The Christian's weapon of choice

Does a Christian have a weapon of choice? Is that weapon to inflict injury or is it to kill? The truth is that the Christian has a weapon. It is not for causing injury. It is for causing death. It is the weapon of choice which he or she received. Think about it as GI, God Issue, from the One whom you follow, Jesus, your Lord and Savior.

a disclaimer

Just to be clear this is not a rant about guns and gun control. You can read my blog article, Out-gunning the un-gunned to dispel such notions.

fear

Why and when would one resort to the use of a weapon? We know some of the common reasons. It is used for defense or for hunting. It is also used for the mindless murder of a single or a mass number of people. Except for the hunter the other reasons share one thing in common: fear. Fear has a way of bringing out in us what we might never have imagined and what we always feared. Perhaps you might remember the childhood bravado you mustered up to walk out into the darkness, whistling, singing or just being loud to fight the fear that threatened to take hold on you. Bravado was your shield through every step that took you farther away from home and the light into the darkness. Fear is greater than any weapon. It is capable of driving a person outside of themselves to do what is irrational and not of faith.

to die for Jesus

Peter was one of the twelve disciples who walked out into the night with Jesus. Peter had been three years with Jesus. He had been instructed and shaped by every word and action which he saw and heard from the Master. Peter was sure he was ready even to go to prison and to die for Jesus. Peter spoke with much bravado. What Peter might not have given any thought was how many lives he was prepared to take down before finally either finding himself imprisoned or dead for the name and cause of Jesus.

Peter got his chance. It happened on the night that Jesus was arrested. Peter rose up, took out his sword and struck Malchus, a servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. It is likely that Peter intended more than to cut off the man’s ear. Fear brought out Peter’s sword. As overwhelmed as Peter was by fear in the moment he was probably no less surprised to hear the stern admonition of Jesus for Peter to put away his sword as Jesus restored the servant’s severed ear. Peter is a model for Christians of various acts and behaviors including water-walker and sword-bearer. Peter’s actions against those who came to arrest Jesus may be no less or different than some brothers and sisters in Christ would do in the same circumstance. After all, what could be more noble and praiseworthy than to strike down anyone who tries to harm Jesus, our Lord and Savior, right? Between the question and the answer flow a multitude of rationalizations to justify a Christian’s decision to take up a weapon for injury or death. The answer may be more unsettling that some would much prefer to go into the darkness with their fears.

I do not have a problem with my brother or sister in Christ having and using guns. I will not presume to pontificate to them what they and I know the scriptures speak much more persuasively and authoritatively. Of course, this does not mean that the individual will not resist being persuaded by admonition of Jesus to the real-life scene involving Peter with sword in hand, not for Peter’s own life nor the cause of Jesus, but for Jesus.

the Christian’s weapon

What then is the weapon which the Christian has received? Make no mistake about it. It is an instrument of death. What is peculiar about it is that the Christian does not see the weapon. Instead others see him or her bearing that weapon, that instrument of death. The Christian carries and bears it every moment of their lives, but there is no need for anyone to be troubled about that weapon. The reason the Christian cannot see that weapon of death which he carries is because it is the cross and he or she is crucified on it.

No, it is not a shiny crucifix on a chain around the neck nor is it the cross of Jesus. It is the cross that the disciple received when they said yes to following after Jesus. This weapon, this instrument of death, bears on it that person who was neither injured nor killed, but who submitted himself or herself to death willfully in obedience to Jesus as Lord and Savior. What could possibly have driven a person to such an act? It may have been a notion about either an earthly or heavenly reward. It may have been fear. It may have been even the greatest of all, love, but whatever the drive their resolve was to commit their lives to Jesus as Lord. This weapon is not for inflicting injury or death anyone anymore than the one who has been crucified with Christ can be injured or killed. Do you not believe this? Have you forgotten this? Be watchful and mindful of the deceitfulness of fear and that you do not lose the love and life that you have found in Jesus while you walked in darkness.