Gun Control Doesn't Address the Real Issue, the Real Issue is...

by Barbara Latta

Gun control doesn't address the real issue

Waking up to the news of another shooting has become too common. Gun control is always at the forefront of politics and becomes more prevalent with every act committed with a firearm. The second amendment is defended by those who want to keep their guns, and those on the other side think confiscating all guns will stop murder.

If every gun was disposed of, murder and violence would still be prevalent. Cain killed Abel with a rock. Guns weren’t available and Cain still committed murder. When a person harbors hatred in their heart, violence will be the result. Bare hands can kill.

Cain became angry and jealous because God accepted his brother, Abel’s, sacrifice but did not accept Cain’s. Cain obviously didn’t follow God’s command about the sacrificial offering or his would have been accepted, as well.

God addressed the issue before the murder took place.

“If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it” (Genesis 4:7)

God was telling Cain to take care of the issue in his heart before he acted on sin’s desire. Rule over it.

Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder,’ and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment” (Matthew 5:21-22a).

So you see, it’s not a gun control issue—

It’s a heart control issue.

If Cain had listened to God and let God change his heart, Cain wouldn’t have murdered his brother. All murder and violence thereafter came about for the same reason. Hearts were wrong and sinful actions followed.

Hearts can only be changed by God.

Hearts can only be changed by God. And people can only know about God if they are shown how much He loves them. Behavior modification doesn’t create a permanent change in anyone because it depends upon the individual’s discipline and motivation to alter actions. This only works temporarily because the root of the problem is not addressed. Outward behavior can only change with inward transformation. When the deep issue of a person’s hatred and anger are replaced with God’s spirit, real change takes place and the fruit of that change will be evidenced in the behavior.

We, as Christians, must keep up the good fight of faith and stand for the gospel. Because the more the Word of God is limited, the more violence occurs. If we cower under political pressure to stop any kind of references to God, we are cowering to the enemy of our souls. Paul writes in Ephesians about the armor of God. He speaks of wearing shoes that carry the gospel of peace.

"And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:15 NKJV).

As we walk through this world and wear our shoes that leave peaceful footprints of the gospel we can fight the battle for heart control instead of gun control. Because heart control is what it is really all about.

What do you think?

Gun control is not the real issue (click to tweet)

Behavior only changes when hearts are changed (click to tweet)