The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 1301-A, titled "Bible Questions and Answers Part 3."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE.  ©1976. All Rights Reserved.

Question

Do you think a Christian can become a police officer—with the power to kill if necessary, having such powerful position in this worldly kingdom, which, according to Scripture, is not of our own?

Answer

That’s very interesting. All of you who are police officers, stay where you are for a minute until I answer this. Now, the person who asked the question apparently has in mind the fact that we are not of this world and that the police are of the world’s system. And so, the question comes, can a Christian be a police officer (and particularly adding the problem of having the power to kill if necessary)?

First, let me say this: it is wrong to confuse human government with the world system. Human government was invented by whom? God. God is the one who began the process of government. Back in the Book of Genesis, God gave the right of capital punishment to government. And we just read a portion where God himself states “a life for a life.”

So the idea of government was given by God for the protection of good men and the punishment of evil men for the preservation of society. So, in the purest sense, human government is not a part of the world system. The term that we use, I think, so freely and, most of the time, accurately, “the world system,” has to do with the evil corruption of Satan in the world. But human government is an institution of God. We would not say that marriage is the world system. We would say marriage is an institution of God, but it has been corrupted by the world—right? So has human government. Probably the biggest problem going on today in law enforcement is to try to find people who will be faithful to their duty.

I was talking to an individual the other day about some of the corruption in Chicago; talking about some of the police force. Some of the policemen were actually bought off as "hit men" in Chicago and are recently being put on trial for this. The problem that arises in law enforcement is that the corruption of sin has seeped into a God-ordained institution. I’m convinced that what we really need on the police force are more Christians, not to eliminate them, because I think they have the highest level of ethical responsibility.

You say, “But what about the right to kill?” or “What about that? Doesn’t that violate the standards of the scripture?” Turn to Romans 13. Romans 13 gives us a good picture of the relationship that we are to have to government. You say, “Well, you know, the scripture says here, ‘Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. There’s no power but of God.’” The “powers that be” are ordained of God! “Whosoever, therefore, resists the power, resists the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves judgment.” You say, “Well, that’s a different government than today.” Yeah, you know whose government that was? Nero’s! Nero’s government…

And the apostle says this government is ordained of God. Government, as such, is ordained of God. It has been corrupted, obviously, but the institution is still ordained of God. Government represents God’s rule in the world. It is God’s way of ordering society. Even the worst of governments, even if you talk about communism—some how, some way, even the worst of governments, for the most part, apart from Christian persecution, secure the good and punish the evil. Do they not? Most governments still do that. It is when governments become very intellectualized and very sophisticated and so forth, like our kind of government, that that becomes a problem and that the courts can’t really bring about what should be done, justly, to the criminals.

But notice, verse 3: “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil.” You don’t have to fear the police if you obey the law. That’s what it says. “Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same.” In other words, if you behave yourself, you don’t have anything to worry about. Watch, for the policeman here is in view: “The man given the power of keeping order in the government is a minister of”—what? “Of God.” He carries about a God-ordained function. “A minister of God to thee for good. But if you do that which is evil”—what? “Be afraid.” Why? “For he bears not the sword in vain, for he is the minister of God and avenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” Put it in the modern vernacular: he doesn’t have his gun for no reason.

Now here you see these men are called the “ministers of God” and they “bear the sword not in vain.” “…Wherefore you must needs be subject,” not only for wrath, not only because you’re afraid what will happen, but because of conscience’s sake! Just because it’s—what? It’s right. God gave them the sword and He gave them the sword to use. This is to keep goodness prevalent and evil subdued.

You’ll notice in I Peter 2:14 (don’t look it up, I’ll just read it), “Governors we are to be subject to as under them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers.” That’s the police. They are sent for the punishment of evildoers. They do not bear the sword in vain.

Yes, I think a Christian can be a policeman; I wish we had more.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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