Many of the readers of this site know I live in Colorado and have asked my opinion on the shooting at the Planned Parenthood building in Colorado Springs. I’ve hesitated to write about this topic but today, after 14 people were killed and 17 others injured in an attack by unlawful gunmen I think its time the issue of self-defense is addressed. News outlets across the country stream live video to our homes of the aftermath of violence and millions of Christians across the country are wondering what, if anything, they could or should do if they find themselves in a similar situation.

Before we get to specifics, we should note that bloodshed is always serious. In the Old Testament, both before and after the establishment of Israel as a nation, capital punishment was required of murderers. Murder is defined as the taking of someone’s life for pleasure or sport, out of rage, anger, hatred, revenge or vengeance. We see in Deuteronomy 22.8 and Ezekiel 33.6 that if someone dies through your negligence that you are guilty of murder. Deuteronomy 19.1-13 provides an example of an accidental killing when at work from the tools of one’s trade (in this case an ax used for gathering lumber) and even here the penalty is severe (though not a capital offense).

Killing another person is a terrible thing to do for two reasons. Examine the passage below:

This is Genesis 9.5-6, which means it is pre-Mosaic law, and it teaches that whether an animal or a man takes the life of a human being, that animal or man must die. Why? Read those verses again and it will be clear. Because life is precious, and because human life is made in the image of God.

With such clear direction on the sanctity of life, is it every appropriate to shed blood? There is one – and only one – scenario when bloodshed is a forgivable offense, and even then it is not without consequences. Next week we will examine this singular exception and see how it applies to shootings at schools, clinics and conference rooms.