THE CHRISTIAN WARRIOR
by Gabriel Suarez  

'Suarez International'  is dedicated to His service, and this section exists to glorify His name and to provide encouragement to our brothers-in-arms that serve Him as Christian Warriors.

SUPPORTIVE FAITH/BELIEF SYSTEM
Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. " The Apostle Paul Book of Acts 20:26-27.

One aspect of personal combat is the uncertainty of death. Every man that has armed himself and gone into battle must have at one time or another been hit by the harsh reality of his own physical morality. I know I was when I arrived home late one night, after a particularly close call during a gunfight. I realized that we live and operate on the very edge of death. You either accept it, or fear it. If you accept it, you press on. If you fear it, you will almost certainly hesitate and die or worse get someone else killed due to your own foolishness. Knowing that there is something beyond this life is essential and that is why I am writing this chapter.

There are many operators (police, military and civilian) that are at odds with themselves because they have made a stand against evil and taken a life. They are told, by psychologists that, "It's OK we forgive you". Its almost as if they think you've done something wrong. Don't ever buy in to this nonsense! Any person that has stood a post against evil (be it the police officer, solider, or father defending his home) and was forced to take a life is acting within the will of God! Therefore he/she doesn't need to be forgiven by some pompous, intellectually-challenged, politically squeamish, windbag.

A good friend of mine once quoted Gail Erwin "Christianity is like ice cream. I really like ice cream, but I don't like it shoved up my nose". I write this chapter to give you a perspective you may not have fully considered. My intent is not to convert you, but to share with you something that has given me peace, comfort, and strength in my many times of need. I'm still alive today, not because I'm particularly good at what I do (I'm a regular guy like the rest of you), but because a higher power has been particularly good to me.

Also, please understand that my intent is not to offend your spiritual sensitivities, but give you my beliefs on this extremely important issue. And, after all, you paid for my beliefs and opinions when you bought the book, so listen up!

Sometimes people get defensive about this topic because of the controlling nature of our society. We as a nation have flushed our godly heritage. Pushing away God by our incorrectly motivated separation of church and state, contrary to our fore fathers' actual intent. Having faith in God and the saving grace of Jesus Christ, in my professional opinion, is extremely important and in fact required for a warrior. However, I will try to keep to the ice cream principle.

There are those in the religious realm that will tell you that its wrong to kill, for any reason. They jump up and down and point to the 6th commandment. "Thou shalt not kill!" Well, that's not what the actual Commandment says. This is a medieval misrepresentation, designed by the nobles to control their subjects. Christians where trained to be pacifistic so they where easily kept under control. After all, what can a bunch of unarmed peace-niks do when you tax them into the dirt, steal their wives and daughters, and run off with their cattle and crops?

This pacifistic principle has infected the church throughout the centuries. This very thing is why so many warriors completely avoid any issues of God, Jesus, or faith. The issue of pacifism-at-any-price goes against every thing we know. Its easy to think, "I would rather fight knowing I would die in the first minute of battle then draw a single breath as a coward and Christianity sounds like its for cowards". What a mistake! 

For many years, I avoided seeking this person called Jesus because I refused to be a Pacifistic Bible Thumping Coward. It just goes to show how wrong you can be if you don't search out the facts. I challenge you to seek answers for yourself. Study the Bible. If you don't understand what you read, seek help. Make your choices based on fact, and not on what someone else told you in Sunday school thirty years ago.

The Bible is very clear in this matter, be it Old or New Testament, and like any good weapon, I will use it to make and defend my point. God did not command his people not to kill. Quite the opposite. All over the Old Testament God commanded the Israelites to wipe out entire nations that stood against them. Here is one example: Joshua 10:28 On that day Joshua took Makkedah, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed them--all the people who were in it. He let none remain. He also did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.

