Tuesday, January 8, 2013

To Arm or Not To Arm!

Since I’m losing friends faster than a hemophiliac with a gunshot wound loses blood, I thought I’d take the day and explain my stance on self-defense, gun ownership, stockpiling ammunition, and all the other things which seem to be distracting the church in lieu of pursuing Christ.

As of late I’ve had more and more people write me asking and sometimes demanding some sort of release or discharge in regards to turning their home into some sort of faux bunker, and using every spare penny to acquire guns and ammunition.

As to why they would need my blessing, sanction or approval, I have my theories. When I refused to give the requisite approbation, explaining at length why I could not, most got angry, and some even accused me of being a sissy.

Throughout the years we’ve added to the gospel, and what was once a clear-cut, unambiguous call to pursue God with single-minded zeal, has morphed into pursuing God, and something else. Whether that something else is denomination, patriotism, nationalism, or hedonism, too few today pursue God alone, and far too many have added to the gospel – each in accordance to their proclivities – so they might force the Word to conform to their will and not the other way around.

Do I believe it is wrong to own a gun? No, I do not believe it is wrong to own a gun. In fact I’ll go a step further and say I believe it is wise to own a gun nowadays.

Do I believe owning guns and ammunition will save you in the coming chaos? Unfortunately, once again the answer is a definitive no.

My issue is not with individuals and families preparing the best way they can. My issue is with placing our trust in the dehydrated beans, canned soup, and weapons rather than in Christ Jesus.

It is easy to hypothesize as to what we will do in a given situation. It is far different when the reality of the situation bears down on us with the weight of a lead boulder.

What we think we will do, and what we will do if faced with the selfsame hypothesis we so readily laid out are often two very different things.

I can only tell you what I know with certainty, and what you do in light of this knowledge will be entirely up to you.

1. I am certain troubling times are forthcoming for the entire planet, and not just America.

2. I am certain the civil unrest which was prophesied almost thirty years ago is on the horizon for America.

3. I am certain that no amount of preparation will shelter or protect us as individuals if our trust, hope, and reliance are not in and upon Christ Jesus our Lord.

4. I am certain true believers will see miracles in the coming days, and will be supernaturally protected, sheltered and provided for.

5. I am certain that those who lose sight of eternity in the coming season will turn their back on God due to their temporal circumstances.

6. I am certain that Jesus is still on the throne, still loves, still saves, and still keeps His promises to those who have denied themselves, picked up their crosses, and followed after Him.

We all make choices, and we all have to live with the choices we make. This is why whether or not you should arm yourself, is a highly personal issue between you, your family, and God. There are too many variables for there to be one blanket answer for everyone, but that doesn’t stop some individuals from bloviating as though their personal choice ought to be enforced as general rule.

Whatever you choose, whether to amass an arsenal big enough to rival an army unit, or remain content with the dull butter knife in your kitchen cupboard, one thing is certain: if Christ is not your all in all, if your hope and trust and reason for living are not tethered in Him, it will all be for naught.

With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Revelation 13:9-10
If any man have an ear, let him hear.
He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
Nila

Anonymous said...

AMEN AMEN AMEN!!!! What's an AR15, 30-30, 357 or even a bazooka going to do with the technology out there. EL SHADDAI is greater than anything out there. Doesn't the Word say we DO NOT wrestle against flesh and blood. The devil would like nothing better than "xians" fighting in the flesh. It's what the church does best, unfortunately.Remember Jesus in the garden when Judas and the soldiers came to get Him. All He had to say was "I AM" and that was that. So He surrendered Himself, because they could not take Him on their own.His Body, His remnant, is stirring in the church's womb right now that will soon come out fighting, in the Power and Glory of YHWH!! Wake up church!! He is our ONLY suffiency!!

Anonymous said...

Right on.
Sam

Anonymous said...

Wise counsel as always. Arms and supplies can help a little, in some situations, but ultimately the problem we are facing is the WRATH OF GOD. What on earth makes anyone think a stockpile of puny manmade weapons is going to have any noticeable effect on THAT? God and His angels alone can protect us from that!!!! The smartest thing anyone could do is nurture and build their relationship with God!!!!! If God is with you, you can take a great city armed with clay pitchers and sticks. An army can come against you and they will kill each other in confusion, then flee in terror. You just stand there and watch. It is a characteristic American mindset to be self-reliant and aggressively defend oneself, to resist (once it is recognized for what it is) attempts to enslave; but we must separate this human-level thinking from the spiritual, and recognize that the spiritual is far more real and powerful. Another very important thing we need to keep in mind is, America as a nation has abandoned God and God is NOT with us anymore. He is with those individuals who have not abandoned Him, but they are a minority. What this means is, when the nuclear bombs are raining down upon us, you are not going to hold it off with that Smith & Wesson. If you survive at all, it will be a miracle, as will all your provision from that point onward. God does not need your canned beans. Store them up for things like Hurricane Sandy, blizzards where power is lost, etc etc - but when it REALLY hits the fan, all that is not going to be much help. Lot escaped with his life, his kids, and the clothes on his back. That may be the case with many believers also.

meema said...

