Is It Ok For A Christian To Have A Concealed Handgun License?

The world is scary, and lots of Christians have guns. Is that OK? What does God really think about it?

Is it OK for a Christian to have a concealed handgun license?

Times change

In Luke 22:35-36 Jesus reminds his disciples that at one time he sent them out and instructed them not to take anything with them, yet they did not lack for anything.   He then tells them that things are different now.  He tells them now to take a bag, take a purse and make sure they have a sword.  He even told them that if they did not have a sword, they were to sell their cloak and get one.
What is right at one time may not be right at another. We know that it is legal to carry a handgun.  In this country, we have the right to bear arms and do have the ability to defend ourselves.  This keeps tyrants from oppressing others and prevents them from using power in the wrong way.  As the saying goes, “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.

A biblical view

Just because we have a right to do something doesn’t mean it is the best thing to do.

I Corinthians 10:23 You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial.

We are also told in Matthew 5:9 that “Blessed are the peacemakers”.  Our policeman carry weapons,yet we refer to them as peace officers. These officers are to keep the peace by suppressing evil. There are some surprising verses in the Bible that speak to responding to evil.

Matthew 5:39 But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.

Proverbs 25:21-22 If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat.If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you.

A right and a wrong time

From these verses one may conclude that it is never right to use force.  Yet, when taking a look at Luke 22, we see Jesus telling the disciples to get a sword.  Why would he tell them to get a sword if they were not to use it?  But to further confuse things, he rebuked Peter when he uses that sword to cut off the ear of the High Priest’s servant. There are some things that can be learned from this scripture.
There is a right and wrong time to use a weapon.  We need to make  sure we don’t try to stop and intervene with what God is wanting to accomplish. Jesus had told his disciples repeatedly that he was going to give his life.  His life was not going to be taken, he was giving it willingly.  Now was not the time to use the sword. Now was the time that God was going to use this evil for his good purposes.   We are told in the Bible that we are  not to pay back evil and as far as we are able, we are to be at peace with all men.
However, there is a time when the most loving thing to do is to restrain evil.  We are not to try and get back at someone or use a weapon out of hate. It is not appropriate to use out of a spirit of vengeance or because we are trying to be a vigilante.  But love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, it rejoices in the truth.  A weapon can be used when it is necessary to put down or restrain further evil. However, at all times it must be used wisely and with discernment.