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BIBLE STUDY
Cops, Christians and "The Badge"
The inspiration and much of the material for this week's message comes from an article written some 15 years ago by fellow servant-warrior
Mike Baker. As always, my prayer is that you'll open your Bibles and prayerfully seek the Holy Spirit's help in applying these principles to your own lives. Here we go:
The peace officer's badge (shield, star, etc.) is a physical symbol of our authority, calling and responsibility as God's
ministers (the Greek word means "servant")
for good and a terror against evil -
Romans 13:4.
Our God-ordained profession aside, EVERY Christian should understand that they too wear that same "badge" in the spiritual realm as defenders of the moral law of God. Moreover,
every true believer carries much the same credentials that we as peace officers do when it comes to overcoming a common spiritual enemy. Jesus Himself bestowed this authority when He proclaimed,
"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you" (Luke 10:19). The Spirit-filled Christian, being enlightened to the spiritual realm, has the same authority to oppose Satan's working that a police officer has to oppose the criminal element in the temporal realm. Now understand that we are not to be personally "rebuking" Satan or his demons (not a sound biblical doctrine). Rather, Scripture reveals that God grants the true Christian the authority to RESIST and OVERCOME our common enemy through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. James 4:7 says to "submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Zechariah 3:2 tells us that it is the Lord who rebukes Satan for us. Even Michael, one of the most powerful of the angels, did not dare to personally engage Satan, but rather exclaimed, "The Lord rebuke you" (Jude 1:9).
Note also that just as we in law enforcement bear weapons and wear body armor in the physical, God has given His own the weaponry and full armor to stand against evil in the spiritual realm (Ephesians 6:10-18). The most effective weapons we have against the devil are our faith, wisdom, and knowledge about God as revealed in His Word. Christ, when tempted by Satan, answered him with Scripture (Matthew 4:1-11). Moreover, just as we in law enforcement use our physical weapons in righteous warfare against human enemies, God has empowered the Christian to wage war against a common enemy under Christ our Captain: "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
Now understand that our authority as Christians isn't something that can be acquired by just anybody, even as the badge and authority of the LEO can't just be acquired on a whim (only about 2% of applicants for law enforcement positions make it through the rigorous background process, testing, field training and probationary period). Rather, the authority of a citizen of Heaven is acquired
ONLY when we make the freewill choice to
repent, be
born again in Christ (
John 3:3),
surrender our lives to His Lordship and
submit ourselves to the authority (and sufficiency) of His Word and the training of the Holy Spirit.
Another analogy? From time to time, criminals impersonate police officers. A badge, a uniform and a vehicle with red or blue lights can do much to fool the naive and unobservant. Likewise, Scripture (
Acts 19:13) reveals misguided individuals trying to appropriate the same authority that Paul the Apostle, as a Christian, wielded in his position as an ambassador of Jesus Christ against the spiritual realm of demonic evil and the forces of darkness. These pretenders (what we in law enforcement term as "wannabees") sinfully commanded the demon possessing this one individual they were seeking to deliver from its influence, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims." The demon, quite unimpressed with these false Christian impersonators said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize; but who are you?" Then proceeded to work them over quite thoroughly, sending them running down the road. Jesus and Paul had reputations and authority in the spiritual realm, these charlatans did not.
Further, just as LEOs have a sworn DUTY to act against the evil we see on a daily basis and protect the public from the wickedness around them (to
"Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked" -- Psalm 82:3-4), EVERY true believer is called to boldly live our faith and actively reach (rescue) those lost in Satan's grasp (unbelievers) with the life-saving/life-changing Gospel of Christ (to carry out the "Great Commission").
Mike rightly pointed out that serving the Lord should never be seen as an obligation, but rather as a day-to-day service to Him in love and appreciation for what He has done in our lives. As Christians, our duty as soldiers ("warriors") in the unseen army of Heaven (
II Timothy 2:3-4
) is always to oppose the enemy (in the power of God), wherever and whenever he manifests himself in our lives and sphere of influence. At no time, regardless of outward circumstances and conditions, are we to shirk the responsibilities of our position in Him. Even as the thought of a cop letting a violent criminal "slip the noose" of accountability for his lawless actions is reprehensible, so too, as Christians, is the thought of us rolling over and letting the enemy wreak his havoc in our lives and society.
Mike also rightfully wrote, "Many people today, seeing the evil that exists in our society, are resigned to waiting for the judgment of God to fall on America. Many are acting like Jonah did, reacting to the repentance of the society of Ninevah, angry at the status quo, wanting "revenge" outside of the protocols of the dispensation of Grace, and sulking outside the outskirts of the city. Antagonistic to the prospect that anybody would believe and seek to see the Lord, through His powerful Holy Spirit, work within American culture to bring this nation to a true repentance. This same bitterness and cynicism is unBiblical and rooted in unbelief; rooted in Satanic deception; contrary to the unconditional promises of God and our common duty."
AMEN!
Speaking of those of us who are both LEOs and ministers of His Word, Mike adds that we must "...maintain a vocal, bold, proactive stance for truth and integrity in the face of some formidable odds, the Lord's interests and mind at the fore, continually bringing the battle to the enemy's doorstep. Not being one who is 'up on a hill' in his heart, waiting for the Lord to come back, but down in the valley far out on the front lines, under arms and battling the enemy..." (the "enemy" being our earthly and spiritual foes) "...in a very formidable, far reaching way."
Both Mike and I rightly ask, "As a Christian, whether in law enforcement or a private citizen, are you?" Brethren, we most certainly should and can be!
So how then can we have this power to effectively resist the enemy and carry out our calling? If you are not saved,
REPENT of your sin and make the choice to be
born again in Christ -- the ONLY One (and the
ONLY way) who can save you from an otherwise just sentence in hell. Again, it is with a
Code 3 sense of urgency that I plead with you to say "yes" to Jesus today. Moreover, if you are a believer but have not been living "
all-in" for Him, then I also urge you to repent and get back on the course He has set for you. Here are some outstanding resources to help you on both counts:
Folks, both as cops and Christians, we are NEVER truly off duty. Let's polish-up our badges and get back in the fight under Christ our Captain!
MC
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