The SearcherOfTheLight For me brother a Vietnam Veteran,and one who has fought in battle, the 4 chapters of Second Timothy to me good brother were written for the soldier. For the Lord knew long ago there would always be battles to fight to preserve the right, to always bear arms against any foe.( Luke 22:36-38)
The taking of a life is not the same in real life,as it is in a video game or movie,it is far different to say the least! The mindset of the soldier is to never become entangled in the affairs of everyday life,for the life of the soldier, has nothing to do with everyday life!!( 2 Tim 2:4)
I just wanted you to understand the mindset of the soldier before I address your question directly. The life the soldier takes from this earth cannot be repented over,for to repent means to turn away from any killing,and if any soldier turned away from killing, he himself would fall prey to his enemy killing him.
In a close quarter kill,for the first time the soldier become ill( at least 90 percent will, I sure did) for when you snatch a life so close to your own,you feel the effect of the death you have caused to take place. The horror of last words can haunt the soldier,the face of death,is not unlike,your own after you take it.
There is no I am sorry,there is no I didn't mean it,there is only purpose to preserve your own life,and the lives of your fellow soldiers. In this, is mindset for the soldier, and this is how he can move on. A soldier is a servant to the master who brought him to war in the first place.( 2 Tim 2:24-26)
There is no way to compare a believing soldier to an unbelieving one except for the fact, that they are both doing the same job.You are trained to perform what is needed by your superiors,so that in battle you fellow soldiers will not be afraid that you will not fight when needed or called upon.
The real question to killing is not in the act itself, but rather the motive to which one kills. If the soldiers mindset in not here,they most likely will perish from the earth themselves,i saw many who did. For guilt and condemnation can have no part in the soldiers mindset!!
I truly understand those who believe it is wrong,I sure would not kill for sport or fun,it was never that! There is purpose in the kill,you have saved lives on your own side,and hopefully moved a bit closer to have the enemy surrender. After the battle, the time you take to reflect upon what you have done,is also done with purpose,you do not consider if the kill was right or wrong,but rather how safe you stayed during the confrontation!
Here is the real sad part! The more you kill, the better you get at the killing,and when the killing is done,you cannot wait to get back into the battle again! Your mind becomes set on attack rather then defense,because when you attack you are moving forward, and not withdrawing, so your eyes are forward as well.
For if your back is toward the enemy, you will not see there attack! And you will be a sorry soldier indeed! Because you will be dead from looking back or going back!( reminds me of this scripture!Luke 9:62) and gen 19:26!) A kill is an event! It is not the kind of event you look forward to,nor run away from. It has purpose,and brings results.
I can only speak for myself in battle,I do not discuss much of the times i spent in the jungles of Vietnam,because unless you were there with me,you would never fathom,what went thorugh ones mind, or the horrors from the result. I was not a believer then,but through what I endured, sure did prepare me to be able to receive my Jesus!
I sure was ready to give him my sin,and receive his blood he shed for them! Jesus is looked by a soldier a bit different from civilians who receive him I think.The soldier looks at Jesus as a commander of both truth and grace!( john 1:14!!!) The code of the soldier in him now!
For the soldier knows how much he needed in battle himself,and must therefore always extend the same to others!(2 Peter 3:18) For the great commandment to the soldier is( john 13:34) Love one another as I have loved you,the soldier knows about lives given for both his Country and for others who served with him!( john 15:11-17!!)
For our Commander( YES FRIEND!!) Jesus did the same for all those he loved! The soldier can always follow truth and grace,because that is what the soldier has always fought for in the first place! Blessing all!