I had a perplexing thought just yesterday. It was whether, or not, self defense and the act of taking human life in other justifiable ways was okay for people who follow Jesus. Luckily, there are some topics already made about it on the internet. Some of their authors reasoned that taking life in some cases is okay, others say it is not.
The case for taking life being a sin, in any circumstance, boiled down to the fact that according to the way Jesus was killed, to resist death -- in any of its forms -- would be to deny the Lord His desire to bring you to Heaven. The case for taking life being okay was that during Mosaic Law, wars and killings were sanctioned -- David killed many, Saul killed many, the Judges killed with capital punishment, people stoned others, etc. -- and that even Jesus said it was okay to take up arms when he said that if a man doesn't have a weapon, he should sell the clothes off his back to buy one.
So, I thoroughly read through each side's argument, and cross evaluated their words with my own feelings and thoughts on the matter. I hold the belief, that as a man of God who accepts Jesus, and follows the Ten Commandments and other teachings within the Bible, that the Lord blesses my deepest feelings on determining matters to be true. I found there to be no wrong in taking life in certain situations. Such as: defending those who cannot defend themselves; defending your family, friends, and self; defending ones property and nation, and even capital punishment.
The key factor in determining whether, or not, a person is justified in the taking of life, is the justice of the act. If you are living your life, not as an aggressor, but simply seeking peace and unity. If a person were to attack you, or take your things, then the taking of that person life is justified in that moment -- revenge is not justified. I cannot believe that God would want for us to simply lay down our lives and die in order to sooner meet Him -- after all, we will all eventually meet Him. God did ordain that we should be fruitful and multiply, and to live as if wishing to die at every moment cannot allow for that command to be fulfilled.
The natural instinct of a man is to fight for his own survival, I must believe that the Good Lord wouldn't have set that into man if He only desired for us to accept death at any life threatening moment. If man should accept death wherever and whenever, then one might as well release the wheel of their car while driving. By gripping the steering wheel, staying in the lane, and avoiding certain death by running off roads or driving into oncoming traffic; you are defending your life. You are denying the Lord your spiritual presence in Heaven, even as Jesus chose to accept his own death, you are choosing to not die by continuing to drive.
There is ultimately a time and place for all things, including our deaths. Jesus defended his life in other times, but knew that it was his time when he was arrested in the garden. So, if it feels right to defend yourself, or others, then do so.
It must be the truth that to continue living, so as to further serve the Lord on this Earth in the raising of children, and the teaching of God and Jesus in all their ways, one's own self defense would sometimes be necessary as the Lord sees fit. Either way, the Lord chooses your time of death whether, or not, you defend yourself. So, one might as well endeavor to survive, and continue to speak of Him until that time.
Trust that the Lord will deliver the righteous and the wicked, in all their ways.
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