Why would a member of the armed forces or the police be disobeying Jesus if lethal force is required to resolve a situation?
The member would be killing his enemy, not loving his enemy.
This is what Jesus said about the military:
Luke 3:14
Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely your pay."
He did not say that they should unilaterally disarm.
The soldiers he addressed were already in the military. There was no provision for members of the military to quit. They served until they died, were unable to serve due to injury or retired.
There are examples of Christians serving in Rome’s military who behaved ethically but refused to engage the enemies of Rome in combat. These Christians were executed by the Romans for obeying Jesus’ command to love their enemies.
Jesus didn’t instruct anyone to join the military or the police.
Christians killing fellow Christians - Jesus is happy with that?
Christians killing non-Christians - Jesus is happy with that?
This is what He did say about arms:
Luke 22:35-38
Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" "Nothing," they answered. 36He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one".
Why did he instruct them to buy swords?
Was it so they could join the military? No.
Was it so they could join the police force? No.
Was it so they could defend themselves if attacked by their enemies? No.
Why did he instruct them to purchase swords? In verse 37 Jesus explained why he instructed them to purchase swords - to fulfill the prophesy given in Isaiah 53:12. They were to purchase swords in order for him to be numbered with transgressors.
As the story continues, we see that they bought only two swords. And Jesus said to them? “It is enough.”
Moving ahead in the story, did they use the swords? Verse 49 - when they saw what was going to happen to Jesus they asked him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” Then Peter did just that. He cut off the right ear of the slave of the high priest! How did Jesus respond to Peter using the sword? He told them, “Stop! No more of this.” What did he do next? He touched the slaves ear and healed him.
In Matthew’s account of this incident, the story continues (Matthew 26:52-54). Jesus rebukes Peter for using the sword. “Then Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? How then will the scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?’”
If every young man or woman contemplating serving their country and followed your counsel, instead of reading from the book of Mark you would be reading the book of Marx.
No I wouldn’t. I might be persecuted. I might be martyred. I would be reading scripture, not Marx.
Jesus certainly was not a pacifist.
Jesus was a pacifist. He killed no one and he instructed no one to kill.
When Jesus returns, then he will kill. And so, apparently, will those who accompany him.
You didn’t include in your post what Jesus said in John 18:36. I’d like to quote it here.
”Jesus answered [Pilate], ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then my servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews...”
