Law Enforcement

 

I recently had a dream in which it was my first day of work as a police officer. As I was a rookie, I was surprised that I had not been assigned a training officer or partner and also that I had not been issued a gun or any other weapon.

There had been intel that the city where I worked was under a terrorist threat targeting the subway system. My assignment was to travel on the city subway lines and trams and to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity.

As I was expecting a rundown, dirty transportation system in dire need of repair, similar to those in most major cities, I was shocked when I entered the outdoor plaza of the central hub. It was immaculate in upkeep and futuristic in design. Each car was transparent, made of plexiglass, bullet-shaped, and trimmed in chrome that gleamed in the sunlight.

There were no ticket takers or transit card punchers, so I entered one of the cars as the doors magically swept open as I approached. I chose a seat near the end of the car, where I thought I would have a better vantage point in the event of trouble. But to my surprise, the car was deserted, as were the platforms at every stop.

The train traveled at great speed, through subway tunnels and on overhead rails suspended above the city, yet gracefully slid to a stop at every station, decelerating almost instantaneously. Finally it reached the end of the line, and I exited the car to a large plaza that was also deserted. As there had been no maps onboard the train and no announcements of stations or routes, I was relieved to see a large, freestanding poster containing a map. But I didn’t recognize any of the station names, so there didn’t seem to be any choice but to get back on the train.

Finally there was a passenger – only one – an older woman stretched out on the bench seat at the back of the car. Her tight-fitting velvet gown accentuating her ample curves, teased hair, overdone makeup, stiletto heels and provocative pose made me wonder if she was a madam.

“I know what you’re thinking, dearie, but you would be wrong,” she purred.  “You can’t judge a book by its cover.”

Even in the dream, her comment reminded me of Scripture stating that only God knows the hearts (1 Samuel 16:7). In any event, it seemed safe to assume that this woman was not involved in any sort of terrorist plot. As I considered my first day at work in law enforcement, I was thankful that I had not encountered any violence, suspicious activity, or even any type of confrontation.

When I was awake and contemplated the spiritual applications of the dream, I considered that every Christian is to be involved in law enforcement, meaning upholding God’s Law and the Ten Commandments (Psalm 119; Exodus 20:1-17). Once we are saved by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), His Holy Spirit indwells us (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13), empowering us to flee temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13) and resist the devil (James 4:7).

Although Christians benefit from Godly counsel and fellowship (Proverbs 27:17) and sound teaching and preaching (Romans 10:14), the Holy Spirit is our primary Guide, Counselor, Comforter and Teacher (John 14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7). In the dream I had no earthly training officer or partner, as I was to be led by the Holy Spirit.

God has given us His Word to hide in our heart that we would not sin against Him (Psalm 119:11). The weapons of our warfare to enforce His Law are spiritual, not carnal (2 Corinthians 10:4; Ephesians 6:12), and involve putting on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-17) before we even leave the house, and preferably before we even get out of bed! In the dream, I had no gun or other weapon to enforce the law, emphasizing that this is a spiritual battle.

In the days of Moses, breaking the law was often punishable by death (Exodus 21). In the New Testament, James wrote that whoever is guilty of breaking any part of the law is guilty of transgressing the entire law (James 2:10-11). This explains why no human can enter Heaven without faith in Christ, as all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

Jesus Christ made this standard even more impossible for man to meet, as He said that violating the law even in thought and not in deed was a sin. Whoever looked at another with lust was guilty of adultery, and whoever got angry was guilty of murder in their heart (Matthew 5:22,27).

But thankfully, He fulfilled the law perfectly on our behalf, through His perfect law of liberty (James 1:25). Whoever trusts in Him has His righteousness credited to their spiritual account, and their sins paid for in full by Christ’s suffering on the cross (Romans 4:6-22; 3:25).

Although we are to be spiritually discerning and speak the truth in love, confronting another’s sin according to Biblical principles (Matthew 18:15-17), Jesus Christ warns us not to judge, for only He knows the hearts (Matthew 7:1-5). In the dream, I jumped to the wrong conclusion about the subway passenger, who then reminded me of this principle. Christ Himself did not condemn the woman caught in adultery and told her accusers to cast the first stone only if they themselves were free of sin (John 8:1-11).  

In the dream, the immaculately clean, futuristic city and transit system suggested the heavenly City, or New Jerusalem, that will be beyond compare and beyond imagination (Revelation 21:2; 1 Corinthians 2:9). The trains were nearly empty, reflecting Christ’s words that the gate to Heaven is narrow (Matthew 7:13-14), and that few will enter it as He is the only Way (John 14:6). There were no ticket takers or transit card punchers, indicating that we cannot buy or work our way to Heaven, for we are saved only by grace through faith, and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9).

On my first day as a police officer in the dream, I had very little to do, as no laws were being broken! Clearly this was no earthly city, where crime runs rampant because of man’s sin nature inherited from Adam in the fall (1 Corinthians 15:45; Romans 5:12).

Praise God, in Heaven there will be no need for police, first responders, doctors, nurses, counselors, or undertakers, for our glorified bodies will never sin, age, die or experience pain, sorrow or sickness!  (1 Corinthians 15:35-50). In the meantime, may we yield to His Holy Spirit to keep the law ourselves and to refrain from judging others, for only God knows the hearts!

Copyright Laurie Collett 2025