Bearing Arms

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This thougthful question came from Amos Goh.

> 
> 	I would like to know what are the standards of UPC when it comes to
> bearing
> of arms/weapons. 
 
I don't speak for the UPC, but I can relate the information in the 
Articles of Faith.

The UPC asks Christians not to bear arms for their country.

The book "Practical Holiness" by David K. Bernard (which the UPC 
publishes,) also discourages Christians from using deadly force in self 
defence.

The reasons given in the book include the difficulty of loving a person 
you are trying to kill (remember hate is the equivalent of murder) the 
real power of God to defend Christians.  That is to say Jesus has the 
power to strike your enemies dead.

Note that the church never asks Christians not to serve their country in 
times of war.  Indeed the need to fight wars is understood, but there 
seems to be a belife that for a Christian to actively kill he loses a 
great deal of his moral force.

I am unaware of any ban on bearing arms (the above suggestions 
would permit the use of arms for target practice and hunting.)

I have never heard a Pentecostal reffer to killing in self defence as a 
sin, and this standard seems to be in the same vane as the request that 
Christians never keep a TV in their home.  While killing in self defence 
is not a sin it does nothing to show love or bring a Christian closer to 
God.  The goal of an Apostolic should be to come closer to God and not to 
preserve their life in this world.
		
	May you grown in love and Grace through the eternal name of Jesus Christ
		

		"The truth will make you free." John 8:32


		Yeaton Clifton (yhclifto@vela.acs.oakland.edu)