In yesterday’s devotional, we were told that Jesus Christ brought out to clarity the law of retaliation or doctrine of tit for tat. Jesus told His Disciples that, peaceful living with people overwhelms retribution, violence for violence and other forms of revengeful actions. He forbade retaliation and vengeance (Matt. 5: 38 – 39). There will be no difference between Christians and non-Christians, if we love those who love us and pay back hate to those who hate us (Matt. 5: 43 – 46). The Greeks and the Jews used the doctrine of tit for tat to avenge on their enemies personally; against allowing the judicial decisions on proper use of punishing one with the exact measure he or she injured another person.
Misapplying the doctrine of tit for tat is against God’s disposition towards revenge. God said severally in the Bible that, He alone is He who will avenge. By the word of God, God’s children are to wait on God when being hurt. He said “It is mine to avenge.” He will avenge His children’s enemies making their strengths to fail them, bringing disaster to come near them and doom to overflow them (Deut. 32: 35). Christians are to know that revenge belongs to the Lord. This means it is not our right as humans to retaliate and repay wrongdoing with wrongdoing. The Psalmist said: “The Lord is a God who avenge. O God who avenge, shine forth. Rise up, Judge of the earth: pay back to the proud what they deserve” (Psalms 94: 1 – 2). All our enemies operate in pride while dealing with us. It is only God who knows the punishment they deserve for what they are doing to us.
The book of Proverbs 24: 29 similarly speaks against taking vengeance with one’s personal hands by personal decisions. There, the Bible says: “Do not say, thus I shall do to him as he has done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.” Apostle Paul gave same caution against vengeful spirit too. He cautioned the Christians in Rome by saying: “Beloved, 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; Deut. 32: 35). Apostle Peter advised against returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling. Rather, the person reviled or had evil done to should blesse the reviler or the evil doer. By doing this the Christians will inherit blessing (1 Peter 3: 9). This means, the more we constrain ourselves from avenging, the more blessing we receive. Definitely, teaching like this sounds stupid to the minds, especially in this present world where intentional malice and hate is on the increase against Christians and innocent people. But we must obey the word of God!
PRAYER:
BLESSED FATHER, give me the courage to forgive those hurting me and empower me to love them in return. But Father, do not allow them to overpower me in Jesus name.
bishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch