As
Millions Arm Themselves...
WHAT'S YOUR SOURCE
OF PROTECTION?
Here's the way to security from crime and violence without
guns!
Handgun sales are soaring in the United States. And many are rushing
out to buy shortened shotguns or rapid-fire rifles for self-defense.
Others are learning martial arts sueh as judo, karate or kung fu.
People around the world are astounded to see millions in the United
States arming themselves out of frustration that government isn't able
to do anything about rising crime.
Pollsters find more and more American citizens saying. "I have to rely
on myself. I can't depend on government to protect me!"
What is the cause of such fear-evoking crime and violence? And why are
governments often unable to protect their citizens?
Crime, Gun-control Dilemma
A flood of weaponry, military and civilian, is flowing in many nations.
Almost anyone with enough money can buy a gun. if not legally then
illegally.
The rapid proliferation of personal arms for self-defense and
other purposes is creating an enormous dilemma. Frequently, guns are
falling into emotionally unstable hands. Or into the hands of criminals
or terrorist organizations.
Weapons loaded for self-protection against criminals frequently end up
being used to settle heated family or social arguments. Or end up being
mistakenly or accidentally discharged, killing or maiming family
members, innocent intruders or children. Or end up being stolen from
homes by robbers, strengthening the arsenal of the criminal world. In
the United States, the frequent use of arms by criminals, and gun
violence by others, has led one group of alarmed citizens and lawmakers
to demand more vigorous gun controls. Equally vigorous and vociferous
are efforts by citizens and lawmakers to protect private ownership and
purchasing of guns. Gun control in the United States is an emotional
issue.
On one side of the debate. gun controllers believe there must be
stricter gun controls—some even say gun prohibition—if society is to
reduce the abuse of guns, accidents and the chance of :
weapons falling into unstable or criminal hands. They
interpret the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment to apply only to the
support of a state militia, not the right of everyone to possess arms
free of government regulation.
The
Second Amendment stales: "A well-regulated militia being necessary
to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and
bear arms shall not be infringed."
On the other side are antigun-control groups. They
fear that any
restrictions on gun ownership or laws forcing registration of
weapons or ammunition, open the door for eventual government
confiscation of arms. From guns they derive personal pleasure in
hunting and target shooting, or depend upon them for self-defense of
their lives and property.
Many
in this latter group believe an armed populace is the only way citizens
can deter crime and government tyranny. They insist the Second
Amendment guarantees all noncriminal citizens a right to keep and bear
arms. And they believe strict gun-control laws are not only
unenforceable without stepping on other constitutional rights, but such
laws do not deter criminals who don't obey laws.
Some, of
course, take positions somewhere between extreme views on either side
in the gun-control debate. Many feel only handguns, because they are so
concealable and deadly, must be strictly controlled, but not long guns.
The way people feel about gun control depends upon their confidence in
human government and in government's ability to control crime and
violence.
Yet the issues that have
produced the gun-control debate— soaring crime and lack of confidence
in government—are the very issues almost no one is facing or providing
solutions to.
Of course not! For most persons do not understand
the root cause of criminal and violent human behavior. And what must be
done to deter criminal and injurious human behavior.
It's What's Behind the Gun
The
existence of guns, per se, is not the primary cause of violence or
criminal behavior. But wrong values, attitudes and wrong character in
human beings are!
When you mix wrong human attitudes and wrong character with easy access to guns, gun violence wili inevitably increase.
The
big issue that needs to be answered to solve the growing personal
security crisis is the right way citizens should be living and treating
one another. And how government should treat violations of law so
others will be deterred from repeating crimes.
When a society
achieves right ways of living, the criminally and violence-minded, not
law-abiding citizens, will live in fear. And law-abiding citizens will
have confidence that their government and society will protect them.
The
Creator, through the pages of the Bible, reveals the real causes of
crime and violence. But humans. for the most part, have rejected the
wa\ that leads to peace in the streets and in the home!
Cause Is Spiritual
You've
heard the phrase, "He's in a bad spirit today!" There is a "father" of
that bad spirit -just as there is a father of every evil and criminal
attitude.
Your Bible reveals that the real father of that bad spirit long ago rebelled against the government and laws of God.
