Despite notions of a higher degree of personal and cultural peace with the turn of the century, violence in the 21st century continues literally on display from ISIS and other religiously-driven militant aggression to senseless Antifa-related carnage promoting rebellion and anarchy. What is a Biblical response? Three key convictions:
- Exodus 20:13: “Thou shalt not kill” provides the Biblical basis for self-defense.
- “Kill” in the Hebrew is “rasah” meaning “murder,” specifically in two senses only: 1) premeditated crime and 2) accidental as well as senseless killing: “You shall not kill in malice or senselessly.” In the introduction above, both ISIS and Antifa are guilty of violating Ex. 20:13, just as a pro-life advocate who attacks an abortion-providing physician is guilty of the same. In fact, the Bible teaches among many sins murder will keep one from heaven: “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8).
- Scripture describes God as merciful, filled with grace and the very definition of love, but He is also a God of justice, and when necessary, “The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is His name” (Ex. 15:3). According to Ecclesiastes 3:8, there is a time and season for everything, including war. Many people make the mistake of reading Ex. 20:13 and applying it to the concept of war. We know that not all killing in wartime is a sin because there have been times when God Himself commanded battles to be fought (1 Samuel 15:3; Joshua 4:13). God never tells people to sin, so the Israelites who followed God’s commands to wage war were not sinning. In the New Testament, most tellingly, some soldiers came to John the Baptist as he was baptizing in the Jordan River. The soldiers asked John, “What should we do?” This would have been the perfect opportunity for John to tell them to stop engaging in warfare, stop killing, or stop being soldiers. Instead, John replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay” (Luke 3:14). Being a soldier is not inherently sinful just as killing in war cannot be equated with murder. So, God is not against killing in all circumstances, but only murder. Again, murder is senseless and for selfish reasons, while killing is to protect and preserve life.
- God ordered the death penalty for numerous crimes (Exodus 21:12, 15; 22:19; Leviticus 20:11). We must remember that God has instituted capital punishment in His Word; therefore, it would be presumptuous of us to think that we could institute a higher standard, especially misapplying Exodus 20:13. God has the highest standard of any being; He is perfect. Second, we must recognize that God has given government the authority to determine when capital punishment is due (Genesis 9:6; Romans 13:1-7). Therefore, it is unbiblical to claim that God opposes the death penalty in all instances.
- Luke 22:36: “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one” demonstrates that the use of physical force to protect oneself or defend another is not an alternative but a command.
- The “sword” (Greek: “maxairan”) is a dagger or short sword that was part of the Jewish traveler’s equipment for protection against robbers and wild animals. A plain reading of the passage indicates that Jesus approved of conditional self-defense.
- If Jesus were a pacifist and opposed the use of weapons, He would not have instructed his disciples to own them. They were not to be heavily armed, but sufficiently armed.
- Self-defense does not always mean physical defense. Paul engaged in self-defense on occasion, although non-violently. When he was about to be flogged by the Romans in Jerusalem, Paul quietly informed the centurion with the scourge that he, Paul, was a Roman citizen. The authorities were immediately alarmed and began to treat Paul differently, knowing they had violated Roman law by even putting him in chains. Paul had used a similar defense in Philippi—after he was flogged—in order to secure an official apology from those who had violated his rights (Acts 16:37–39). The persistent widow in Jesus’ parable kept pounding on the judge’s door with the repeated plea, “Grant me justice against my adversary” (Luke 18:3). This widow was not about to give up and let her enemy take advantage of her; through the proper channels, she pursued self-defense.
- The Bible never forbids self-defense, and believers are allowed to defend themselves and their families. But the fact that we are permitted to defend ourselves does not necessarily mean we must do so violently in every situation. Knowing God’s heart through reading His Word and relying on “the wisdom that comes from heaven” (James 3:17) will help us know how to best respond in situations that might call for self-defense.
- “On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also” (Matthew 5:39b) would seem to imply that Christians should not resist an evil person but actually delineates when retaliation should…or should not be employed.
- In regard to protecting ourselves from crime and our nation from foreign aggression, force is allowed by both the Old and New Testaments, but Jesus’ intent in Matthew 5 was not to retaliate when insulted or slandered (echoed in Romans 12:17-21). Insults do not threaten a Christian’s personal safety. The idea of rendering insult for insult, is not the same as defending oneself against a mugger or a rapist, or someone that wants to kill you or a loved one
- In John 18, Jesus is addressing Peter who previously said he was willing to die with him and instead tried to prevent His being arrested. Peter used the sword to accomplish his goal, but Jesus’ response was we are not to live by force or violence but by love. There was more to this than Peter could see: the will of God. Peter had pulled the sword out to prevent Jesus from being arrested. In response, Jesus healed the man’s ear and He had Peter put away his sword so he could be arrested, to fulfill God’s plan by his death (John 18:11). So it is important to see God’s purpose at any given time.
- Therefore, the one area in which deadly force is not permitted, is for the defense of the faith. As far as our faith is concerned, we are to turn the other cheek and be willing to become martyrs if it is about Christ. Jesus told his disciples they would be killed for their faith and it is no different today. This is why we do not physically fight for Jesus. In John 18:36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight.” This was the critical error of the Crusaders, for example…and we still experience the negative ramifications today.
Without close study, the Bible can seem to give conflicting instructions regarding self-defense. God’s Word teaches not to return evil for evil or to convert people by force; but by love, by testimony, by Godly interaction. If someone is physically attacking you, your family or nation as an evil entity, you have every right to use whatever means is at ones disposal to defend oneself and preserve life. If, on the other hand, one is attacking you and going to do harm because of your faith, you are not to physically defend yourself but certainly defend your faith through testimony. If we are asked specifically to renounce our faith or die, we have the example of the early Church. We are told to be willing to become martyrs. As noted in Revelation 12:11, “they did not love their lives unto death.”