Can a Christian be a police officer, knowing that they may have to kill?

[The_Patriot21]

33 minutes ago, Mateo said:

Are you saying thoes that live by the sword die by the sword means that, thoes people where skilled in their work, so Peter should be careful?

Has more to do with intent. Living by the sword has more to do with living violently, of using guns to rob, steal, or murder for the highest bidder like in the case of a mercenary.  

[tyke]

Mateo, I've been a Christian police officer for 40 years, now retired. I've worked uniform and plain clothes. I do have an answer to your question, but I'm going to wait for awhile to see what others are saying before I answer you. God Bless.

[Jayne]

3 hours ago, Mateo said:

Are you saying thoes that live by the sword die by the sword means that, thoes people where skilled in their work, so Peter should be careful?

No, his being not the best swordsman was just my opinion - as I said.  He could have very well been an expert marksman, aiming for the soldiers' ear.

The adage that Jesus was giving him in "those who live by the sword, die by the sword" was about living a violent life and always seeking violence first as a solution.  As Patriot said - intent.

There was absolutely no need for Peter to have drawn his sword at all.  In John's version of this story, Jesus had just proven that he, alone, could have destroyed them all and escaped.  But that wasn't God's plan.

• He asked the soldiers who they were looking for and they said, "Jesus of Nazareth".  He said, "I AM he".  [emphasis mine].  When Jesus said that, the soldiers all fell backward to the ground.  Jesus didn't need defending from Peter.
• When they recovered, Jesus asked them again, "Who are your looking for?"  They told him again and Jesus asked to voluntarily go with them but for them to leave his disciples alone.  Peter wasn't paying attention to Jesus' words nor deeds.
• BUT, Jesus did require just hours earlier that Peter, along with James and John, stay awake with him the garden while he prayed and Peter couldn't even do that.
• And just minutes to a few hours later, Peter would not even be able to confess that he even knew Jesus.

The drawing of his sword was the wrong thing to do at the wrong time.

Jesus had taught Peter so much, including telling Peter that he had to die and at his "final exam" so to speak - Peter fails miserable.

[missmuffet]

Yes, a Christian can be a police officer.

Question: "What does the Bible say about law enforcement / the police?"

Answer: It’s fairly well known that God gave a set of laws and with it guidelines for the enforcement of those laws. Not only did the Mosaic Law define sin, but it specified penalties for those who broke the Law. Any law is essentially meaningless without enforcement. The people in Bible times may not have had a police force as we think of one today, but they definitely had those who promoted justice by enforcing the law. The Bible’s references to watchmen (Ezekiel 33:6), armed guards (Nehemiah 4:13), and judges (Ezekiel 44:24 and the whole book of Judges) could be seen as examples of law enforcement.

God is a God of justice (Deuteronomy 32:4), and He demands justice of His people: “Follow justice and justice alone” (Deuteronomy 16:20). This command implies the necessity of law enforcement. God has always given the responsibility of enforcing the law (and thereby maintaining justice) to man. “Defend the weak and the fatherless; / uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. / Rescue the weak and the needy; / deliver them from the hand of the wicked” (Psalm 82:3–4).

Romans 13 deals with submission to government authorities, and the same passage is instructive on the purpose of law enforcement and police work: “Rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. . . . The one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer” (Romans 13:3–4). Police officers or peace officers represent the “rulers” mentioned in this passage and extend their authority.

Therefore, a Christian involved in law enforcement or police work is doing a good and godly thing. The police officer who enforces the just law of the land should consider himself or herself God’s servant and, toward the lawbreaker, an agent of God’s wrath sent to keep the peace. One of the most important jobs of every police officer is the restraint of evil in society—a dangerous career, a noble calling, and a profession congruent with a biblical desire for justice and righteousness.

https://gotquestions.org/Christian-law-enforcement.html

[Leonardo Von]

On 12/7/2016 at 0:28 PM, Mateo said:

Hello, can a Christian be a police officer knowing that they may have to kill. Please explain, why or why not. Biblically of course.

Greetings, brothers and sisters,

 

Grace and mercy and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Although the answer is easy, unfortunately our carnal nature has difficulty accepting Jesus and His teachings (1Corinthians 2:14). It is the old struggle between our new and old man:

 

o    “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Ephesians 4.22-24).

 

However, we cannot continue to limp between two thoughts (as Israel did - 1 Kings 18.21): if the god of strongholds (the god of the antichrist - Daniel 11.38) is the true God, follow him; If Jesus is the One True God (as I believe He is), then we cannot adopt any other god in His presence (Exodus 20: 3, Matthew 6:24).

Either we believe in the power of godliness and give ourselves to it, or we’ll simply transform the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ into mere utopia:

 

o   “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” (1Timothy 3.16).

o   “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (2Timothy 3.1-5).

 

Furthermore, does it make sense to live in a world where, in order to overcome evil, it is necessary to do greater evil to those who try to offend us? Does it make sense to live like Ishmael?

