THE BIBLE'S VIEWPOINT - When Is Self-Defense Justified?

When You Are Threatened

Pursuing peace does not guarantee that you will never face a violent attack.  Faithful worshippers of  God throughout history have been victims of violent crime.  (Genesis 4:8; Job 1:14, 15, 17)  If a person is confronted by an armed robber, what should he do?  Jesus instructed:  "Do not resist him that is wicked." (Matthew 5:39)  He also said:  "From him that takes away your outer garment, do not withhold even the undergarment." (Luke  6:29) Jesus does not condone use of physical weapons to defend material possessions. If confronted by an armed robber, a wise person will not resist giving up his valuables.   Surely, life is far more precious than belongings! 

On the other hand, what if a person's life is threatened by an assailant? A law that God gave to ancient Israel sheds light on this. IF a thief was caught in the daytime and was killed, the assailant would be charged with murder. This was evidently  because thievery did not carry the death penalty and the thief could have been identified and brought to justice. However, if an intruder was fatally struck at night, the householder could be exonerated because it would be difficult for him to see what the intruder was doing and to ascertain the intentions of the intruder. The householder could reasonably conclude that is family was under threat of harm and take defensive action. -Exodus 22:2, 3.  

The Bible thus indicates that a person may defend himself or his family if physically assaulted.  He may ward off blows, restrain the attacker, or even strike a blow to stun or incapacitate him.  The intention would be  to neutralize the aggression or stop the attack.  This being the case, if the aggressor was seriously harmed or killed in such a situation, his death would be accidental and not deliberate. 

Next time: THE BIBLE'S VIEWPOINT - When Is Self-Defense Justified?/The Best Protection

From the Awake! magazine