives as their own bodies (Ephesians 5:25-33).  Paul also instructs the believer to provide for the needs of his immediate family, otherwise “he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:8).  If we are called to care and provide for the needs of our families, how much more should we protect them from undeserved physical harm?

3.  The use of personal firearms to fight for freedom against tyranny is both legal and moral.

The Bible teaches that Jesus came to proclaim freedom (Luke 4:18-19).  Christ has freed us from sin and death, the greatest oppressors (Romans 6:6-7, 8:2).  Yet freedom from human oppression is also precious to the Christian life, and to human flourishing in general (cf. 1 Peter 2:16-17).  When the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, Pharoah prevented them from worshipping God in freedom (Exodus 5:1-4).  Thus, before God even gave the Israelites the 10 Commandments, he had to first rescue them from slavery.  In the New Testament, the apostle Paul instructs believers:  “If you can gain your freedom, do so… You were bought at a price; do not [voluntarily] become slaves of men.”  (1 Corinthians 7:21, 23). 

Our American founders used their personal firearms to defend against British tyranny and establish their independence.  I understand that some Christians question whether this action was biblical.  Wayne Grudem does a great job explaining his position that “the American Revolution was morally justified in the sight of God.”  (See Grudem, Politics According to the Bible, pp. 88-89).  Regardless of Piper’s position on the American Revolution, he and the hundreds of millions of other residents of the United States over the past 200+ years have benefitted greatly from the bloody sacrifice of our founders.  That thought alone should give us pause.

The Constitution is the supreme law of the United States (Constitution, Article VI).  The Constitution protects the right of Americans to bear arms (Constitution, Amendment II).  According to the American founders who wrote the constitution, laws that are inconsistent with the Constitution “are merely acts of usurpation, and will deserve to be treated as such.”  (Hamilton, Federalist Papers, No. 34).  The founders believed that personal possession of firearms would protect our precious liberty from any tendency of the government to become tyrannical.  They believed that it was both constitutionally legal, and a moral imperative, for the “free and gallant citizens of America” to “stand ready to defend their own rights and those of their fellow-citizens” using personal firearms.  (Hamilton, Federalist Papers, No. 29; Madison, Federalist Papers No. 46).  While Piper denigrates “elevating political extrapolation over biblical revelation,” we should not sweep aside true and important events in our nation’s history.

4.            Owning firearms is compatible with love for enemies.

There is no contradiction between owning firearms and loving your enemies.  David was a warrior, and yet his ownership of weapons did not prevent him from showing mercy to Saul and other enemies.  You can use firearms to protect and provide for your enemies, regardless of whether they appreciate it.  You can also use firearms to prevent your enemies from committing crimes that would harm their consciences and have negative consequences for them as well as for you.

5.            Owning firearms is compatible with trust in God.

If taking medicine is compatible with trust in God, then owning firearms is also compatible with trust in God.  David composed psalm after psalm speaking of his trust in God to rescue and save him.  “All your commands are trustworthy; help me, for men persecute me without cause.”  (Psalm 119:86).  At the same time, David and his men were heavily armed.  As Piper concedes, God calls us to use the ordinary means of providing for our life, which I believe includes firearms.  This does not mean that we abandon our trust in God’s protection.  Firearms, like medicine, can and do fail.

4.            Owning firearms is compatible with joy in suffering.

On this earth, there are plenty of opportunities to practice joy in suffering.  While firearms can be used to relieve some forms of suffering, there are plenty of other difficulties that firearms cannot touch.  Having to use a firearm to protect a loved one is, by itself, traumatic and a form of suffering.  We can demonstrate joy in persecutions and sufferings whether or not we own firearms, and whether or not we choose to use them.

5.            There is a time and a place for everything.

Ecclesiastes tells us that “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:  a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal…a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”  (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).  

King Saul unjustly persecuted David, his loyal soldier.  Saul tried to kill David multiple times and chased David into hiding.  David had at least two opportunities to catch and kill Saul unawares.  Yet both times, David said, “…may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.”  (1 Samuel 24:12, 26:23).   In that situation, David chose to forbear using arms for personal revenge.

On another occasion, the Amalekites raided David’s settlement at Ziklag.  The fighting men, including David, were away preparing for battle.  The Amalekites captured and carried off all of the women and children.  After asking God for guidance, David pursued the Amalekites and rescued the captives (1 Samuel 30:17).  Of course, this also involved fighting and killing a large number of the Amalekites.

We need to be careful not to add or subtract from what the Bible says (Deuteronomy 12:32).  The Pharisees were guilty of adding additional requirements to God’s law (Mark 7:3-4), which served only to oppress the people and obscure God’s true requirements. I believe that there are times when God calls individual Christians to give up their rights, including their rights to gun ownership and self-defense.  But this does not justify discouraging gun ownership more broadly.  False guilt and hand-wringing over gun ownership is counterproductive.   Rather than encourage Christians to disarm, we should encourage Christians to use firearms for God’s kingdom.  “You my brothers, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”  (Galatians 5:13). 

I appreciate John Piper's thoughts on this issue, and the Biblical truths that he has expounded.  At the same time, I know many faithful, believing men and women who value the "gun culture."  This brief essay is intended to give those men and women some comfort in knowing that their way of life is not condemned by Scripture, and is compatible with obedience to God's commands.