I want to write about an attack I believe is coming soon: shooters in churches. I've written about it before here but it's been suggested that I approach it from a different angle. So here goes.
Christian men: if you think you're a reeeeal man because you finally got the nerve to put a sticker on your minivan that says Real Men Love Jesus, you're mistaken and misguided ~ maybe even foolish and cowardly. For some of you, this is not true. You're brave and aware of what's going on around you and prepared to fight to protect those you love. Great; then you can be leaders and trainers.
Proverbs 25: 26 ~ A righteous man who falters (Strong's 4131 ~ falling down, to waver, slip, shake, fall) before the wicked is like a murky spring and a polluted well. Ooo, nobody wants to drink icky water that makes you barf. In fact, nobody wants to get near it because there's usually a nasty odor that goes with the murk. Are you tracking with me? Do you get that analogy?
Only a fearful mind would assert that this proverb does not mean we as Christian men should be ready in all ways to defend ourselves and our families ~ and pastors, your entire flock every single time and place you ask them to gather with you ~ in a worst case scenario. Or even something less than worst.
Some of you might scoff: Worst case scenario, Undaunted? Well, I love Jesus. I'm all prayed up, I speak in tongues, God saves me a parking spot at the mall every time I go; surely He will protect me. He'll send angels to melt the guns of the bad-guys and we'll preach to them while we wait for the cops to show up.
Sure, just like in Beslan. Yea, it was a school but do you really believe there were no Christian people in that throng. Are you so silly that you think none of the young boys and men who were summarily executed and none of the girls and women who were repeatedly raped and sodomized by those several Muslim savages were sincere, righteous men and women, boys and girls. Do you think there was not one single prayer uttered by the captives and their families outside the school? Do you think they had it coming because they were Russian?
If you do, then you don't deserve to have a congregation or a family... or a girlfriend for that matter.
I am a Christian. And I know that God gave those I love to me as a precious gift. I will not squander that nor surrender those I love to any man or woman of any religion or particular bent.
1 Timothy 5:8 tells Christian men they're worse than unbelievers if they don't provide for their own, especially for their households. Provide means in this case 3539 ~ to exercise the mind, observe, to comprehend, heed, consider, perceive, think, understand; 1097 ~ to know, allow, be aware of, feel, perceive, be resolved, be sure; 3563 ~ in the mind, the intellect, in thought, feeling or will; 4306 ~ to consider in advance, to look out for beforehand.
Do I need to translate that for you? It means you're required to do more than put food on the table, clothes on their backs, shoes on their feet, a roof over their heads, Christian school rather than that nasty public education system, Bible camp every summer at the lake, free college tuition as long as it's a Christian school, and a few bucks for the Sunday School offering plate.
It means you're supposed to be aware of people and circumstances that might hurt your family and to prepare yourself and them before that day of danger so at the end of it you can all thank God that he gave you the power to seek and find truth, the love for and of your family that allows you to give your life for them if need be, and the sound mind by which you all acted courageously and by all of that overcame the deadly threat arrayed against you by evil men and women.
Take a look at these photos. If this is what they do to their "loved" ones, what will they do to yours?
Israel fought great battles in ancient times in order to protect their beliefs, nation, culture, tribes, towns, villages, friends and family against evil and treacherous tribes, cultures, nations and belief systems. They are doing the same thing today. Why should we do any different? We face a common enemy who hates Americans and Christians as much as they hate Israelis and Jews.
So, what are you doing with your time, Ken? Practicing Bible speed drills? Memorizing another verse so you can win the trip to the next marriage seminar weekend in Cancun? Why don't you man up, try growing a pair? Then see how attractive Barbie finds you, eh? Maybe you two can spend that weekend doing something else together... alone.
I'm just sayin'.
The truths about turning the other cheek and overcoming evil with good have their place and time. So does preparing for battle. King David said in Psalms 144:1 ~ Blessed be the lord my strength who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.
Is it mere coincidence that the most important muscles in your body in a gunfight are the ones in your hands, especially your trigger finger? Probably.
In Luke 22:36 Jesus says: ...he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. Back then, the sword was the handgun we have today. Maybe the spear was the assault rifle with bayonet. Did He actually mean that church-goers should arm themselves at that ratio: one in every six members should be packing heat at church. Let me go out on a limb here and say no. He said two swords would be enough because there were more than a dozen grown men in his group and because of that number the chances of them being attacked by a band of bad-guys was pretty slim.
I think it's pretty clear that Jesus was telling Christians to be prepared to defend themselves and one another with weapons of the day. It doesn't seem He's saying we should all be buying massive stores of weapons and ammo but that we all need to consider the possibilities for mayhem present in this day and age and that some of us ~ perhaps only those men and women who know they have the warrior spirit of David ~ need to train and prepare to engage, fight, and defeat Allahhu-akbarring, gun-wielding barbarians in our churches.
A psalm of David, 18:34-39... He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms...I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet. For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle..."
Here's the most recent example of the threat we face in church. In this story, it's just the pastor. But what about the next time when a church active in outreach into the Muslim community in some out of the way place like Detroit gets shot up and there are bodies and blood everywhere?
General Thomas Stonewall Jackson once said about his fearlessness in battle: “Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me. That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave.”
To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven...
A time to be born, a time to die...
A time to kill, a time to heal...
A time to love, and a time to hate...
A time of war, and a time of peace...
Posted with permission from an email sent to me:
Thank you, Undaunted.
Thank you for your taking the time to write this article. I hope that many believers will read it and take it to heart. If nothing else, maybe the link to the "Terrorism is Personal" page will open a few eyes; it grieves me that these things could happen to innocent people anywhere in the world, but to see it starting up in our own country (Sarah, Amina, and now maybe Rifqa) is almost more than I can bear. With that in mind, I especially appreciated the part of your article that says of 1 Timothy 5:8, "It means you're required to do more than put food on the table, clothes on their backs, shoes on their feet, a roof over their heads... It means you're supposed to be aware of people and circumstances that might hurt your family and to prepare yourself and them before that day of danger..." I also appreciated your including a link to the article about Father Sysoyev. This should be a wake-up call to the fact that not only CAN these things happen in America, they DO happen here, and they WILL happen more and more often, if those who have the means of protecting the innocent prefer to hide behind a few platitudes about faith instead.
Posted by: Undaunted | 25 November 2009 at 10:51 AM
You have a great blog here. I'm a first time visitor, but I'm very impressed. I have a debate site myself where people from around the world debate each other on important issues.
Jason
Posted by: Jason | 22 November 2009 at 07:53 PM