 

o   “And he will be a wild man; his hand [ will be ] against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” (Genesis 16.12).

 

In order not to be a victim of evil, we must be more evil than our enemies (whom, by the way, we are commanded to love - Matthew 5:44, 45)? Shall we harm the one for whom Christ died? Who is most powerful: he who has the power of darkness and death (see Hebrews 2:14, 15), or the One who:

 

o   “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [ us ] into the kingdom of his dear Son:” (Colossians 1.13).

 

If it is not possible to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 27: 13,14) overcoming all evil (Romans 12: 19-21), then it is better to die than to live (or more still: not to be born), as the preacher of Ecclesiastes said:

 

o   “Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. Yea, better [ is he ] than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 4.2,3).

 

Unfortunately, as Paul said, few are willing to undergo sound doctrine:

 

o   “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away [ their ] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2Timothy 4.3-4 – ARC).

 

Most, though they claim to be serving Christ, are at heart serving their own womb:

 

o   “For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” (Romans 16.18).

o   “( For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [ that they are ] the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end [ is ] destruction, whose God [ is their ] belly, and [ whose ] glory [ is ] in their shame, who mind earthly things.)” (Phillipians 3.18,19).

 

I know that in the face of injustice, we are tempted to seek resources in the "justice" of this world to protect us and our rights (something that the Eternal abhors - Psalms 20.7; Isaiah 30.1-3; 31.1-3). However, our real enemy is not the people or what they do against us:

 

o   “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [ places ].” (Ephesians 6.12).

 

Nor do the weapons we have to fight with are physical:

 

o   “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6.10,11).

o   “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” (Ephesians 6.13-18).

o   “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: ( For the weapons of our warfare [ are ] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; ) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” (2Corinthians 10.3-6).

 

I go further: our victory must be spiritual. If we are to be truly victorious toward the Eternal, we must gladly accept our defeat here for Christ's sake:

 

o   “He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10.39).

 

See what Paul says:

 

o   “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of [ this ] life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, [ yet ] is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.” (2Timothy 2.3-5).

 

Note that it is not to try to escape from afflictions, fighting against everything and everyone to keep them away from us. I know this is difficult to accept, but whoever rejects the bitter medicine does not want to be healed. Whoever get away from troubles does not want to be blessed.

In fact, the reason why many homes fall apart is because, when a conflict arises, instead of suffering the afflictions of Christ by the spouse (see Colossians 1:24; Philippians 3.10), he tries to overcome it with carnal weapons.

We have to think that the evil of the other is only bothering us because, first of all, evil has found place in us to dwell:

 

o   “Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?” (Lamentations 3.39).

 

Thus, instead of losing our blessing by trying to resolve everything by our own strength and ability (see Zechariah 4:5), may Jesus give us courage so that we never stray from Him and from everything He is and represents so that we do not lose the crown of Eternal life (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10) to us destined:

 

o   “Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it [ to ] the right hand or [ to ] the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God [ is ] with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1.6-9).

 

Only those who fight legitimately are crowned! Therefore, may Jesus enable us to follow His wonderful example:

 

o   “For this [ is ] thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory [ is it ], if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer [ for it ], ye take it patiently, this [ is ] acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed [ himself ] to him that judgeth righteously: who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” (1Peter 2.19-24).

 

May Jesus give us all the courage to not turn away from His healing call, to wit, allowing Jesus to communicate to us all that He feels and suffers for the one who has offended us (see Ezekiel 33:11, Colossians 1:24, Philippians 3.10).

[Guest shiloh357]

33 minutes ago, Leonardo Von said:

Greetings, brothers and sisters,

 

 

 

Grace and mercy and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Although the answer is easy, unfortunately our carnal nature has difficulty accepting Jesus and His teachings (1Corinthians 2:14). It is the old struggle between our new and old man:

 

 

 

o    “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Ephesians 4.22-24).

 

 

 

However, we cannot continue to limp between two thoughts (as Israel did - 1 Kings 18.21): if the god of strongholds (the god of the antichrist - Daniel 11.38) is the true God, follow him; If Jesus is the One True God (as I believe He is), then we cannot adopt any other god in His presence (Exodus 20: 3, Matthew 6:24).

 

Either we believe in the power of godliness and give ourselves to it, or we’ll simply transform the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ into mere utopia:

 

 

 

o   “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” (1Timothy 3.16).

 

o   “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (2Timothy 3.1-5).

 

 

 

Furthermore, does it make sense to live in a world where, in order to overcome evil, it is necessary to do greater evil to those who try to offend us? Does it make sense to live like Ishmael?

 

 

 

o   “And he will be a wild man; his hand [ will be ] against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” (Genesis 16.12).

 

 

 

In order not to be a victim of evil, we must be more evil than our enemies (whom, by the way, we are commanded to love - Matthew 5:44, 45)? Shall we harm the one for whom Christ died? Who is most powerful: he who has the power of darkness and death (see Hebrews 2:14, 15), or the One who:

 

 

 

o   “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [ us ] into the kingdom of his dear Son:” (Colossians 1.13).

