Verse: For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this man, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.” Matthew 8: 9-10
There is a belief that if you are a grunt you need to be filled with drunkenness, fornication, coarse language, and all kinds of filth. When I went through a board to be part of Recondo in the 25th and they found out I was a Christian the leadership questioned my commitment to the main job of the Infantry, killing the enemy. They assumed that because I was a Christian I would become a conscientious. Even after I proved myself over and over, this was challenged throughout my entire time in the Infantry.
A lot of Christians in the past have served as conscientious objector, meaning that they would not serve in a roll that would require them to kill. Some Christian traditions advocate to avoid enlistment in the military at all. This is due to a view that Christians ought not to kill anyone, since the 10 Commandments say, “Though shalt not murder (often translated as kill)” and the fact that all are made in the image of God.
It is a legitimate question. Can someone who’s profession is to kill the enemy in close combat be righteous? If you are expected to kill people you cannot hesitate, or you can endanger the soldiers around you. You need to be on point.
In Matthew 8 a centurion approaches Jesus at Capernaum to ask for healing for his daughter. Centurions were the commanders of groups from 80 to 100 soldiers (basically a company commander). These men usually were chosen for this position. because of their valor on the battlefield. These were top notch soldiers and leaders.
This powerful Roman man, in a country that he occupied, went to Jesus about his servant who needed healing. When Jesus told him that he would go back to the centurion’s house to heal the servant he replied, “Lord, I am not good enough for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this man, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”
This man was a man of war, but Christ said of him, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.” Men of war are not doomed to be wretched, degenerate sinners. They can and should live holy lives in the ministry of the sword (Romans 13:4).
In Romans 13:4 we learn that there is a “ministry of the sword”. Paul talks about the government saying, “for they do not bear the sword in vain,” and “for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.” As Christians we should not be afraid to partake in this ministry that God has set up to use as a tool to pour out His wrath on the evil doer.
By, John Cooper
Godly Grunt 6
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