I believe self defence is no sin. You do not have to submit yourself to be killed by satanists in the name of propagating their religion, hence my expressions hereunder. Thank God for some men of God who have now realized and have agreed to self-defence. Infact I discusssed this issue with a pastor friend and we disagreed to agree and at the end of the day, he concurred self dfence is no sin. God would not blame anyone for attacking who wants to take his/her life. I know this thread may generate a lot of heat, just express your opinion.
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No doubt, killings and attempts to kill will continue as long as islam exists. It is a way of serving their god:

"Warfare is PRESCRIBED (ordained) for you, though it is hateful unto you; but it may happen ye hate a thing which is good for you, and it may happen that ye love a thing which is bad for you. Allah knoweth , ye know not" (Quran 2:216)

Soon shall we cast TERROR into the hearts of the unbelievers, for that they joined companion with Allah (Qur'an 3:151)

And fight with them until there is no more filna(disorder, unbelief) and religion should be only for Allah (Qur'an 8:89).

The Messenger of Allah said: "I have been commanded by Allah to fight against people till they testify that there is no God but Allah, that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and they establish prayer and pay Zakat" (Sahih Muslim 1:33).

So, islamic terrorisms in not a new development in the world, only that it is heightening as the end time draws near.

WHEN PHYSICAL WEAPONS ARE NEEDED

When Jesus was to be arrested, He knew His disciples would be harrassed and embarrassed after He would have left. For that reason, He told them to get swords for self defence or what else were the swords to be used for?: Then said he unto them, but now, he that hath a purse, let him take it and likewise his scrip: and he hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one (Luke 22:36). I believe sword for
self defence was necessary to stop some individuals from harrassing them.

When they which were about him saw what would follow,they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with sword? (Luke 22:49). I'm so sure Jesus was aware that his disciples had swords on them, which he never objected to. Do we have swords as Christians today? Christianity is based on
Jesus words and deed, are we holier than Him?

Then said Jesus unto Peter, put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? (John 18:11).
Jesus mission was to die for the sins of the world and Peter preventing them from his arrest would work contrary to His mission, hence he had to stop him. You and I are not here to die for the sins of the world, that is not our mission.

Then said Jesus unto him, put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword (Matthew 26:52). Think thou that I cannot not pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26:53). Jesus could have delivered himself "but how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be"? (Matthew 26:54). Here again, Jesus makes us to understand that He would have defended Himself but for the reason that His misson was to fulfil the scriptures that He must be killed. As Christians, can we NOT use swords or weapons to defend ourselves, as it is not prophesied of us to die for the sin of the world?

He who kills by the sword will perish by the sword should mean the person who first attacks and kills by sword will die by sword on judgement. For a man to die by the sword on judgement, he must have killed first by sword. This is teaching us not to be offensive by killing first, but does not mean we should surrender ourselves to someone who draws sword against us. For man and animal, nature abhors
it to be killed without resistance. That is why if someone strangles somebody's neck, the victim would by instinct try to struggle out and would do so if he could. We have both natural and spiritual right to defend ourselves as Christians.

But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him (Matthew 5:39). This is talking about light afflictions, which you can bear. The fact that you are enjoined to turn the other cheek shows you still have the ability to endure more. This is not applicable to your heads or hands being chopped off, which you cannot endure or bear. Or can you bear your right hand cut off and stretch the left hand? The verse is not talking about the use of weapon against you.

SPIRITUAL WEAPONS FOR SPIRITUAL FIGHTS

We need spiritual weapons for spiritual fight: God's words, prayers and fasting.

Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle NOT against flesh and blood, BUT against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12).

"We wrestle NOT against flesh and blood BUT": means we do not initiate fight against humans first BUT against spiritual forces. I reiterate: "We wrestle NOT" is an active and not a passive tense, meaning we do not act first and not when first acted against. It means we do not carry out an attack on humans and not that we cannot respond to human attack carried out against us. The verse is talking about offensive attach[/b]on spiritual beings but not on human. In other words, the verse could read: [b]We ATTACK NOT (i.e wrestle not) against flesh and blood (humans) but principalities, powers, rulers of darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness in high places. We have no right as Christians to attack anybody first but invisible (spiritual) forces, offensively and defensively.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down IMAGINATIONS AND EVERY THING THAT EXALTETH ITSELF against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every THOUGHT to the obedience of Christ
(2 Cor.10:4-5). The weapons mentioned here can not be physical as the targeted enemies are not physical. The targeted enemies are IMAGINATIONS, PRIDE and EVIL THOUGHT,which cannot be fought with swords, gun etc. Again, this is an offensive attack are requiring us to pull down strongholds.

The next question is: why did the apostles not fight back when they were being killed? I believe it was because it was the government at that time that was persecuting them and they as individuals could not face the government. If it was a group of pagans that attempted it, they would not have given up to them.

I think it is an erroneous belief for Christians to surrender to jihadists, who go about forcing their belief on everybody. I believe is hightime we started having swords on us like Jesus disciples. Satan capitalizes on the ignorance of the Christians and raised those who would kill them untimely or force them to accept islam that offers hell.

Around 1983 or thereabout, there was islamic sectarian crisis as usual in the North, Kano. These jihadists were coming in their number to attack a Pentecostal Church on a Sunday Service. In the mist of the service they started hearing the shout of "allau akbar" with the people surging towards the church. But because the leader of the church had instructed the members to be fully armed, the members too
came out in Jesus name with various weapons. It was a surprise that the jihadist disappeared like air. The church was small at that time and today, it is a church to be reckoned with in Nigeria. What if they had succeeded in killing the leader and the members?

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16). We are compared to serpent because it is wise and would not attach if not provoked. And we all know that serpent is dangerous and does not condone attack. We should be dangerous to our enemies, both physical and spiritual, who want to kill us.

It is our faults as Christians if we should allow human agents of the Devil to close the church and terminate our lives untimely. Islam has no message, the only message of converting is violence. Satan knows violence is a very effective weapon against man and that is why Allah said they should fight people till they surrender.

If they realize that the Christians will not give up easily, and are ready to defend themselves, they too will be afraid of carrying out attacks. Allah says they too do not like to die - "Warfare is PRESCRIBED (ordained) for you, though it is hateful unto you; but it may happen ye hate a thing which is good for you, and it may happen that ye love a thing which is bad for you. Allah knoweth , ye know not" (Quran 2:216).