Michael,

Not sure you want to post this but it’s how I feel so I just have to vent.

For those who think they can win a civil war against one of the most high-tech armed forces in the world, and make no mistake the armed forces work for the government not the people, I say you don’t understand that this country is under judgment and there is no winning.

A good recap of what happens when God brings a nation under judgment can be found in the book of Habbakkuk.

For those who still believe they will be snatched out before it gets too bad, I say, you don’t understand you have been duped by a false doctrine that has pulled you away from your first love. If you feel a sudden rage at me for claiming such a thing, and indignation boils up in you like heart burn, then you worship your doctrine, not Christ.

For those who don’t know what to do or think, I say,

Repent, listen, trust and obey. The only place to hide is in Christ. Time is running out to grasp this.

For Christ,
Meema

Mary Lamoray said...

Good answer! And just so you know...those who are truly His, are still truly yours. God encourage you brother!

Barbara said...

People put faith in guns but when will they ever be able to use them and get away with it? Look at what happened to George Zimmerman, he is accused of being a racist and murderer for having to use a gun that was about to be taken and used against him.

If God is not with you, a gun can be more trouble than it is worth. Those who live by the sword die by the sword. Some will have to pick up the sword, but you can't rely on it to save you.

Deirdre said...

This is why it is ESSENTIAL for each child of YAHWEY to hear HIS voice and HIS alone. We are not to trust in man. Yes we can glean, but not lean.
Peace,
Deirdre

Mark Schneider said...

Hi Michael
I admire you my man! May it never be said that you were reluctant to face the issues.
I see you kinda like an end times Gideon...busily trying to prepare the folks in the Lord's army only to have ranks seriously thinned by each test the Lord sends your way. Remember in the case of Gideon that the Lord only used a minute percentage of the people that originally showed up.
The Christians in the US stand at a Kadesh-Barnea moment. For 30 years the message has been sent out to repent and quit sinning and lead holy lives. Sadly the message was largely ignored. Now that judgement looms overhead and freedoms are being trashed wholesale the consensus seems to be to hoard as much as you can and to mentally prepare to kill your fellow man to protect your stuff.
Utter insanity. Only evil can come from this plan of action.
A person must keep this thought ever before themselves...that God is orchestrating all these events and none of it is happening by accident. How we react to these trials may determine where some of us spend eternity.
May the peace of the Lord be with you all.
Mark

Amy S. Trosen said...

I know the days are serious and I hope it's not rude to say it in light of the gravity of the subject but this post made me smile. You have such a way with words!

Anonymous said...

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord , whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7, 8 NIV)

Barbara said...

As far as hoarding food, a small stash can help during say a blackout, but if you plan to have years and years worth of food, I don't think you will be able to leave your location if you had to. Prepping is good but it means more than just stockpiling. You should be learning how to survive in general, and that also means learning to rely on the Lord.

Anonymous said...

Jesus never condemned Peter for owning a sword. To the contrary, on one occasion, He advised His disciples to bring one with them. Then, in another instance, when confronted by the soldiers in the Garden, He ordered Peter to put it away.

The question is not whether owning a sword (in our day firearms) is morally right or permissible.

Of course, it is one's right to defend their life, family, and property from evil men who clearly intend to do harm. Did not Abram defend his nephew against Lot's enemies? Presumably they were armed and dangerous!

The most important question with which we are faced today is not how many guns we have, or any lack thereof, however important this may be for each individual or family. The primary question with which we are presented and that I am stirred to consider is that to which Michael alluded: in whom are we trusting? Our own abilities or resources, or God's?

Are we trusting in temporal material things that eventually will perish? Or, are we dwelling in the shelter of the Most High? That is the question that all of us must answer for ourselves. It is the primary question that is on the forefront of my mind as we move into the next stage of national judgement. Good post, Michael. Thanks for standing in the gap.