No Such Thing As Payback
Repay no one evil for evil.
Romans 12:17
Some people believe the Old Testament law of “eye for eye, tooth for tooth” (Exod 21:24) permits personal revenge. But that’s not what it refers to. It was actually saying that the severity of legal punishment should not exceed the severity of an offense. In other words, if someone put out another person’s eye, he could not be penalized by anything involving more than the forfeiture of his own eye.
The authority to avenge civil and criminal injustices belongs by divine mandate only to governments. God forbids us from exacting personal vengeance. The apostle Peter summarized the principle this way: “Finally, all of you be of one mind…not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Pet 3:8-9).
MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 227). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.
Lessons Learned: There is no room for personal vengence in the gospel. We are not to judge others, but we are to love and bless them. God sovereignly has placed us under the authority of governments who can administer civil and criminal justice on earth. Ultimately, God will judge all the wrongs committed against us, and also, all the wrongs we repayed.
Applications: Do not harbor resentment over sins committed against you. Remember that we ourselves commit sins against God every day, yet he forgives us when we confess and repent. Let God, and his chosen authorities administer justice. Be like Christ; love your neighbor and do not return evil for evil.
Prayer Subjects: Pray that God's will be done. Pray for peace of mind in the midst of personal troubles and hardships, knowing that God is sovereign and in control. Pray for a heart to love and bless others, even when they commit evil against you, for “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for so you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you” (Prov 25:21-22).
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Romans 12:17
Some people believe the Old Testament law of “eye for eye, tooth for tooth” (Exod 21:24) permits personal revenge. But that’s not what it refers to. It was actually saying that the severity of legal punishment should not exceed the severity of an offense. In other words, if someone put out another person’s eye, he could not be penalized by anything involving more than the forfeiture of his own eye.
The authority to avenge civil and criminal injustices belongs by divine mandate only to governments. God forbids us from exacting personal vengeance. The apostle Peter summarized the principle this way: “Finally, all of you be of one mind…not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Pet 3:8-9).
MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 227). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.
Lessons Learned: There is no room for personal vengence in the gospel. We are not to judge others, but we are to love and bless them. God sovereignly has placed us under the authority of governments who can administer civil and criminal justice on earth. Ultimately, God will judge all the wrongs committed against us, and also, all the wrongs we repayed.
Applications: Do not harbor resentment over sins committed against you. Remember that we ourselves commit sins against God every day, yet he forgives us when we confess and repent. Let God, and his chosen authorities administer justice. Be like Christ; love your neighbor and do not return evil for evil.
Prayer Subjects: Pray that God's will be done. Pray for peace of mind in the midst of personal troubles and hardships, knowing that God is sovereign and in control. Pray for a heart to love and bless others, even when they commit evil against you, for “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for so you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you” (Prov 25:21-22).
Listen to this entry
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