John: Lord, are there circumstances where torture is acceptable?
Jesus: John, consider what I have taught and how I lived my life among you. “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). The kingdom of heaven is built on the foundation of love, mercy, and forgiveness, not on the actions that inflict suffering or pain on others.
John: I see, Lord. Your path is always one of compassion, even towards those who oppose us or do wrong.
Jesus: Yes, John. It’s in showing mercy that we reflect the heart of the Father. “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). There is no room in the kingdom for actions that debase or harm another person’s being, for every person is made in the image of God.
Peter: It’s challenging, Lord. The world often tells us that such measures can be justified under extreme circumstances.
Jesus: Peter, remember the words I spoke to you in the garden, “Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword” (Matthew 26:52). The kingdom we are building does not advance through violence or coercion but through sacrificial love and the proclamation of truth.
John: So, in all circumstances, we are to hold fast to the principles of love and mercy?
Jesus: Exactly, John. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:16). The true strength of the kingdom lies not in the power to subdue, but in the power to liberate through love.
