Monday, June 25, 2012

They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue.

A sobering reminder of just how different Christians are to be in how they live:
When their feelings have been hurt, people often feel justified in doing anything they want in retaliation. They can leave the church, divide the body, explode with uncontrolled anger, cut people off, lie, hate, and backbite. They try to justify the most wicked, sinful behavior with the simple excuse, “But I’ve been hurt!” Scripture, however, prohibits the spirit of retaliation, the get-even mentality that plagues human nature, with the clear command: “Repay no one evil for evil” (Rom. 12:17; 1 Thes. 5:15; 1 Pet. 3:9). When insulted, we are not to return the insult; when attacked, we are not to retaliate; when criticized, we are not to slander; when hurt, we are not to strike back. The Scripture further forbids seeking personal, private revenge or taking justice into our own hands; “Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Rom. 12:19). It is God’s prerogative to punish evil, and He will see to it…. Rather than seeking retribution, Christians are to “overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). 
~Alexander Strauch, Leading With Love

1 Comments:

At 25 June, 2012 10:05, Anonymous Steve Martin said...

Thank you for that strong Word of law.

I needed to reminded, yet once again (I always need to be reminded) that I am not up to it.

That Word of law needs to crush me, so that my Savior can go to work (yet once again) in His gospel to raise me again to new life.

Thank you!

 

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