My question is regarding what Jesus taught regarding disciples in law enforcement. I am an ER nurse, and I have always strongly supported and respected the nobility and sacrifice of the job. I also realize that not every officer has such a 'pure heart' towards the job. I am left wondering if Christians are doing wrong by their profession simply because they use force to protect the public at times? This has always seemed preposterous to me in the past, but I realize that perhaps my faith is too tied to this world and is in need of correction. What do you understand Jesus' heart to be on the matter?
Jesus did not teach directly about Christians working in the police force, though he did speak explicitly about relationship with enemies in Matthew 5. If anything, we modern Christians have been too eager to accommodate the Savior's principles to our enlightened notions of politics, nation building, and use of force. It is a valuable for us to think through these issues. Though not all Christians will agree, the literal meaning of Jesus' words is not hard to grasp.
You asked what Jesus' heart is on the matter. That is easy to answer: love for enemies (Luke 6:17-31). What does that mean to you? That's the question I think we must encourage Bible believers to ask themselves.
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originally posted from Douglas Jacoby, used with permission.