Self-Defense: What Does the Bible Say?

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Self-Defense: What Does the Bible Say?

With recent shootings in public and in churches, the question of self-defense has been coming up lately. But first, let’s be clear: What we are seeing today is not a gun problem; it’s a moral problem called sin.

Vengeance Is Not Self-Defense

One Scripture often used to support pacifism and banning weapons is found in Proverbs 20:22: “Do not say, ‘I will recompense evil’; wait for the Lord, and He will save you.” But this Scripture is dealing with vigilantism, not self-defense.

According to Romans 13:4, one of the purposes of the authorities is to “execute wrath on him who practices evil.” The civil authorities are God’s avengers, but we can be defenders of ourselves and others.

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