How do you feel when someone does you wrong? Perhaps they have done some really dirty deal at work, or maybe a so-called “friend” lies about you to others, or does some other act of betrayal, which really scars your reputation. Maybe a spouse or family member does something terrible towards you, which hurts you deeply. When these, or so many other types of treachery happens, how do we react? We might be tempted to think up something to really clobber them good! Why not give them back just like they did you? That might only seem right and fair, especially since they were the ones who acted nasty and hurtful first. Let’s look at what God’s Word says, and see if He might give us a pass.
The Apostle Paul sure knew about being attacked unfairly, when enemies said and did some very nasty and even threatening things against him. It would have seemed only fair and natural for him to finally have had enough of that, and to turn around and give them equal treatment. Perhaps there were times that he felt exactly like doing that, and he might have before he came to know Jesus. Yet now that Paul was a believer and follower of the Savior, he knew that Jesus had another way that He wanted His children to act when they had been treated wrongly. Our Scripture passage today is one place in the Bible that details this way.
In the middle of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Church in Rome, he gives some instructions from the Lord to these believers. As our Scripture opens, Paul tells us that God wishes us to bless those who persecute us (vs. 14). When we bless someone, we say and think kind words to and about them. We aren’t speaking or thinking evil, or calling down damnation upon them. This is generally contrary to what we would want to and normally do in this situation. However, as believers, we have the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.
As mentioned, for many of us, our first reaction is to give our enemies back exactly what they did to us. If they destroyed our reputation, we’ll destroy theirs. If they caused trouble for us at work, we’ll do the same. God’s Word tells us that they may have done us evil, but we are not to repay them in a like manner (vs. 17). Jesus wants us to give them the opposite, to give them goodness and kindness instead. Our behavior towards those who mistreat us, in reality, our whole manner of life is to conform to an honest representation of a child of God.
As Christians, most of us know how the Lord wants us to behave and lead our life. We are to be peacemakers, not those who go around causing trouble (vs. 18). Paul tells us here to live peaceably with everyone, but he adds the phrase “if it is possible”. Sometimes, with some people, it just isn’t possible to maintain peaceful relations with them. They just don’t want it. When someone has something against us, we should try to reconcile (Matthew 5:23-24). We can only do that if they are receptive. Otherwise we can only do so much. We have no control over the conduct of others. The cause of disturbing the peace, though, is never to come from a Christian.
Paul continues in verse 19 by reminding us that only God has the right to avenge, and He will avenge (Leviticus 19:18; Deuteronomy 32:35). We can keep evil, injustice, and mistreatment from ruling over us by responding with goodness, not bitterness. Paul tells us to treat our enemies with goodness, and gives a reference to one of the proverbs in the Old Testament (Proverbs 25:21-22). This refers to a sense of shame or remorse which may be produced when we treat an evildoer with kindness.
Don’t meet evil with evil. That will only breed more evil (vs. 21). When someone wrongs us and we retaliate, we put ourselves on their level. We do not have the right to avenge ourselves. That is God’s right and duty. Instead, be like Jesus, who forgave those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34).
When we’ve been deeply hurt, we sometimes resist offering forgiveness, thinking that a pardon excuses the wrongdoer, and downplays the severity of the wrong done to us. But that’s not what forgiveness is. Forgiveness is letting go of both the offense and our right to demand payment, with the acknowledgment that vengeance is God’s responsibility, not ours.
If we love someone the way Jesus loves us, we will be willing to forgive. If we have experienced God’s grace, we will want to pass it on to others. By treating an enemy kindly, we are not excusing their wrongdoing. We are forgiving them, and loving them in spite of their sins, just as Jesus did for us.
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