During this time of war, it is wise to reflect on what the Bible says about
soldiers and those who our country hires to fight our wars. Everyone is familiar with Jesus teaching to “turn the other cheek” (Matt 5:39: But I
say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also). However, this passage refers to how to deal with an evil person, not a foreign power or an army. In fact, Jesus never told anyone not to be a soldier or to leave the army. So, what does the Bible say about warriors? In Capernaum, a Roman
Centurion (an officer in command of approximately 100 soldiers) approached Jesus and asked Him to heal an ill servant. The Centurion’s
faith was very strong and Jesus was astonished (Matt 8:10: 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.) Jesus was impressed with the Centurion’s faith and it is interesting to note that the Centurion was not advised to stop being a soldier. Throughout the Gospels, soldiers are generally treated much more favorably and with more respect than for example, the Pharisees who were the religious scholars of the time. While Roman soldiers were involved in Christ’s crucifixion, they are still written of more favorably than the religious scholars. Many of the Roman soldiers clearly became sympathetic to Jesus: (Matt 27:54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!") and (Mark 15:39: When the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"). In John 15: 13, Jesus said "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. Our soldiers are asked to fight and die for us and each other. Their sacrifices cannot be repaid by any means we possess. Luke 3:14 describes a dialogue between John the Baptist and soldiers:
Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, "And
what about us, what shall we do?" And He said to them, "Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse
anyone falsely, and be content with your wages." Note that Jesus did not tell them to change professions. Every American has an opinion as to the issues surrounding the current war. Some are in favor of the action, some are against. This paper is not written to take sides, explain the issues or attempt to change anyone’s mind. Whatever side we are on, we must make sure not to blame the soldiers, or cheapen their sacrifices. What, then should we do? We should all pray for the soldiers. Ask God to protect them from harm and bring them home safely. We should repeatedly thank the Lord that there are men and women willing to make the greatest sacrifice possible in our behalf. And if you happen to run into a soldier at an airport or restaurant, a simple smile, thank you and God Bless You can make all the difference in the world.
More abstracts about the What Would Jesus Say to American Soldiers