 

 

 

If it is not possible to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 27: 13,14) overcoming all evil (Romans 12: 19-21), then it is better to die than to live (or more still: not to be born), as the preacher of Ecclesiastes said:

 

 

 

o   “Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. Yea, better [ is he ] than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 4.2,3).

 

 

 

Unfortunately, as Paul said, few are willing to undergo sound doctrine:

 

 

 

o   “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away [ their ] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2Timothy 4.3-4 – ARC).

 

 

 

Most, though they claim to be serving Christ, are at heart serving their own womb:

 

 

 

o   “For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” (Romans 16.18).

 

o   “( For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [ that they are ] the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end [ is ] destruction, whose God [ is their ] belly, and [ whose ] glory [ is ] in their shame, who mind earthly things.)” (Phillipians 3.18,19).

 

 

 

I know that in the face of injustice, we are tempted to seek resources in the "justice" of this world to protect us and our rights (something that the Eternal abhors - Psalms 20.7; Isaiah 30.1-3; 31.1-3). However, our real enemy is not the people or what they do against us:

 

 

 

o   “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [ places ].” (Ephesians 6.12).

 

 

 

Nor do the weapons we have to fight with are physical:

 

 

 

o   “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6.10,11).

 

o   “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” (Ephesians 6.13-18).

 

o   “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: ( For the weapons of our warfare [ are ] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; ) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” (2Corinthians 10.3-6).

 

 

 

I go further: our victory must be spiritual. If we are to be truly victorious toward the Eternal, we must gladly accept our defeat here for Christ's sake:

 

 

 

o   “He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10.39).

 

 

 

See what Paul says:

 

 

 

o   “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of [ this ] life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, [ yet ] is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.” (2Timothy 2.3-5).

 

 

 

Note that it is not to try to escape from afflictions, fighting against everything and everyone to keep them away from us. I know this is difficult to accept, but whoever rejects the bitter medicine does not want to be healed. Whoever get away from troubles does not want to be blessed.

 

In fact, the reason why many homes fall apart is because, when a conflict arises, instead of suffering the afflictions of Christ by the spouse (see Colossians 1:24; Philippians 3.10), he tries to overcome it with carnal weapons.

 

We have to think that the evil of the other is only bothering us because, first of all, evil has found place in us to dwell:

 

 

 

o   “Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?” (Lamentations 3.39).

 

 

 

Thus, instead of losing our blessing by trying to resolve everything by our own strength and ability (see Zechariah 4:5), may Jesus give us courage so that we never stray from Him and from everything He is and represents so that we do not lose the crown of Eternal life (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10) to us destined:

 

 

 

o   “Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it [ to ] the right hand or [ to ] the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God [ is ] with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1.6-9).

 

 

 

Only those who fight legitimately are crowned! Therefore, may Jesus enable us to follow His wonderful example:

 

 

 

o   “For this [ is ] thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory [ is it ], if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer [ for it ], ye take it patiently, this [ is ] acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed [ himself ] to him that judgeth righteously: who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” (1Peter 2.19-24).

 

 

 

May Jesus give us all the courage to not turn away from His healing call, to wit, allowing Jesus to communicate to us all that He feels and suffers for the one who has offended us (see Ezekiel 33:11, Colossians 1:24, Philippians 3.10).

 

That is very bad advice and a tragic misuse of the Scriptures.  The police are not evil and policemen who put their lives on the line to protect us are not committing evil.   To treat the police and criminal as morally equivalent is in itself, immoral and unChristian. 

You try to sound "spiritual"  but your advice is poison and only emboldens the truly evil of this world. 

God bless the men and women in law enforcement who serve and protect us ever day.

[missmuffet]

58 minutes ago, shiloh357 said:

That is very bad advice and a tragic misuse of the Scriptures.  The police are not evil and policemen who put their lives on the line to protect us are not committing evil.   To treat the police and criminal as morally equivalent is in itself, immoral and unChristian. 

You try to sound "spiritual"  but your advice is poison and only emboldens the truly evil of this world. 

God bless the men and women in law enforcement who serve and protect us ever day.

Not all cops are good. There are some bad cops out there. And there are some good cops but they are not all  good.

[Jayne]

24 minutes ago, shiloh357 said:

God bless the men and women in law enforcement who serve and protect us ever day.

AMEN!!!

[Guest]

  

I see no reason you couldn't become a policeman or woman 

IF the Lord leads you in that direction

    

 

 

Edited December 10, 2016 by Guest
Left out some

[Guest shiloh357]

6 hours ago, missmuffet said:

Not all cops are good. There are some bad cops out there. And there are some good cops but they are not all  good.

99.9% of cops are not the problem and are not bad apples.  But the police do their job and do not deserve to be maligned as being as evil as the criminals they protect us from.