When We Are Offended

Recompense to no man evil for evil.

Romans 12:17

This was Paul’s admonition for a people oppressed by the Roman nonbelievers. As believers in the Lord Jesus, they received multiple assaults and insults from the citizens of their world. Words uttered and actions committed in persecution of Christians are significant in the early church. Many died, lost their jobs, had their families torn up and their lives destroyed because of their faith and because of the malicious intent of their persecutors. Yet the Holy Spirit spoke to Paul as the Lord Jesus spake to those who would hear Him, saying, “recompense to no man evil for evil.”

But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil:

Matthew 5:39

As a believer in Christ, when we are insulted, bullied and criticized for our faith in the Lord Jesus, we are not to retaliate. We are not to avenge, requite or recompense (give back) wrong for the wrongs we have experienced.

This is probably one of the hardest principles of the Christian life, that we do not fight back even though we have been wrongly treated, falsely accused and wickedly criticized. This is against human logic, and definitely unthinkable for some. Yet, the word of the Lord is unchanging: we are not to retaliate when evil is given to us. If we think in the flesh, we will be unable to accept this as the will of the Lord, but when we realize that we are not of this world, and that we live by a different set of logic and reason – heavenly logic and reason – then our perspective and thought will change. God’s will is for this world to understand the unconditional love of the Heavenly Father.

When we are saved by the power of God, His Spirit and Love is given into our hearts. He then tells us, as His children, to show this love to the people around us. This would be our obedience to the Lord, but how do we overcome the prejudice and thinking in our hearts regarding the oppressive nature of the offender?

According to the Bible, do good to the individual who did wrong to us. (Romans 12:21) This was the approach of Elisha with the armies of Syria when they came to attack Israel; this was the attitude of the Lord Jesus at the cross when He blessed them. This is the response of Christians who would remain true to Christ and His Words and His testimony.

Understand that we are acting as the child of God like our Heavenly Father when we repay good for evil.

But love ye your enemies, and do good,…and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest:
for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Luke 6:35

But it is so hard, you may say, “for the offense is great and the pain is deep.” Yet, the command to forgive and not to give back wrong to the offender is Christ’s command and if we love Him, we will keep His command.

Commit ourselves to the Lord

Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

1 Peter 4:19

When we suffer according to the will of God as His word has said and when we have done righteously being unable to control the situations that we are in, then we are to submit and surrender to the will of God who is to us a faithful Creator.

As we begin the new year, is there someone with whom we have not forgiven? Is there malice or strife resulting in our hearts because of some sin or some evil that has been committed? Sin is definitely grievous, and some evil can cause damage to a Christian’s heart. Yet, where sin abounded, grace did much more abound (Romans 5:20). Therefore, if there is, we must stop to obey God at His word, not to recompense evil for evil, but rather to do good to the individual, behaving graciously as a child of God. When we are overwhelmed, we need to go into the presence of God and commit our souls to the keeping of our Great Shepherd who is our Faithful Creator.

Image Courtesy kenjonbro, Flickr.