Hope Now Bible Church: Fresno, California

The Roadblock of Revenge

Revenge!  The desire for it stops you dead in your tracks.  You talk about getting even or settling the score.  You want them to hurt like you were hurt.  Some call it Sweet Revenge!  But getting even isn’t enough at times – you want them to hurt a little more than you did.

How do you walk away from a challenge?  How do you move on from the paralyzing effects of revenge?  You see, when your desire is to get revenge, you can think of nothing else.  You become consumed with payback.

The Bible has some specific things to say about getting revenge.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Before we examine this issue of revenge, lets take a look at what happens to a person when he or she becomes a believer in Jesus Christ.

1. You have the promise of eternal life. Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me has eternal life” (John 6:47.)  This is really an important concept that many people seem to gloss over.  You may hear people say, “Believe in Jesus and your life will be great!”  “Just become a Christian and Jesus will take care of all your problems.”  But, having your problems solved is not the main issue of belief in Jesus Christ.  The primary promise that you have, immediately when you believe in Jesus, is eternal life.  Because of this gift of eternal life that has been given to you, you can rejoice in knowing that whatever happens you are going to spend eternity with Jesus.  You no longer need to fear the punishment of Hell, which everyone deserves.

2. You have a new nature.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says this, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”  Romans 6:4 says, “we…walk in newness of life.”  Colossians 3:10 says, “[We] have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge…”

a. You have this new nature, but it is constantly being renewed.  The word “being” means that our renewal from our “old nature” to our “new nature” is a process.  The theological word is “sanctification.”  You are a work in progress.  So many Christians miss this point.  They become discouraged because they cannot understand why they still sin.

3. Your sins are forgiven. When you believe in Jesus you immediately inherit eternal life, you take on a “new nature” that is in the process of changing you into the likeness of Christ, and you can ask forgiveness for your sins.  Of course, the reason people desire revenge is because we are all sinners.

a. The apostle John said this, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8.)  Everyone sins.  All Christians sin.  Every pastor sins.  Every Sunday School teacher sins; every church leader, every deacon, every elder, everyone.  “None is righteous, no, not one” “(Romans 3:10.)
b. John goes on to say that if you “practice” sinning you are “from the devil.”  You see, while all of us sin, our goal should be to continually turn away from sin.  John says, “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:9.)
c. So, John provides the formula to help us.  He says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9.)

This is the good news of the gospel – that by believing in Jesus we have eternal life, you have a new nature, and your sins are forgiven.

WHERE DOES REVENGE FIT IN?

Simply put, revenge is sin.  Seeking revenge is “practicing sin.”  The Bible tells us to “Practice righteousness” (1 John 3:7) instead.  Revenge may taste sweet, but it’s wrong.

JESUS WARNS ABOUT REVENGE

In Matthew 5:38,39 Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil.  But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other side.”

Jesus is giving two lines of thought here.  First, he is quoting the Old Testament legal system (which is the basis of our own judicial system today.)  He says that you all know what the law says is supposed to happen when someone commits a crime.  Their punishment is to be equal to the crime.  If someone takes a human life, then the murderer should be put to death.  If someone takes an animal’s life, he is to repay the owner with another animal.  If someone injures his neighbor, he should expect the same injury done to him.  It was the legal system that was in view here (Leviticus 24:17-21.)  In other words, it’s okay for the justice system to punish evildoers, “An eye for an eye.”

But when it comes to personal revenge, Jesus says don’t do it!  Let the legal system take care of it.  So, if someone “slaps” you, be bold and “turn the other cheek.” This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t defend yourself.  It also doesn’t mean “Hey, please hit me again!”  It means, if you are hit, if you are insulted, if you are treated unfairly, don’t fight back.  In other words, don’t retaliate.  Don’t try to get even.  It would be better to receive a second hit than to stoop to the same level as the person who attacked you.  And, if the justice system doesn’t take care of it, be assured that God will.

“Vengeance is mine; I will repay.”  (Hebrews 10:30.)  A person who is an evildoer ignores God – and God says that this type of person will eventually get what is coming to him.

IT GETS EVEN HARDER

Remember earlier when we talked about your “new nature” you acquired once you become a Christian?  Well, now Jesus is saying that you need to put this new nature to the test.  He says, “Love your enemies.”  What!  Yes, that is what he tells you to do…and more –you are to “Pray for those who persecute you”  (Matthew 5:44.)

Love my enemies?  Pray for them?  Yes.  That is what gets you around the roadblock of revenge and gets you moving forward in your Christian walk.

CAN’T I HAVE A LITTLE REVENGE?

When you go after someone with revenge in mind you are practicing sinning.  The Bible tells you not to do that.

“Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9.)  When we “bless” instead of “repay” we get a special blessing – Here’s the blessing; it’s found in verse 10, “To love life and see good days.”  Do you want to love life?  Do you want to live a long life?  Then bless people, pray for them, and love them.

The apostle Paul said in Romans 12:17, “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.”  The idea here is that it takes “thought” to do what is right.  Repaying someone or getting revenge is the natural thing we want to do.  Instead, we need to think about it and then do the honorable thing; leave it to God.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I TAKE REVENGE ON SOMEONE?

1. You minimize what Jesus Christ did for you. You were dead in your sins (Ephesians 2:1.)  You were facing eternal punishment.  But Jesus saved you because of his mercy.  He had every right to take revenge on you, but he didn’t.  Instead, he died in your place.
2. You ignore your “new self” and prefer the “old.”  The new works so much better but you are more familiar and comfortable with the old.   It’s like having two cars in the garage.  One car is an old junker that spews exhaust and stalls at every stoplight.  The other is a brand new Mercedes; it runs smoothly and is comfortable to drive.  For some reason, you keep getting into the junk car every morning when you leave for work.  You keep breaking down, but you continue driving it because it’s what you’re used to.
3. You continue to practice sin, which may eventually lead to premature physical death. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”  Ananias and Sapphira in the book of Acts weren’t able to reach repentance and they lied to the Holy Spirit; they died prematurely (chapter 5.)  Hebrews 12:9 says, “The Lord disciplines the one he loves.”

TAKE A LESSON FROM JESUS

If anyone could have sought revenge, but didn’t, it was Jesus.  He was beaten and punished unjustly and because he was God he could have wiped out his enemy with the flick of a finger.  Instead, “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23.)

Get past the roadblock of revenge and trust Jesus for the results.

Study Questions

1. Why do you want to take revenge on someone?  What do you think it will accomplish?
2. Was there a time when you were glad someone did not take revenge on you? Explain.
3. Why is it so hard to move on with life after someone has hurt you?

This week:  Think of an enemy you might have.  Take time to pray for that person each day.  Share the name of an enemy with another Christian and ask them to pray for that person too.

You might pray something like this:

“Lord, you know I am struggling with this person.  I don’t want to love him.  Please Lord; give me the strength to be like you; to love my enemies.  Help this person to find you Lord and may your will be done in his life.  In Jesus name, Amen.”

How The Mighty Have Fallen

I was around 13 years old when the man knocked on our door.  It was the late 1960's and the Vietnam War was furiously raging.  It had never been a popular war, but still thousands of America's sons were serving their country far away from home and in harm's way.

I remember it was in the evening when the soldier came to our front door.  My mother and I were home alone.  My dad had just been admitted to the hospital for gallbladder surgery, my sister was out with friends, and my brother, a Marine, was fighting the enemy somewhere deep in Vietnam.  As I peeked through the front door at the smartly dressed marine, my mom and I both knew the was bringing bad news.

"Your son is alive," The Marine officer said as he addressed my mom through the screen door, "but he has been badly wounded."  As we invited the Marine into our home he went on to explain, "an enemy rocket exploded near your son."  He explained how the rocket sent shrapnel through his body ripping apart one of his kidneys and causing other internal problems.  My mom sat in shock.  As the Marine continued speaking it was my first attempt at giving comfort to someone who had just been dealt and emotional blow.  My mom cried as I sat next to her on the couch.

War is a tragic event.  It should always be avoided, but there are times when the goodness of mankind must prevail over evil.  Today, with war pictured so vividly on television and the Internet, there are parents (on both sides) who are grieving for their sons and daughters.  No matter how just a war may be, nothing can soften the blow of a captured, wounded or killed loved one.

King David, nearly 3,000 years ago faced the same pain that parents and families face today.  The book of 2 Samuel records David's emotions during the loss of a close friend.  Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle and a messenger ran to David to tell him the news.  When David received the news he "mourned and wept and fasted until evening" (2 Samuel 1:12.)  David lamented, "How the mighty have fallen!"

When King David lost his son Amnon at the hand of another son, we are told that the "King..wept very bitterly" (2 Samuel 13:36.)  In 2 Samuel 18, David's beloved son Absalom was murdered and thrown into a a "deep pit."  When David heard the news he was "Deeply moved and...wept."  He said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom!  Would I have died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"  What parent cannot relate to the pain he must have felt?

When faced with the tragedy of war today, it is comforting to know that Jesus understands and is aware of the pain people face when bad news is delivered.  Jesus is right there, in the midst of the pain.  Fortunately, our family knew that when we received our news.  Jesus was right there comforting us through our suffering.

As we all face our own fears and uncertainties about the war, and as we hear the news of friends and loved ones who have fallen in battle, we can gather strength and hope from King David himself, "God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling....Be still, and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"  (Psalm46:1-3 & 10.)