I know a post on guns seems late. In a world where news comes to us so quickly, our memories get shorter and shorter. Perhaps we could not be so easily distracted and continue to wrestle with the events at Sandy Hook. Here are my thoughts on guns and gun control.

When gun control was brought up after the Sandy Hook shooting there was a lot of discussion. Typical of any polarizing issue, the discussion was heated. One theme of the discussion, however, caught me a bit off guard. It seems most Christians are violently opposed to gun control (at least according to their Facebook page). Reminds me of a picture I saw a few days ago:

I understand the arguments against gun control. I do. “The way to conquer a nation is to disarm it’s citizens.” (Hitler said that.) “The vast majority of mass killings have happened in ‘No gun’ zones.” (Just about everybody willing to share their opinion on Facebook said that.) And, of course, some are scared that gun control will take away their right to own a hunting rifle or shotgun. The logic is this; if everybody is packing semi-automatic weapons then nobody would dare start opening random fire. Seems logical.

Except that violence always breeds more violence. Think about it. Someone hits you, you want to hit them back, only harder. Someone hurts you, you want to increase the offense. No war has ended violence, it has only delayed it. One time my brother beat me at ping pong. The next game, I determined, would be no contest. Jesus knew I would be like that. And he knew you would be like that. So, in the Old Testament he commands, “if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.” This isn’t permission for revenge. It’s a command of limitation. God knew our hearts would be to increase the offense on people that hurt us so he offers a command of limitation; an eye for eye.

In the New Testament Jesus takes it further to reveal the true intention of the law. He says, “You have heard it said, ‘An eye for an eye,’ but I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”

Violence breeds more violence, so Jesus offers us a different way.

In the wake of the Sandy Hook shootings a Pastor used the greatest commandment, (“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself”) as justification for shooting someone. His logic was as follows: if someone is threatening your neighbor, the best way to love your neighbor is to end the threat.

We’ve got approval to kill someone who threatens your neighbor and scores of Christians fighting gun control in the name of national rights. It got me wondering, “Why do Christians love guns so much?”

The answer (or at least part of it), comes from a dramatic misreading of the book of Revelation. Christian pop-culture (and pop-theology) has led us to believe that the world will come to a fiery end in what is called the Tribulation. It is, they say, seven years of terrible violence unleashed on the earth that comes after the rapture. Leading up to this time, there will be increased violence in the world. Those that become Christians during this time will survive through violence. Violence ushers in Christ’s return, and violence is the name of the game after his return. In this violent narrative of the Gospel, even God’s final victory over evil will come in the form of more bullets, better technology, and a Land Rover. God will come in and finally kick some evil butt like he didn’t do the first time he came….is what they say.

As a result of this belief system, violence has become a central part of the Christian narrative. So in the wake of national tragedy you have leaders who declare God’s judgement, others declare God’s absence and others who offer a small, but silent celebration -at least Christ’s return is getting closer.

What a shame. The Gospel doesn’t promote violence, it subverts it! The Christian narrative does not hinge on a violent victory to come – it hinges on a victory already won through self-giving love. Christians don’t need bullets and Land Rovers to win the victory over evil, the victory has already been won at the cross and validated through the resurrection. There is no need for a “battle of Armageddon” to decide who is the victor. Jesus is already the Victor through his death and resurrection.

This is why the message of Jesus was so scandalous! The nation of Israel waited for a Messiah that would come with the same kind of power as Rome. The same kind of rule. The same kind of reign. What they got was a King who was born in a stable, not a palace. Rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, not a horse. And who established his kingdom through self-giving love, not violence. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is essentially saying there are greater forces in the world than a bullet. And that flies right in the face of most popular versions of the Gospel narrative.

Perhaps this is why the Bible says, “The Word of God is sharper than any double-edged sword.” If it were written in a modern context, it might say, “The way of Jesus is far more powerful than a semi-automatic weapon.”

As Christians, maybe we shouldn’t spend our time fighting over how guns are sold in our culture, but on promoting the more powerful forces of love, grace, forgiveness, and mercy. For these are the real powers that will last.