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A Bible Believer Responds To John Piper’s Call For Christians To Not Be Armed

Now to me, the son of a WWII and Korea vet, and the brother to a United States Marine, this sounds like perfectly sound and rational thought processes coming from the desk of Mr. Falwell. And certainly, as a parent, taking every precaution we can to keep our kids safe I am all in favor of both as a Christian and as an American citizen. But John Piper sees it otherwise.

Published

10 years ago

December 23, 2015

Geoffrey Grider

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So John Piper says it’s a sin to call the police when we are being threatened? I say that’s absolute hogwash, and so should you

“Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” Romans 14:4,5 (KJV)

Yesterday the chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary, John Piper, published an article entitled “Should Christians Be Encouraged to Arm Themselves?” In the article he takes issue with Jerry Falwell, Jr. telling his students to go out and get their gun permits. Falwell said this:

“As the president of this university community of nearly 15,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, I take very seriously my responsibility to keep you safe in an increasingly dangerous world. That’s why in 2011 I asked our Board of Trustees to consider a concealed carry policy. It wasn’t because of Islamic terrorism, it was because what happened (just) up the road at Virginia Tech. More than 30 innocent students and faculty were murdered viciously and none of them had the ability to protect themselves. The day that happened, I thought we needed to do something different here at Liberty. We needed to have a way to protect our students, our faculty, so we instituted this free course in 2011. We were part of only a handful of schools in the United States that had taken that position at that time. Now many schools have followed suit. There are dozens and we have had 1,600 people take that course, 950 here now with concealed carry permits, and after I made those remarks on Friday we had 240 sign up for a course tomorrow night. I want to applaud you and thank you for taking steps to make our campus more safe. I recognize that not every one of you will (carry); it’s only for students 21 years and older.” source

Now to me, the son of a WWII and Korea vet, and the brother to a United States Marine, this sounds like perfectly sound and rational thought processes coming from the desk of Mr. Falwell. And certainly, as a parent, taking every precaution we can to keep our kids safe I am all in favor of both as a Christian and as an American citizen. But John Piper sees it otherwise. Here is an excerpt from his anti-gun article:

“As chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary, I want to send a different message to our students, and to the readers of Desiring God, than Jerry Falwell, Jr. sent to the students of Liberty University in a campus chapel service on December 4. The apostle Peter teaches us that Christians will often find themselves in societies where we should expect and accept unjust mistreatment without retaliation. The early church, as we see her in Acts, expected and endured persecution without armed resistance, but rather with joyful suffering, prayer, and the word of God. A natural instinct is to boil this issue down to the question, “Can I shoot my wife’s assailant?” source

That, in brief, is the essence of Piper’s position, and you can read the entire article here. So let me just add a few brief points from the Bible believer position that I think will help to shed some additional light on the matter.

