Probable Cause 4 | Miles DeBenedictis

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. (Romans 13:1–4)

To the officer who bears the sword: you are just as much a minister of God as the pastor who bears the Word.

A Glutton for Punishment

It takes a very special kind of person to be in law enforcement, and to be honest, I just didn't have it in me. It takes a person who, frankly, is a glutton for punishment. If you wanted kicked-back shifts, this was not the career to take. If you wanted to make great money, this was not it. If you wanted notoriety and to be liked, this certainly wasn't the job—for that, you should have become a firefighter.

I've known Dave Bishop for many years, and I'm pretty sure it was he who explained the law enforcement mindset to me. He said there are two kinds of people in the world: there are cops, and then there are idiots. I stand before you today among the 99.8% who are the idiots—so I'm not sure I have much to share.

What Pastors and Police Have in Common

Although there's a clear separation between the law enforcement community and the rest of us, I believe there's a great deal that police officers and pastors share. First, both start with "p." Beyond that: people expect integrity from us. People hold us to a higher standard. People look to us to see what is right.

We are also defined by the worst in our rank. People see the terrible things one officer or one pastor does, and they make a blanket statement over all of us. We are scrutinized for doing exactly what we're supposed to do. My calling is to unashamedly proclaim truth, and in our society that truth runs against the common values of the culture—so when I do my job, people say they don't like it. The same is true when you stand up for righteousness and punish unrighteousness.

Neither pastors nor police officers are highly regarded in our society today. Polling agencies like Gallup rank the most-esteemed professions, and pastors and police officers sit right next to each other around 40 and 42. Firefighters are number one, paramedics number two—they added "paramedic" to their list and cornered the market on being liked. Many of us become jaded because we get to see just how broken humanity really is. You see that reality far more than I do.

Both Ministers of God

But the biggest thing we have in common is this: we are both ministers of God. Let me show you that scripturally.

In Romans, the Apostle Paul writes to Christians living in the capital of the Roman Empire around 54 to 58 AD—the strongest superpower in the world, with many similarities to the United States today. There were Christians in the city of Rome who were part of Caesar's household, who were guards and soldiers. To them Paul says that every soul is to be subject to the governing authorities, because there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by Him.

You are trained in deductive reasoning, so you don't need me to parse the Greek here—the meaning is clear. The person who holds authority stands in a position given to them by God. God appointed them, and they are therefore His minister, His servant, to do the job He has called them to. When I stand before my congregation and preach, I bear a sword—the Word of God, living and powerful, a two-edged sword. You bear a very physical sword against a very physical foe. But each of us is a minister of God for the good of those we serve.

When Authorities Forget

Society faces its greatest difficulties when those given power forget certain truths. It faces trouble when authorities forget they are servants of God. When they forget they occupy a God-given office. When they forget they were placed in service for the good of those they serve, and not for their own personal privilege—and I'm sure some of you have seen people who stepped into this for personal privilege. And when they forget that one day they will give an account to God for their service.

A great deal that is shifting and failing in our nation, and in western civilization as a whole, comes down to not recognizing these biblical truths. If you carry the Word of God with you and recognize these things, you can be an influencer for good in the departments where you work—remembering that you were placed where you are to serve, not to be served, and that one day you will stand before God to give account.

You Do Not Have the Right to Remain Silent

Let me get practical. You all know the Miranda rights better than I do: you have the right to remain silent, anything you say can be used against you, you have the right to an attorney.

As a Christian, one part of that simply does not apply. We do not have the right to remain silent. We will be held accountable for the things we say and do. Now, I'm not telling you to become the most outspoken, obnoxiously bold person on the force. But I am challenging you to live in such a way that you uphold the principles of Scripture as one who is a minister of God.

Do Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly

There's a verse that distills this into three workable points. The prophet Micah says:

He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

I'm speaking to you exactly as I would speak to a conference of pastors, because I see you as ministers of God. These three things show us how to live in a good way.

To do justly. First, this means to defend the defenseless. About 2,800 years ago, through Isaiah, God told Judah He would judge them—He looked for justice and judgment, and they were gone. One reason He gave: "you did not defend the cause of the fatherless and the widow." Many of you entered this work because someone perpetrated something on you or someone you knew, and you wanted to stand against it. To that I say amen.

Second, doing justly means to walk properly in integrity—simple innocence, a reputation and character so consistent that whether or not your coworkers know which church you attend, they know you are different. Solomon wrote, "He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his way will become known" (Proverbs 10:9), and "the righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him" (Proverbs 20:7).

Third, doing justly means do not use unjust scales. In Old Testament marketplaces, dishonest merchants would rig their scales to cheat people. God says, "Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight" (Proverbs 11:1). The New Living Translation renders Proverbs 20:23, "The Lord detests double standards." In your work, temptations will come to apply a double standard. God says walk in integrity and do justly.

Love Mercy

Second, Micah said we are to love mercy. As an authority delivering justice, you are a steward of God's justice, not your own. And God, who entrusts you with that justice, says, "I want you to show mercy."

One of the highest things we learn about God is His mercy. When He declares who He is to Moses in Exodus 34:6, the very first thing He says is, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious." From Genesis to Revelation, even though God is just and holy and will bring vengeance on unrighteousness, we are constantly turned back to His mercy—and He calls us to be merciful too.

How do we love mercy? One way is that we never get to the point where we delight in someone else's punishment. That's hard, because sometimes punishment is deserved and we want to relish it. But the moment we start to delight in punishment, those are the seeds of sadism. It's a dangerous place to be.

Walk Humbly

Finally, God calls us to walk humbly before Him and before people. One of the dangers of carrying the sword is arrogance. I'll admit something that makes me look like a dweeb: years ago I got into martial arts, sparring with Mario Sayas of the Escondido Police Department. As I learned to defend myself, the strangest thing happened—I'd walk around thinking, "I could take that guy." It was vain and foolish; if anyone had actually wanted to fight, I'd have ended up on the ground.

When you carry yourself as though you can handle anyone, it changes how you walk. That's not necessarily bad—but when you arrogantly carry the sword, it becomes dangerous and moves against what God loves. Proverbs 6:17 says God hates "a proud look." He doesn't just dislike it; He abominates it.

Some people think mercy and humility are signs of weakness. But the reality is that only the person in the position of authority, the one who bears the sword, has the privilege of showing mercy. It's in your hands. Our society desperately needs to see godly men and women in your environment, day in and day out, who do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly.

Closing Prayer

Lord, I pray that You take these words—whatever is from You, whatever is right and true—and plant them deep in our hearts. I pray for these men and women called to a difficult task, who carry an authority inherited from You and who stand in places of danger to do their work. Protect them. Pour out Your grace, mercy, and peace upon them, and use them as enforcers of what is true and right and good.

I pray for their spouses and families, who carry the concern that the call might come even after years without incident. Be with them. I thank You for those gathered here from across San Diego County—Escondido, Carlsbad, Oceanside, San Diego County Probation, El Cajon, and beyond—people willing to set aside their time off to be challenged in their faith and their work. Use them as lights in dark places, for this group sees darkness the rest of the world never sees. Help them, when they leave those environments, to leave the heavy things with You.

Bless this group, increase our fellowship as we share a meal, and bless the food prepared for us. We ask this in Jesus' name, and all God's people said, Amen.