I'll let you read for yourself what he did to the king of Jericho. As you can unmistakably see God did not give the command, "Don't kill anyone, under any circumstances, ever." He did however, command us not to COMMIT MURDER. There is a big difference between 'justified killing and selfish murder. Cain murdered his brother Abel in over a fit of jealousy (An act of selfish murder). David killed Goliath to save his countrymen from the Philistines. (An act that is not only moral but also honorable and heroic) Read for yourself.

Gen 4:7-8 Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.

1st Sam 17:49-51 Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone- and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

See the difference here, Grasshopper!!* 

Murder? NO! Killing? Well, Sometimes... if you have a very good reason.  Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived, in the book of Ecclesiastics (3:1-8) assures us there is a time for everything under heaven. In that list are some very interesting points  against the "no kill" principle. Ecclesiastics 3:3 A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace. Starting to get the picture?? So much for the "thou  shalt not kill" philosophy.

I said earlier in this chapter anyone that has taken a stand against evil and where forced to cancel some evil guy's social calendar, was acting with in the will of God. Paul tells us in of the book of Romans Chapter 13, 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. This stuff doesn't sound much like pacifism to me.

In order to be effective warriors we must have something to fight for. A cause, a strong belief or for the preservation of life. The most effective warriors fight out of love. Yes, I said it! Love. Now, before you toss the book (article) off the train, let me explain. The word "Love" in its modem form doesn't mean anything more than what our hollow veggie-eating society associates with it. "I love my MTV, my new hairdo, my dog, or my new Ferrari". Really? Here's the test to see if you really mean it.

WOULD YOU DIE FOR IT?  Your MTV doesn't sound so sweet now? Your dog turns out to be a pain in the rear, and your Ferrari costs too much to feed. Read on Grasshopper.

Do you love for your children? How about your family, do you love them? Do you love your friends, your military or (even in today's meatless world) your police unit? Do you love your country? "Now we're talking", you say. "God help the man that would harm any one of these, because I'll die before I let it happen!", you yell out as you grab the hilt of your saber! Friends, that's real love, and it's the most powerful thing on earth.

1st Corinthians 13:7 Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."  Protect, Trust, Hope, and Perseveres. When you look at this way love has a power and strength all of us can embrace. Jesus Christ, the greatest warrior that ever lived, said in the Book of 1st John (5:12-13)  "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."

Every real warrior I have ever known felt this way about his brothers in arms. They would gladly die for those they loved. That's the lesson that Jesus taught us. He was not a pacifist. On the contrary, Jesus had the power to save His own life but chose to die for His men, His country, and for His Father.

In keeping with the "Ice cream up your nose" principle, I suggested you base your choice for a belief system on facts. I know some of you are probably surprised that I called Jesus a warrior. So, let's take a look at Jesus the so-called Pacifist.

Matt 10:34 "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword".

Luke 22:36 Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.

Matt 26:50 But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?" Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. (in other words don't make it your only resolve for problems) Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?"

John 18:6 Then--when He said to them, "I am He,"--they drew back and fell to the ground. Then He asked them again, "Whom are you seeking?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus answered, "I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way," that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, "Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none." Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. Then Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?"

Jesus didn't rebuke Peter for using a sword, rather He told Peter that it wasn't the time for the sword. He told Peter to put his sword away, not get rid of it, or turn it in for concert tickets. Jesus had a mission to save the world at any cost, and like every great warrior He gave His life for his mission. This is a warrior that is worthy of all my praise We as warriors need a belief system. We need something that we can draw strength from and call on in a time of need. We need a higher power to give us a balance in life. I have tried to share with something that I am very passionate about. Please consider these words carefully.

I will leave you with this final thought from the Book of Romans (Romans 8:28-31) "We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these. He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"

Suarez International
 http://www.gabesuarez.com

Editors note: I asked the author Gabe what "grasshopper" meant. Here is his reply.  "The term grasshopper is a little pun that I throw out in some of my writings.  In the old TV show Kung Fu, there was a student that was always trying to come up with a question or a comment to somehow trip up his teacher.  The teacher usually put him in his place firmly but gently with an answer to his question that was obvious but unexpected."

For another great commentary of police shootings, go to 'The Code of the Warrior.'

Top of Page