Biblical Response to Criticism of the God given, Constitutional Right to Self Defense

In a recent discussion with some other pastors, I was forwarded the following link:

New Bethel Church: Open Carry Celebration.

When this link was shared with several pastors, this was one response:

I'm sure [I'm] one of many who doesn't get the point...or at least doesn't see its importance in having such a thing take even a moment of time away from teaching the Word.

My response was as follows:

Did you all read the article? VERY well written and said. If you notice the date it is a Saturday and is not even be a regular time of worship.

The church announcment states:

This event is not taking place on the Lord’s Day. This is not a Church worship service, where the focus is on Jesus and our responsibility to Him. Rather, this is merely a Church hosted event, similar to any other event that any other Church may do to celebrate their heritage. It would be our hope to see this event become a nationally celebrated, annual occurrence on the last weekend of June.

They [the church] give a very eloquent and biblical point of view as to why they are doing what they are doing. It is in effect, and outreach event. They state:
A person does not have to be a member of our church nor even be a believer in God to attend. It is open to any religious, racial or ethnic group. It matters not what your political or personal preference may be. One need not own nor wear a firearm to attend. If you support 2nd and 1st Amendment rights, you are welcome.

This event is no different than having a concert where people are attracted to the event because of a common love for music. Or having a quest speaker who speaks on creationism for abortion, where people are attracted to come out of a common love for those subjects. It’s no different than having a BBQ that is open to all comers, because they are all attracted due to their common love for food and a love for fellowship. in Christian ministry it is often our goal in having church events to do something that will entice those who would not normally come to the church, into coming so that, if simply by our witness only, we can showe them Jesus.

Events like this should be lauded. We should be pleased in Christ with what they are doing ~ as an attempt to show people in the community and in this nation that Christianity is not a dogmatic ‘religion’ of pacifism:
Luke 22:36 (New King James Version) 36 Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.
Those are Christ’s words, not mine.

I will be the first to admit, and in the process find myself agreeing with the church sponsoring this event, that this is an area of Christian freedom. We can be gomatic about the fact that we this right to self protection, and even be dogmatic that it has been given to us by God. What we cannot be dogmatic about is the legalitic approach that this needs to be praticed and or appluaded by all people. Working in the firearms industry as I have for the better part of the past 25 years, I'll be the first to admit that owning a firearms is NOT for everyone, and it should be pushed on NO ONE.

We need to remember that ALL of our Constitutional rights are given to us by God Himself (I do not say that, scripture does…

Romans 13:1 - 1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

That includes both the limitations that God has allowed to be established through the government that He controls and has given authority to, as well as the express freedoms that we have been given as well. It is all equal, and just like the rest of scripture, we cannot pick or choose which verses we will expressly believe in or follow, and those we will reject and not follow. To reject and, and to not follow one or two for that reason, is to reject the Bible in whole, and to destin yourself to be eternally seperated from Jesus and salvation.

To ridicule this event as one that detracts from the ‘teaching of the word’ is at best simply short sighted, at worst, anti-biblical. Think of the people that this event might attract who would not normally come? There will almost certainly be some sort of gospel message given, or at least the opportunity for the leadership of that church to do so on their own as the event transpires, person to person, and to do so to people whom they have probably never seen at church before.

Their message also included this statement:
Gun ownership is not part of the gospel message. The gospel message is Jesus Christ, His life, death, burial and resurrection. He came to reconcile sinners unto God. One is saved by faith alone through grace alone by Christ alone. Gun ownership falls under the scope of Christian liberty. One may either choose to own or not own a firearm. But as soon as someone yells “foul” or that this event or activity is not something that one may do as a Christian, the matter now becomes inextricably linked with the gospel. We believe that a person can neither add to nor take away from their justification by Christ. It is a matter of Christian liberty that flows directly from one’s justification in Christ. The gospel makes Christian liberty an issue that must be exercised in the face of legalism.

Congrats to them! Christ is being preached! How dare we judge them…… lest we become another Christian 'discernment ministry' that makes it there goal to root all all those who (in their limited view) should be deemed inappropriate to join the ranks of Christian fellowship with the likes of the rest of us "righteous" people.