Don't You Dare!

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>I don't like the idea of killing another human being either.  However,
if someone broke into my home threatening my family with whatever weapon
they may have, and I have a gun:  I believe I would shoot first in self
defense.  I don't see anywhere in the Bible that this is wrong.<

Exodus 20:13 plainly states, "Thou shalt not kill."  This is one of the
ten commandments.  John 14:15 states, "If ye love me[Jesus], keep my
commandments."  

>If someone broke into your home, and you had a firearm, guaranteed by
the Second Amendment, would you rather see your family hurt by the thief,
or would you shoot in self defense?<

My husband (who owns a handgun and 2 hunting rifles), and I,  recently
had a conversation about this very thing.  This is what I told him.  I
would rather see myself or my family, who are saved, die, than to end
another's life, thereby depriving them of a chance of salvation.  What
right do we have, to end something that God has begun?  I've been told
that I would feel differently, if this actually happened, and I or my
family (I have two children) were attacked.  But I do not believe this to
be true.  I have always been a firm believer in Romans 8:28, "And we know
that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them
that are called according to His purpose."  No, I don't think this means
that I will never have anything bad happen to me.  Rather that whatever
does happen, God will give me the strength to overcome, and it can be
used for His glory.  

Two examples.  I heard one preacher's testimony about how his
brother-in-law killed his sister.  This made the preacher very bitter,
and he admitted that he had nothing in his heart but hate for his
brother-in-law after this.  Well, God began to convict him for this
attitude, and after much turmoil, anguish, and prayer he decided to visit
his brother-in-law in prison and give him his forgiveness.  Definitely
not an easy thing for him to do.  When he told his brother-in-law that he
forgave him for the murder of his sister, the man broke down in tears,
thanking the preacher.  Not long after, this man received the gift of the
Holy Ghost.  Through a series of miraculous events, the man was released
from prison,  and has been preaching the gospel  ever since.  Who knows
how many people might still be lost today, if this preacher continued on
in his hate for his brother-in-law.

Example #2: A Bro. Mitchell (from California?),  told a story of a girl
in his church who was told in a dream, by God, that through her death,
many would come to God.  This girl witnessed about this to her friends
who were not saved.  One day, after a church service she was shot walking
out to the parking lot of the church.  (Forgive me if I am forgetting
some details, I heard this about 5 years ago).  When her friends who were
not saved heard of her death, they remembered what she had told them, and
came to her church, looking for answers.  Many of them are still
attending, and are now saved because of her death, just as God told her
they would be.  She knew ahead of time that she was going to die.  She
could have done everything in her power to prevent it.  But she chose to
follow the advice of Jesus in Luke 12:4-5, which says, "And I say unto
you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that
have no more that they can do.  But I will forewarn you whom ye shall
fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell;
yea, I say unto you, Fear him."

Sorry this is so long, but it is something I feel very strongly about.  I
have long wondered how we can condemn abortion, but yet support the death
penalty, or killing in self-defense (As I said, I am strongly against all
three!).  When God said, "Thou shalt not kill.", He did not leave any
room for "gray areas".  There were, and are, no if, ands or buts!

Very Sincerely,
Kathy Barnett
kathrynsbarnett@juno.com