First, both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament consistently conceive of God as being especially concerned with the poor, the outcast, the weak, and the vulnerable (see Isa. Speaker. He honored that broken man’s humanity by seeing in him not the enemy, but a brother. Of course, I have never actually met one who also claims to be part of a well-regulated state militia, which was the grounds for the Second Amendment in the first place. At the end of it the man saw himself the way Hugh saw him. Chariots were implements of war and violence that were of course led by horses. Second, the New Testament consistently opposes violence. If what we have learned from the good guy with a gun myth if anything is that we really do not know how we will react in situations. This is especially sad within the church. There is the paranoid cry for protecting the Second Amendment rights and the guns attached to them. Sign up for membership to become a founding member and help shape HuffPost's next chapter, Register to vote and apply for an absentee ballot today. Later in the chapter, a follower of Jesus uses a sword against a servant of one of the religious leaders involved in the arrest. I would add that it is hard to imagine Jesus, if he were present in our culture, carrying a gun. These people of course will defend their rights to “bear arms” as part of their heritage as Americans, as this seems promised under the Second Amendment. “This is love: it is not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son as the sacrifice that deals with our sins. I will love my neighbor–even my enemies. If our government wants to force me to carry a gun, they can call me a conscientious objector. I suppose you could call him a bad guy with a gun, but I don’t think that is how Hugh saw him. 5:38-48), that it is the role of government to "bear the sword," not individual persons (Romans 13), and that followers of Jesus should accept even the theft of their own possessions rather than using violence to defend them (Heb. It is your right and your responsibility. I will not live by the sword, but I will trust in God. The problem still persists, and if the students from Parkland, Florida are any indication, it’s not going to be something we can ignore any longer. I say this because many of those who cling more tightly to their weapons at times like this are Christians who would label themselves as conservatives. He did what Jesus said to do to this man with a gun and loved his enemy. Each state has its own rules for mail-in absentee voting. But when they do this, they ignore the context of the passage. But this doesn't justify the current gun laws in the U.S. Common sense and Christian ethics lead to the conclusion that we need more restrictive gun laws in the United States. Because of this those who want to hold onto their automatic and semi-automatic weapons and make no changes to the difficulty of acquiring them have to find ways to protect these children without removing those guns. At the end of it that man entrusted himself to Jesus and not to his guns. Hugh Deweber was the pastor at the church where I grew up. Thanks for visiting the site! If violence and the sword, or a gun is what you depend on when it gets scary, that will be what takes you out. However, since most of these shooters are counting on assisted suicide, I don’t see this as a deterrent. Tap here to turn on desktop notifications to get the news sent straight to you. I want to look into the face of my enemy and see my brother. But your state may let you vote during a designated early voting period. These numbers might seem outlandish, but this is largely because roughly half of these guns are owned by a mere 3 percent of the population. We made it easy for you to exercise your right to vote! Best Commentaries on Revelation (without all that blood moon stuff), Christian Podcast Hacks: Best Beginner Mic is Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB, The Roman Empire During the Time of Jesus (Background of Luke’s Gospel), 7 Days to Reading Paul Like a Scholar | A Free Email Class. Hugh spoke to him in a way that was not harsh or confrontational, but loving. Secondly, I think he wants to say that you cannot trust in weapons of violence as well as God. Visit your state election office website to find out whether they offer early voting. I’d like to suggest first of all, that we don’t know. The lessons I have learned from him will continue to shape me in many ways. 32:15-18; 60:17-18; Rom. Part of HuffPost Religion. In addition, at the Parkland, Florida school shooting, there was a “good guy with a gun” there, a sheriff who didn’t even attempt to enter the building.