John Piper’s misapplication of scripture: All through his article, he constantly says things like “Peter never fought back when mistreated”, and “the apostles endured persecution without retaliation”, and so on. Yes, those thing are true, but they need to be read in context. The reason why the apostles never fought back was because the punishments and afflictions they received were because of preaching the gospel specifically, and the Bible does say that in the course of witnessing for Jesus Christ hardships, perils and afflictions certainly will come. When we preach on the street, I have never hit back at any of the mistreatment we have received because when were are ministering we are specifically engaged in preaching the gospel. But I find no verses in the Bible that advise me to just “sit back and take it” when walking down a crowded city street and someone tries to mug me. So based on Piper’s misapplication of scripture, his advice to his daughter would be to “just take it” when attacked by a predator on a college campus or other gathering of people. See how silly his position suddenly becomes? No, the apostles, as seen below, suffered for a very specific cause, for the gospel’s sake, and as such took it without rebuttal. But I dare say that if some crazed lunatic tried to sexually assault Peter’s wife, the tough-as-nails Galilean fisherman would have thrust him through with his sword, and rightly so.
“And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.” Acts 5:40 (KJV)
John Piper is not rightly dividing the Bible: Paul commands Timothy to “rightly divide” the scripture so that he will not make the mistake of trying to apply Bible verses written to the Jews and place them on the Church. In his article, Piper talks about “enduring to the end” from Matthew 24, a passage specifically written to Jews in the time of Jacob’s trouble. But Christians don’t “endure to the end” because we are 1). sealed until the day of redemption as found in Ephesians 1 & 4, and 2). we will not go through the time of Jacob’s trouble otherwise known as the Great Tribulation. “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,” 1 Thessalonians 5:9 (KJV)
Many of his points are just ridiculous: One of his main theme points is that the christian should just “trust God” and everything will work itself out. The Bible believing Christian does trust God with the most important thing we have, and that is our souls. We trust Him to take us home to Heaven when we die, we place our eternal destiny in His hands alone. But until that day arrives, we live in a sin-cursed world that currently is ruled by the Devil! God gave us a brain for a reason, He wants us to do some thinking with it. Whenever we travel anywhere in a car, we always ask God to guide our path and get us to and from safely, right? But we also wear our seatbelts! I highly doubt that Piper and his whole family ride around in cars at high speeds unbelted. If Piper’s logic was followed to it’s natural conclusion seat belts would no longer be used because when using them our “faith would be in the seat belts” and not in God’s power to keep us safe. That’s just plain crazy. But yet Piper goes further still when he says that even calling the police when you are in danger “comes from a heart that is out of step with the mind of Christ. If one’s heart is controlled mainly by fear, or anger, or revenge, that sinful disposition may be expressed by using the police as well as taking up arms yourself.” So now it’s a sin to call the police when we are being threatened? Hogwash, and dangerous hogwash at that. “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” 1 Timothy 5:8 (KJV)

Conclusion: I honestly don’t know much about the ministry or beliefs of John Piper, I run in Bible believing circles and have not come across much if any of his work. But going on this particular article he has written, he comes across as an anti-gun liberal to me. God calls us to trust Him in all we do and with all we have, yet at the same time it is not a lack of faith to exercise and eat right to stay healthy. And it is not a lack of faith when we take common sense precautions to keep our loved ones safe in a sin-cursed world.

Famous media liberal, Geraldo Rivera, who almost always advocates for pacifism, nearly had a thermonuclear meltdown last month when his own daughter was near the Paris Muslim terror attacks. This is what he said:

“We need to respond by declaring war on them… if we don’t kill them, they’re going to kill us.” He offered specifics, calling for Russia, the U.S. and our Middle East Allies to join forces in a war against ISIS– even if have to drag the latter in “kicking and screaming.” “I want a massive ground campaign to conquer ISIS once and for all,” Rivera said. source

Lol, every liberal is a pacifist until the day their loved ones are threatened, then they want blood. John Piper is no different. If the evil he so carelessly tells us to “not worry about” and just “trust God” with ever came to land at his doorstep you can best believe his tune would change. Quickly.

If you try and make the Bible say Christians can’t have guns, then we can’t have seat belts either. If you were to ask my opinion on whether or not a Christian should buy a gun, I would give you the same answer I would give you with any other question you might ask. I will tell you to pray about it, and let God do the deciding.

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:” Ephesians 1:17 (KJV)

Related Topics:Bible Believer Jerry Falwell Jr.John Piper Second Amendment

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Free Bible Program

200 King James Bibles To The Tomoka Correctional Institution In Daytona Beach And A Single Ruckman Reference Bible To An Inmate In Rikers Island

Published

2 days ago

January 15, 2026

Geoffrey Grider

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Please pray for the inmates at the Tomoka Correctional Institution and the one inmate at Rikers Island who will be receiving God’s word through Bibles Behind Bars

Bibles Behind Bars, thanks to all y’all’s prayers and support, is off to a fast start with Bibles and books sent to the Delta Regional Unit in Arkansas, the Monroe Correctional Complex in Washington State, the Central Florida Reception Center in Orlando as well as Orange County Corrections also in Orlando. Today we received 2 requests, one for 200 Bibles to be sent to the Tomoka Correctional Institution in Daytona Beach, and an urgent request for a single Ruckman Reference Bible to be sent to an inmate housed at America’s most notorious jail, Rikers Island in New York. The belly of the Beast!

“Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;” Psalms 79:11 (KJB)

The request for the single Ruckman Reference Bible came to us from an inmate advocacy group in New York City, on behalf of the inmate who was being given a very hard time when he asked to have a Bible. Rikers Island jail is predominately Muslim, with mostly Muslim chaplains along with one or two Catholic Chaplains, so getting a Bible is a lot harder than you think it might be. We sent that Bible out, and ask you to pray for this inmate (name withheld), as well as us being able to put many more Bibles into Rikers. What a blessing that would be! Also pray for the hundreds of souls at Tomoka who will soon be receiving King James Bibles as well. Come help us, Christian, we need you!

HOW TO DONATE: Click here to view our WayGiver Funding page

If God has prospered you, please take a moment to click on the donate button to help us in this monumental task of providing King James Bibles, New Testaments, scripture portions, gospel tracts as well as Spanish Bibles to inmates in jails and prisons from Florida to Alaska, and every state in between. We need your prayers, we need your generous financial support, and we need you to stand with us in the closing days of the Church Age. Thank you so very much, TO THE FIGHT!!!

NOTE: If you need a 501 C3 Letter of Donation for tax purposes, please send your donation to:

NTEB Ministries
1340 N Great Neck Rd.
Ste. 1272-129
Virginia Beach, VA 23454.

Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church

HOW TO DONATE: Click here to view our WayGiver Funding page

When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.

But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORT…TO THE FIGHT!!!

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

European Union

WORLD WAR TRUMP: European Nations Like Germany, France And The United Kingdom Sending Troops To Defend Greenland From A United States Takeover

Published

2 days ago

January 15, 2026

Geoffrey Grider

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European troops arrived in Greenland to back Denmark as talks with the United States exposed deep rifts over the Arctic island’s future and security

This article makes the 11,591st article that I have personally written over the past 17 years, and believe me when I tell you, the headline at the top of this page is the strangest one I have ever done. I know, I talk all the time about the coming world war, and give all sorts of facts, figures and scriptures to make my case, but when it actually begins to come to pass, it is a strange feeling. Only the Lord knows how far this will go, but at least for the moment, the wheels are in motion.

“Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.” Habakkuk 1:5 (KJB)

While the MAGA Movement may be salivating at the thought of Trump taking Greenland by military force, the majority of rationally-thinking Americans do not want to acquire the island in such a manner. Indeed moves like that are precisely where world wars come from. Someone earlier today suggested that they suspect that Donald Trump may have recently had a stroke by way of attempting to explain his ever-increasing irrational behavior. At his age, that could certainly be true, but I am still sticking to my original hypothesis that the warning shot to his right ear is what is driving him closer and closer to the brink of war. Keep your eyes on Germany and France, that’s where the last two world wars came from.

European troops arrive in Greenland to support Denmark amid dispute with the United States

FROM SCRIPPS NEWS: Troops from several European countries, including France, Germany, the UK, Norway and Sweden, are arriving in Greenland in a show of support for Denmark as talks between representatives of Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. on Wednesday highlighted “fundamental disagreement” between the Trump administration and European allies on the future of the Arctic island.

Denmark announced it would increase its military presence in Greenland on Wednesday and several European partners started sending symbolic numbers of troops on that day, just as the Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers were preparing to meet with White House representatives in Washington. The troop movements were intended to portray unity among Europeans and send a signal to U.S. President Donald Trump that an American takeover of Greenland is not necessary as NATO together can safeguard the security of the Arctic region amid rising Russian and Chinese interest.

Look at Emmanuel Macron with a darkened right eye, calling for a massive weapons buildup in Europe. “Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly… pic.twitter.com/c7s6VV2eOX

— Now The End Begins (@NowTheEndBegins) January 15, 2026

“The first French military elements are already en route” and “others will follow,” French President Emmanuel Macron announced Wednesday, as French authorities said about 15 soldiers from the mountain infantry unit were already in Nuuk for a military exercise.

