Hard question: Dan Custis makes the biblical case for self-defense
- Is there a biblical precedent for self-defense?
- Does Jesus love guns?
Dan Custis presents five verses on self-defense. He quotes Jesus in Luke 22:36 ('sell his coat and buy a sword'), noting the sword was a short Roman defensive sword. He cites Esther, where King Xerxes' letters permitted the Jews to gather and protect their lives, and 1 Timothy 5:8 ('if anyone does not provide for his own... he has denied the faith'), which Custis reads as including protection; a host pushes back that the verse is really about provision like food. The hosts discuss Jesus as situational: He took a beating at the cross but also told the disciples to buy swords, and note the problem of applying verses meant for specific people to everyone.
More on Scripture
-
'It's not a religion, it's a relationship': framing the big question
- Does God want a relationship with you - and if so, what do we actually mean by it?
Ben frames the night's first big question: the phrase 'it's not a religion, it's a relationship' is common, and evangelicals say 'God wants to be in relationship with you' - but is it true, and if so, what do we mean?
From No. 602 · Relationship Counseling
-
The New Testament case for human shaping
- What does the New Testament actually say about spiritual authority and submission?
Ben walks the New Testament texts: Hebrews 13:17 ('obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls') presumes a soul-watching laborer, not a rule-maker;…
From No. 600 · Rage The Elephant
-
How to tell your voice from God's: the Bible test and leniency
- How can you tell the difference between you speaking and God speaking?
Ella distills the question: how do you tell the difference between you speaking and God speaking? Her first answer: we have a Bible — what God is telling you is probably already in it ('Ben's gonna have a proud papa moment').
From No. 597 · Maybe A Word From God
-
Self-help Jesus and the wave problem
- Why do believers cycle through self-help-style Jesus fads instead of lasting growth?
The hosts move to the second topic: 'self help Jesus' content on social media — spirituality coded with affirmations that God loves you but really centered on self-improvement, arriving in waves like fad diets.
From No. 545 · By Invitation Only