“Very few people will die to save the life of someone else.  Although perhaps for a good person someone might possibly die.”

Why would a police officer risk his life to save a criminal?

Bridgeton (NJ) police received a burglary call from an ambulance station very early last Sunday morning.  Officer Sean Peak, age 49, responded to the call around 1:30 a.m.  When he arrived, he saw a person running through some nearby woods who then jumped or fell into the Cohansey River.

Fearing that the person might drown, Peak, in full gear, jumped into the river to save the burglary suspect.

The suspect, a 29-year-old woman later identified and arrested for the burglary charge, eventually made it across the river.  Peak, weighed down by his gear, was pulled from the water by other officers.  He was taken to the hospital where he was treated and released.  Later that morning, however, he was found unresponsive in his home by family members.  An autopsy was ordered to determine the cause of death.  It would appear that his death was related to his attempt to save the burglary suspect from potential drowning.

Again, why would a police officer risk his life to save a criminal?

Bridgeton Police Chief Michael Gaimari Sr. answered: “Sean made a decision as would any officer and entered [the] water in [an] attempt to pull the person from the running waters no matter what the circumstances.”  Peak was simply doing his duty.  Yes, he was seeking to apprehend a burglary suspect, but he was also trying to prevent the same suspect from potentially drowning. *

“Very few people will die to save the life of someone else.  Although perhaps for a good person someone might possibly die.”  This is a quote from the Scriptures.  It is Romans 5:7 in the New Century Version. 

The Apostle Paul, by inspiration, wrote these words in the context of discussing what Jesus did for sinners.  Read verses 7-8 together:

“Very few people will die to save the life of someone else.  Although perhaps for a good person someone might possibly die.  But God shows His great love for us in this way: Christ died for us while we were still sinners.”

But why would Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, give His life for ALL sinners?

Here are two reasons:

1. God loves us.  He created us, but we turned against Him in rebellion.  But He loves us anyway.  God was not bound by duty to save us; it was His love that moved Him to do it.

2. God wants to save us.  He “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).

The truth is that ALL of us are sinners and “drowning” in our sins.  But Jesus came to our rescue, not because we deserved it, but because He loves us.  And only Jesus could save us, because only the sinless Son of God could pay the price for our sins.  He paid the price with His life by dying on the cross for our sins.

The Apostle Peter wrote to Christians: “You were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19 NASB).

God will save from sin and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

* Information gleaned from “NJ officer dies hours after jumping into river to save burglary suspect” by Robert Gearty, www.foxnews.com.

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

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