C.S Lewis, Isis, and the Police: A Biblical Defense for Self-Defense (Part 1)

I've written on this before, yet I'm thinking about it again as it relates to me being a Black Christian in this country specifically, but also for Christians in general.  I'm thinking about when believers can and should defend themselves according to our faith, versus when we should not defend ourselves because of our faith.  I believe Abram, David, and Nehemiah (and C.S. Lewis) give me a biblical defense for Christian self-defense, while Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego show me when Christians should yield their lives for their faith (and how this relates to Isis and the Police.)

ABRAM

"When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan.  ...He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people."  Gen. 14:14,16, NIV

In reading this I notice that Abram did not stop and pray about this situation at all.  Of course, God had promised Abram that whoever blessed Abram would be blessed and whoever cursed Abram would be cursed.  In other words, God had already promised Abram protection.  Nevertheless, Abram seems to assume that he can take his trained men and rescue "his relative" who "had been taken captive."  Abram simply heard about it, then acted.  And he was successful in bringing back not just his relative, but the goods and possessions that had been taken, with others who had been taken as well.  Something very similar seems to happen to David.

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