TryingToLearn
Puritan Board Freshman
I've always been somewhat confused on this question. On the one hand, the WLC says "The duties required in the sixth commandment are...to preserve the life of ourselves and others... by just defense thereof against violence" and that "The sins forbidden in the sixth commandment are "the neglecting or withdrawing the lawful and necessary means of preservation of life", yet when I read the New Testament, I do not see the apostles ever using self defense against their persecutors. Rather, they accept violence against themselves and even death, which seems to go against the command not to neglect the lawful means of preservation of life by resisting with self defense.
I have heard it said that we must accept persecution for our faith, but besides also seeming to against the WLC, it raises a few questions in my mind. To use 2 concrete scenarios here, if a government is persecuting Christians and sends troops into someone's home to kill them, does a father then no longer have the right to protect his children because he is being persecuted specifically for his faith? Or if the Apostle Paul is attacked by Nero's minions, does he then have no right to defend himself, yet he does against random thieves?
Would appreciate any thoughts here. Did any of the early church fathers speak to the issue of self defense in persecution? How did the Reformers think about it?
I have heard it said that we must accept persecution for our faith, but besides also seeming to against the WLC, it raises a few questions in my mind. To use 2 concrete scenarios here, if a government is persecuting Christians and sends troops into someone's home to kill them, does a father then no longer have the right to protect his children because he is being persecuted specifically for his faith? Or if the Apostle Paul is attacked by Nero's minions, does he then have no right to defend himself, yet he does against random thieves?
Would appreciate any thoughts here. Did any of the early church fathers speak to the issue of self defense in persecution? How did the Reformers think about it?