Reformed Baptist theologian Wayne Grudem speaks on the Bible and the right of self-defense.
About Wayne Grudem:
Grudem holds a BA from Harvard University, a Master of Divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary, and a PhD from the University of Cambridge. In 2001, Grudem became Research Professor of Bible and Theology at Phoenix Seminary. Prior to that, he had taught for 20 years at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, where he was chairman of the department of Biblical and Systematic Theology.
Grudem served on the committee overseeing the English Standard Version translation of the Bible, and in 1999 he was the president of the Evangelical Theological Society. He is a co-founder and past president of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. He is the author of, among other books, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, which advocates a Calvinistic soteriology, the verbal plenary inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible, the body-soul dichotomy in the nature of man, and the complementarian (rather than egalitarian) view of gender equality.
Topics:
- what about turning the other cheek? doesn’t that undermine self-defense?
- what does Jesus say about the right to self-defense in the New Testament
- did Jesus’ disciples carry swords for protection during his ministry?
- why did Jesus tell his disciples to sell their cloaks and buy swords?
- what about Jesus stopping Peter from using force during Jesus’ arrest?
- shouldn’t we rely on police instead of our own personal weapons?
- what about brandishing a handgun vs actually trying to shoot someone?
- what are violent crime rates in pro-gun USA and in the anti-gun UK?
- does outlawing guns cause violent crime to increase or decrease?
- do academic studies show that gun control decreases crime?
- do academic studies show that concealed carry laws decreases crime?
- what do academic studies show about defensive handgun usage?
- do many children die from guns in the home compared to other causes?
- doesn’t the US Constitution limit the usage of guns to the army and police?
- what did the Founding Fathers believe about lawful ownership of firearms?
- What should be the goal of someone who uses a weapon in self-defense?
This is a good example of applying the Bible to real life. We need more of that!
WINTERY KNIGHT 
I can’t open the .pdf.
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“Turn the other cheek” is a strawman. The slap on the cheek is an affront, a challenge to fight, not a blow with intent to harm.
Jesus never forbade self-defense. What he forbade is “taking the law into your own hands,” private revenge after the fact, appointing oneself prosecutor, jury, judge and executioner.
When He was preparing for His passion, for His sacrifice, and to leave this world, He gave His disciples, who soon would be the evangelists of His gospel, counsel to arm themselves with the common personal weapon of the day, the short sword or dagger.
Judea had a heavy police presence of the troops of the Herodian tetrarchy, backed up by Roman troops, but soon they would be going out two by two to preach the gospel of salvation, of redemption. The gospel of the coming of the kingdom would soon be finished – on Pentecost morning.
They were not to be arming themselves against government officials, rather against wild beasts and common bandits. The kingdom was not to be established and defended with swords of steel but of the Spirit.
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