Germany will deploy a reconnaissance team of 13 personnel to Greenland on Thursday, its Defense Ministry said.

On Thursday, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said the intention was “to establish a more permanent military presence with a larger Danish contribution,” according to Danish broadcaster DR. He said soldiers from several NATO countries will be in Greenland on a rotation system.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, flanked by his Greenlandic counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt, said Wednesday that a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland remains with Trump after they held highly anticipated talks at the White House with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rasmussen added that it remains “clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland” but that dialogue with the U.S. would continue at a high level over the following weeks. Inhabitants of Greenland and Denmark reacted with anxiety but also some relief that negotiations with the U.S. would go on and European support was becoming visible. READ MORE

Several European countries and NATO allies send troops to Greenland

Military personnel from several NATO countries including Germany, France, Sweden and Norway headed to Greenland on Thursday as Denmark and its allies prepared ⁠for exercises to try to assure US President Donald Trump over its security as he pushes to acquire the island.

Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church

HOW TO DONATE: Click here to view our WayGiver Funding page

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

Headline News

Iran Closes Airspace In Move That Signals An Attack By Either Israel Or The United States May Be Imminent

Published

3 days ago

January 14, 2026

Geoffrey Grider

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Many European nations as well as the United States have issued an ‘urgent warning’ for their citizens to leave Iran immediately as airspace is closed tight

The world is holding its collective breath right now, waiting for a strike on the imperiled Iranian regime that nearly all outlets say could happen at any moment. The Middle East has literally closed its doors, with as many foreign nations evacuated as possible. Donald Trump has promised the US would strike if they killed their citizens, and with the death toll now over 12,000, the moment of truth has arrived. Will he or won’t he?

“And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.” Daniel 5:25 (KJB)

Everywhere around the world you look right now, nearly all of it seems to be up for grabs and in motion, and one man is there in the middle of it as perhaps the greatest change agent that exists in politics right now. Steve Bannon calls Donald Trump ‘the Disrupter’, and very few could successfully argue against that. Everywhere he goes and everything he touches becomes hyper-polarized and infused with chaos and turmoil. While the world waits to see what he will do in Iran, Europe is already planning to withstand him in Greenland. The world is indeed realigning itself right now, with the pieces being moved around to prepare for the arrival of the soon-coming 7-year kingdom, and the man who will run it.

Iran closes airspace as Western military official says signals show US attack ‘imminent’

FROM THE JERUSALEM POST: Iran has issued a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) late on Wednesday night, closing its airspace to all flights, as Western military officials say US military action in the country is “imminent.” Flight tracker websites showed the airspace over Iran and Iraq emptying rapidly prior to the NOTAM’s issuing. The advisory is valid for a little more than two hours, Flightradar24 said.

“All the signals are that a US attack is imminent, but that is also how this administration behaves to keep everyone on their toes. Unpredictability is part of the strategy,” a Western military official told Reuters later on Wednesday.

Shortly before the NOTAM was issued, US President Trump held a press conference in which he said he was told that the killings in Iran had stopped. When asked if the US was still considering military action, Trump answered, “We’re going to watch and see what the process is.”

One of the main driving forces behind the protests of the Iranian people against the regime was the PROMISE of President Donald Trump to step in and help them obtain their freedom. Trump has now broken that promise and abandoned the Iranians who trusted him. @POTUS @WhiteHouse pic.twitter.com/jriuWnU2JV

— Now The End Begins (@NowTheEndBegins) January 15, 2026

Both Poland and Italy have urged their citizens to leave Iran immediately. The British embassy in Tehran has been temporarily closed. Less than 24 hours before, the US had urged its own citizens to leave. The US has also withdrawn military personnel from the US military’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. READ MORE

Trump to STRIKE Iran ‘in next 24hrs’ and could launch Tomahawk missiles

A US military strike on Iran is imminent, officials have warned as the world is waiting with bated breath amid fears the first protester has already been executed. American troops and staff have started withdrawing from key military bases across the Middle East as tensions escalate in the region.