Video Title: The Sword in the Old Testament: Part 1
Instructor: Jerry Robinson
Length: 63 minutes (Introduction ends and teaching begins at 2:45)
Video Description: In 2016, I laid down my “sword.”
For years, I slept within 10 feet of a locked and loaded shotgun.
My reasoning was simple (and at the time, I also believed it to be Biblical). If an armed and/or violent intruder were foolish enough to break into my home in the dark of night to endanger me or my family, I needed a way to fight back. As heinous as it sounds now, my weapon of choice ensured that any would-be criminal would likely not leave my home unless it was in a body bag after his body had been pumped full of lead.
I adopted the cultural mantra as my own motto: “The only way to stop a bad man with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” (And, of course, I was always playing the “good guy” role.)
But over the last several years, I have derived new insights into the nature of guns and other weaponry, and also into “self-defense”, not from our gun-loving culture, but instead, directly from the Old and New Testament writings.
What I have learned has been liberating.
What I have learned has freed me from a spirit of fear and has caused me to draw even closer to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Today, I no longer live in fear of criminals and do not sleep near a loaded gun. My personal decision to no longer depend upon a gun to protect my life, family, or property came after extensive Biblical research, meditation, fasting, and above all, prayer.
Bible students who desire a firm scriptural foundation for an approach to Christian self-defense and the use of the world’s weapons will find this teaching to be a refreshing source of actual Biblical references instead of patriotic tropes, cultural mantras, and clever situational ethics that ignore (or even worse, seek to alter) God’s Word.
Our next several teachings will be focused not just on what the Old Testament has to say about the “sword”, but also what the New Testament says. We will also consider in a future teaching what the early church believed about the sword.
I encourage you now to watch our latest teaching online. Once you have enjoyed this teaching, I recommend that you take three next steps.
Your Next Steps
2. Pray that God would you give you understanding and discernment about killing and self-defense. Seek to align your views not with your culture, but instead with God’s Word. You may not agree with everything we have said in this teaching, but it is important to know what you believe and why you believe it.
3. Embrace His Word and the culture’s scales will fall from your eyes on this highly controversial topic. That is our prayer for you.
We believe in the power of prayer. Send your prayer requests and praise reports here.
I look forward to returning next month with the rest of this teaching. The concepts that I have taught in this video series have transformed me from the inside out over the past several years. It is my prayer that these same concepts will lead to radical changes in your own life — for His glory.
Blessings to you!
Jerry Robinson – TrueRichesRadio.com
P.S. Don’t forget to mark your calendars for our next live Bible teaching coming up on March 17. If you have not reserved your seat for our live 2019 webinar series, be sure to do that here as seating for the live event is limited!
Jerry, you are a great teacher of the Word! I am fully absorbed when I hear you teach – you bring light and life to the teachings. You’ve delved into things I’ve been wondering about recently, and that is “how can I defend myself in these dark times we’re going through?” I cannot physically defend myself against a man or group, so I’ve been considering purchasing a gun for some time. But I’ve never been able to complete the thought or image of me having a gun in my hand enough to follow through! I live in a home with almost all windows, tall and to the floor. A warning alarm may scare some off, but if we go through times where it will put people in need, or hungry, or desperate enough to break in – it would be easy to do through the windows.
As you were teaching, I asked myself, “what have I depended on in the past?” I realized when I want safety in driving, or a medical procedure, I ask Jesus for protection and He has come through every time! When I’m scared at times by myself, I call out loudly to Jesus, and find peace. Your teaching has answered my concerns. I never felt I could actually kill someone, even if I would be killed. I feel confident that my life is in Jesus’ hands. What could be more powerful than that? And, if it’s my time to go – He knows the hour.
Thank you for bringing God’s peace to me in this time of uncertainty. I must have been led to hear this at this moment. God’s blessings on you and your family.
Bless you Lovella. Thank you for being vulnerable in sharing your own tender moments before the Lord as you seek His will in your life. Your comments bless me and I am sure they will bless many others.
Thank you brother for your “Spirit” led teaching that goes well beyond what is being taught in most of the buildings made by man’s hands. Stay strong and to all of our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus who are hearing HIS call to “come out of her” stay strong as well. Come Jesus come. We are about to witness something so beautiful that our human minds cannot comprehend it! What a GREAT FATHER we serve.
Thank you Steve. We stay strong in the Lord through the power of His might. We don’t fear those who can kill the body but not the soul. We wield mighty spiritual weapons that no human sword can stop, prevent, or crush. Amen brother!
Thanks for the teaching Jerry I was wondering what is often your gift or you feel the right time and place to share the gospel with others?
God bless
Sophie
Thank you Sophie. Can you clarify your question? I am not sure I understand. Blessings, JR
I mean what is your method to share the gospel with others? How frequently do you tend to share the gospel?
Shalom
Sophie
Sophie, I prefer to keep evangelism simple by following Christ’s example as he sent his disciples out two by two. I prefer team based evangelism whether its door-to-door or in public settings. I view evangelism as a lifestyle not as an event. I plan to do some teachings on team-based evangelism in the coming months where I will explain my own approach. Stay tuned and thanks for visiting our website. Blessings, Jerry
Also how would you view the relationship between church and states from a biblical perspective point of view?
Shalom
Sophie
Excellent study,
Thank you