Revenge
This week's study is on Romans 12:17-21:
These verses from the apostle Paul's letter to the Romans expand on what Jesus said. We naturally want to repay evil for evil. If someone takes something that belongs to us, or hurts us, does some other kind of evil, we want to punish them and teach them a lesson. Wars are fought over things like that. There's a huge prison industry built around it. We naturally want to hurt those who hurt us.
What Jesus says, and what Paul repeats, is that we're not supposed to repay evil with more evil, but with goodness. As much as it is possible, we should live in peace with one another. That means different things to different people, but ultimately nobody should be able to look at your life or theirs and say "these two people are divided against each other." If both of you are Christians, for instance, that would mean the Church is divided against itself, which would mean the body of Christ is divided against itself. As they say, can a divided house stand?
We should do what is right and make peace with one another. Maybe there was a misunderstanding. Or maybe God's wrath would make yours look feeble by comparison, and he doesn't want his and yours mixed together. He sees everything. He knows our evil and the evil of others. We don't want to risk adding more evil to the world by trying to handle things on our own. It's very hard to do when you see people getting away with heinous crimes, but God will ultimately repay, even if it ends up being eternally.
Meanwhile, what if God has redeemed the evildoer? Will we help things by taking petty revenge on him? I can tell you of plenty of times where someone has gloated to me about some trick they played on someone else in order to "teach them a lesson" about some thing they did, or to avenge some perceived slight. I've also talked to the victims of this sort of behavior, and rarely does it produce growth or change. Generally it just produces resentment, division, and more revenge. If we're modeling the kingdom of a God who brings reconciliation to evildoers, is there any place for this sort of thing?
We're supposed to overcome evil with good. Christ's sacrifice did that. Ask for his heart, his compassion and patience. If we can overcome our own evil desires to repay evil with evil, we can help the other evil people to overcome their own evil. Christ repays our evil with good. If we value him, we'll learn to be like him.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
These verses from the apostle Paul's letter to the Romans expand on what Jesus said. We naturally want to repay evil for evil. If someone takes something that belongs to us, or hurts us, does some other kind of evil, we want to punish them and teach them a lesson. Wars are fought over things like that. There's a huge prison industry built around it. We naturally want to hurt those who hurt us.
What Jesus says, and what Paul repeats, is that we're not supposed to repay evil with more evil, but with goodness. As much as it is possible, we should live in peace with one another. That means different things to different people, but ultimately nobody should be able to look at your life or theirs and say "these two people are divided against each other." If both of you are Christians, for instance, that would mean the Church is divided against itself, which would mean the body of Christ is divided against itself. As they say, can a divided house stand?
We should do what is right and make peace with one another. Maybe there was a misunderstanding. Or maybe God's wrath would make yours look feeble by comparison, and he doesn't want his and yours mixed together. He sees everything. He knows our evil and the evil of others. We don't want to risk adding more evil to the world by trying to handle things on our own. It's very hard to do when you see people getting away with heinous crimes, but God will ultimately repay, even if it ends up being eternally.
Meanwhile, what if God has redeemed the evildoer? Will we help things by taking petty revenge on him? I can tell you of plenty of times where someone has gloated to me about some trick they played on someone else in order to "teach them a lesson" about some thing they did, or to avenge some perceived slight. I've also talked to the victims of this sort of behavior, and rarely does it produce growth or change. Generally it just produces resentment, division, and more revenge. If we're modeling the kingdom of a God who brings reconciliation to evildoers, is there any place for this sort of thing?
We're supposed to overcome evil with good. Christ's sacrifice did that. Ask for his heart, his compassion and patience. If we can overcome our own evil desires to repay evil with evil, we can help the other evil people to overcome their own evil. Christ repays our evil with good. If we value him, we'll learn to be like him.
But revenge feels so good that it makes me sick
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