The
Creator originally gave him rulership over the earth. But he allowed
lust, greed and competition to rule his mind. He decided to become an
aggressor and conquer God's throne. He wanted to take control of the
universe for himself.
The first archcriminal had his name
changed from Light-bringer (Lucifer, in Latin) to Satan, meaning
"adversary." The numerous angels that followed him in his rebellion
were thrust back down to earth and became demons (Rev. 12:9).
Few today realize that Satan and his evil host have swayed all humanity with wrong attitudes and with clever deceptions.
Many
don't believe Satan exists. But Jesus Christ said Satan is the father
of murder and lies (John 8:44). He is the author of violence,
lawlessness and criminality.
But how did man first become subject to Satan's attitudes and deception?
Beginning of Human Violence
God
created mankind for an awesome purpose. In Genesis 1, verse 26, God
said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let
them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air,
and over the cattle . . . and over every creeping thing that creeps on
the earth" (RAV).
God commanded the first man, Adam, in the
garden of Eden, to "tend and keep it" (Gen. 2:15). Adam was given the
opportunity to submit to the government of God and replace Satan as
ruler over the earth. By building right character, which included
proper administration of his environment, Adam could qualify for
earth's rulership in God's government.
But the first man, Adam,
and his wife Eve failed the test. They yielded to doubting attitudes
and false reasoning implanted in their minds by Satan. They decided to
experiment to find truth. They chose to disbelieve their Maker.
For
their rebellion the first humans were driven from the garden of Eden.
They and their progeny were permitted—since that is what they wanted to
do—to experiment with and develop their own governments and ways of
living and to experience the results.
Cain, Adam and Eve's first
son, allowed evil and violent attitudes to develop in his character.
God warned him to resist (Gen. 4:6-7). But Cain chose not to. He soon
rose up and killed his brother Abel, because he (Cain) was "of the
wicked one" (I John 3:12).
After this, human beings went their
own ways, farther and farther from God and his ways. The results?
Endless wars, strife, violence, fear and suffering! Nations armed
themselves with ever more sophisticated weapons to protect themselves
from, or to threaten, other nations.
Yet God did not leave mankind ignorant of right government and right ways of living.
Birth of a Remarkable Nation
From
a deceived and corrupt world God called a special nation, ancient
Israel. Israel was to be a holy nation, unique among nations. God gave
that people the opportunity to be an example of the abundance and peace
a nation could receive if
subject to the government and laws of God.
God
promised ancient Israel, "If you walk in My statutes and keep My
commandments, and perform them ... I will give peace in the land, and
you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid . . . and the sword
[warfare] will not go through your land" (L.ev. 26:3. 6, RAV).
But
in Deuteronomy, chapter 28, the Creator warned the nation that if they
would not be diligent to keep his laws, "Cursed shall you be in the
city, and cursed shall you be in the country. . . . Your life shall
hang in doubt before you; you shall fear day and night, and have no
assurance of life" (verses 16, 66).
Grasp it! Fear of crime and violence is the result of nations refusing to diligently do what God commands!
God
commanded ancient Israel to obey the Ten Commandments. That basic law
is a dynamic spiritual law codified for mankind. It reveals how to have
right relationships with God and fellowman. God's basic law teaches
love and respect. It forbids dishonoring parents, murder, adultery,
stealing, lying, lust and greed. Violation of these laws brings
automatic penalties.
Jesus Christ said God's laws could be summed up
as follows: " ' "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your mind." This is the first and
great commandment. And the second is like it. "You shall love your
neighbor as yourself." ' " Jesus was quoting out of the law given to
God's chosen nation, Israel (see Deut. 6:5 and Lev. 19:18).
God
revealed to ancient Israel many laws and statutes against various
criminal acts. God pronounced judgments against bribery and perversion
of judgment among appointed officials. He forbade corruption and abuse
of public trust. These laws are cataloged in the lirst five books of
Scripture.
These laws were to be taught diligently to succeeding generations so they, too, could be blessed by obeying them.
Responsibility for Right Instruction
God placed major responsibility for teaching right values and attitudes on the family unit (Deut. 6:7).
That means teaching, first and foremost, by parental example.
It
is the breakdown of this critical responsibility that is the first link
in a chain of causes that lead to violent attitudes and criminal
behavior. But parents are not the only bulwark against criminal and
violent attitudes.
It was the responsibility of constituted
authority, not individuals. to render swift-moving judgment and justice
in any case of criminal behavior (Deut. 13:1 I. 17:13. 19:20).
God
commanded swift justice against evildoers because criminal attitudes,
if unrepented of and allowed to persist, threaten the safety and
security of everyone.
Today, many criminals do not believe they
will be caught or severely punished for their acts. They not only do
not fear God. but they do not fear or respect the human-instituted laws
of their own society. Many lawbreakers have friends or parents who
condone or cover up for their crimes.
Many don't fear to break
laws against criminal behavior because law enforcement systems have
become so enfeebled that criminals feel they can beat the courts or get
off lightly if they are caught.
Notice God's instruction in
ancient Israel for cases where one stole another person's property. It
was not, as is
frequent today, a small fine, a prison sentence or
plea bargaining. Instead, depending on the circumstances, the offender
was to work to restore to the owner several fold the value or quantity
of goods he stole (Exodus 22). Under that administration it paid to
earn, not steal, what one wanted.
And if an individual attacked
another person in a fit of rage and injured him with a weapon or fists,
the offender "shall pay for the loss of [the victim's) time. and shall
cause him to be thoroughly healed" that is, the offender had to pay the
victim's health recovery costs (Ex. 21:18-19. AV).
And in such
a community where godly living and deep respect of law is the rule,
criminals would soon have no place to hide. No one would protect them
or cover up for them. Organized crime couldn't gain a toehold and make
profits. Citizens and government would work hand in hand to swiftly
deal with lawbreakers.
Crime and violence soar in society when
individuals are willing to tolerate permissive values or violence in
themselves or others. It soars when governments and criminal justice
systems become corrupt and permissive.
"Because the sentence
against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of
the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil" (Eccl. 8:1 1. RAV).
The
apostle Paul taught Christians that though the nations do not live
under God's government, God has ordained human government for this age
as the constituted authority against criminals and lawbreakers.
The
major reasons crime soars and humans lose trust in government are that
governments often arc prevented from swiftly punishing criminal
behavior, or authorities become corrupt or oppress law-abiding citizens.
Ancient
Israel repeatedly disobeyed God's laws. The Scriptures record the
tragic social and national results. More and more nations are reaping
the same consequences.
Your Protection?
Most
of mankind today live the way they think is right. They make their own
laws. Society has all kinds of ideas of how people should cope with
crime.
Millions take up guns and other destructive weapons for
self-defense because that is the only source of protection they believe
they can have confidence in.
But what defense against personal attacks of crime and violence-does a person have who fears and obeys God?
Did Christ teach those who would obey him to take into their own hands the weapons to "blow others away" in a blaze of gunfire?
Christ said, "And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise" (Luke 6:31).
Many
assume the Christianity that Christ preached makes Christians
defenseless in a world filled with crime and violence. They totally
fail to grasp the divine help, blessings and protection God can heap on
those who obey God and trust him in times of trouble.
Even those
who profess to be Christians often scoff at the idea of divine
protection. They practice a religion "having a form of godliness but
denying its power" (II Tim. 3:5).
But God is real! His power to intervene on behalf of those who fear and obey him is real!
Christ
recognized that we live in a world threatened daily by the possibility
of crime and violence. He lived in a world like that. So did the early
apostles and Christians whom he commanded to pray daily. "Deliver us
from evil" (Matt. 6:13, AV).
Can God deliver those who ask for
his daily care and protection? ". . . the Lord knows how to deliver the
godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for
the day of judgment," answers the apostle in II Peter 2:9 (RAV).
God's power to intervene on our behalf is not limited except by the quality of one's faith and obedience.
"And
whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments
and do those things that are pleasing in His sight" (I John 3:22. RAV).
Please
do not misunderstand! God expects us to be wise and avoid the potential
for crime and evil whenever possible. Often it's only a matter of using
common sense and of staying out of trouble-ridden areas. Our free
booklet Crime Can Be Stopped . . . Here's How explains how to reduce
your chances of becoming a victim of criminal activity.
Are you
doing your part? Do you have God's special help and protection? Are you
doing what is pleasing in his sight?
by Donald D Schroeder, Plain Truth Magazine, June 1983
