When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment. Matthew:10-13

Jesus commended one centurion for his faith—not his occupation. Jesus also never told the “woman at the well” that she was wrong for having five husbands and divorces, as well as living with a man who was not her husband. Neither is there any record of Jesus directly telling prostitutes that they were in the wrong profession, but that doesn’t mean he commended it.  Each of these things is covered in his teachings, which he clearly had in mind for his followers to obey, whether he made a direct, personal application to them individually or not.

Jesus taught:

“Love your enemy” (Matthew 5:43-48).

“Bless those who curse you” (Luke 6:28).

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also” (Matthew 5:38-40).

“My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” (John 18:36)

Peter said, “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9).

Paul said, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world” (2 Corinthians 10:3, 4).

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).

Jesus expects his followers to be different because they’re not operating the way this world does, but in God’s way.  By not telling the centurion, just one man, that he shouldn’t be in the military, Jesus did not nullify all of his teachings about loving one’s enemy.

“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8; 31, 32

 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” John 14:21

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.” John 14:23, 24