Pertaining to "The Second Amendment Primer"
by Les Adams,
(The following derives from an original
letter that I sent to the NRA-ILA in September of 1999)
I have
read through, in detail, the foundational historical opinions of the
first 127 pages of "The Second Amendment Primer" by Adams, and
skimmed the remaining structure of the book, which mirrors the opinions of the
first 127 pages. As a gun owner, at first I thought it sounded eloquent,
but the book makes use ONLY of worldly quotes, from Aristotle to the framers of
our U.S. Constitution. Adams does not even ATTEMPT to make a case
biblically. The reason for no biblical defense of armaments is that Adams
claims self-defense is normal in the "the nature of man;" righteous
under "natural law."
It is
those naturalistic claims that have set "my radar" on alert.
Cain acted naturally, slaying Abel, his brother (who had acted spiritually).
The recent mass murders of kids in high schools and churches take the same
form. The sin nature of man will not subject itself to the law of
God. They are at odds in purpose. Good law points out our sin and
shows us the way to Christ, not armaments, hence the commandment to love our
fellow man, in spite of who might take advantage of us. Those souls who
recently stood at the moment of death, to tell their murderers of God's
redemption in Jesus Christ, are true heroes, even as their forebears in
Hebrews, Chapter 11.
Before
drafting this letter of resignation, I had sent the National Rifle Association
86.6% of an NRA lifetime membership (plus various donations), half-heartedly
believing that one needs to provide a personal earthly armed defense.
But, as I continue to study human history, including Adams' book and the Bible,
there continues to emerge the consistent view that human nature corrupts what
it attempts. Without God's Christ ruling our lives, we fail to obey God's
truth; resulting in no true insight, power, nor defense. History proves
that EVERY human government has fallen in time. Les Adams' book has
helped me see this clearly. He has quoted people who spoke boldly of an
armed populace as the stabilizer of government. Yet, ALL the governments
of those same people have fallen into decay. Despite our own
idealistic Constitution, we should look honestly at our increasing economic,
political, moral, and spiritual decay in the U.S.A.
The
Bible and history demonstrate that God has taught mankind in different ways in
different times. We are no longer under the laws of conscience where
everyone does what he/she thinks convenient or right irrespective of God's
ways. Nor are we personally under the revenging "eye for an
eye" dictates of the old letter of the law, ESPECIALLY IF we say we
believe in God's Salvation. Those who say they believe in God, through
His Christ, are not "of the world." As Jesus said, "My
kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my
servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my
kingdom not from hence." (John 18:36) "...But now once in the
end of the world hath..." [Jesus Christ] "...appeared to put away sin
by the sacrifice of himself." (Hebrews 9:26)
IF we
want to see our nation healed, then we must heed God's admonition: "If my
people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and
seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven,
and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles
7:14) I have to ask Christians who belong to groups like the NRA-ILA, as
well as Christians who oppose them, ARE WE ONLY INTERESTED IN STRIVING FOR
WORLDLY "natural rights," bound to this world like animals hoping for
a worldly salvation? OR, do we seek true spiritual healing for our nation?
God
has said for thousands of years, "At what instant I shall speak concerning
a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to
destroy it; If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their
evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at
what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to
build and to plant it; If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice,
then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them."
(Jeremiah 18:7-10) Armaments do not raise up, nurture, nor topple rulers,
nor protect the people (see 2 Corinthians 10:14, Ephesians 6:12.) Apart
from teaching firearm safety, the only good work I see the NRA-ILA currently
doing, is to call government to account for government's failure to live up to
the laws and responsibilities of the land, regarding criminal activity.
SOME PEOPLE naively or ignorantly think that getting rid of guns will solve
their troubles. Throwing away armaments does not solve the real
underlying sin nature that troubles humanity either! The burden of
responsibility lies with each individual to repent and return to God's ways,
praying for and exhorting our leaders to do the same.
Although
I have enjoyed the use of firearms for hunting and sport, and occasionally
carried them on my person in the past, I will no longer carry firearms for
personal protection against another human being, because I now repent and I
will trust in the Lord God and His purposes in my life (Romans 8:28).
Bless God! I thank the NRA for advertising Adams' book, which has, by
God's grace, helped me to gel much history into true perspective and to make
this decision.
I must
stand with Jesus Christ, my Savior, when He says, "...Put up again thy
sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the
sword." (Matthew 26:52) "Remember the word that I said unto
you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they
will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours
also." (John 15:20)
I
requested that the NRA immediately terminate my application for life
membership, and to remove me from their mailing list. The same goes for
all political and special interest organizations that do not put the Lord Jesus
Christ and His ways above worldly interests. In this age of politics and
modernism, there is much to learn from history and the Bible about sin and the
abuses of government. While many choose to ignore the Bible, many also choose
to ignore the legitimate worldly truths that the NRA-ILA and others have
uncovered. Ignoring truth has never been good for any person nor for any
society, ever.
Thank
you for your courtesy to read this and think about the spiritual challenges
Jesus Christ has set before us. God bless you to see and do all things
His way.
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