In Response to Evil

Intro

In an ancient time, and in a land not-so-fictional, there was a man who lived as a leader of the sect called Christians. This sect was rather peculiar in their ways of life, because they looked so different than the world around them, refusing even to join the army or, if they already were in the army, to bear arms against another person. The man taught the one that it may not be in best interest as a disciple to go off killing people in the army; he taught the other that, as an army man, he mustn’t bear his arms in aggression against anyone even if he had the legal right to. Why? Because their common Lord had taught peace and love especially toward one another and even toward enemies.

The last several weeks we’ve spent in the first Epistle of Peter, we have been talking about submission in various ways.

1 Pet. 2.13-17 is teaching to submit to the person in governmental authority, whomever they may be.

1 Pet. 2.18-25 talks about house servants submitting to their house masters, even if they be cruel, because of the suffering of Christ!

Peter teaches us that enduring evil for doing good results in a blessing from God.

We see Christ’s example here in how He chose to respond to being treated with evil.

1 Peter 3.1-6 is about wives submitting to even unbelieving and perhaps unjust husbands, for the cause of Christ that they may be won over without a word by her lifestyle.

1 Pet. 3.7 is about how husbands should treat and live with their wives

After this teaching to husbands, we defined several words in 1 Pet. 3.8 about how we are to interact one with another:

like-mindedness

loving one another

compassion

sympathy

humility

As we continue to look at this idea of dwelling amongst each other, we enter into 1 Peter 3.9-12

1 Peter 3:9–12 CSB

9 not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For the one who wants to love life and to see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit, 11 and let him turn away from evil and do what is good. Let him seek peace and pursue it, 12 because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do what is evil.

Responding to Evil

Last week we paralleled one text from Romans with one in 1 Peter, this week we begin the same way: Rom. 12.16-21

Romans 12:16–21 CSB

16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. 18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord. 20 But If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. 21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

The apostles Paul and Peter both spoke the same doctrine on this matter, and the earliest centuries took this concept of love for enemies very seriously.

Remember the man at the beginning who taught new converts inside and out of the army how seriously he believed they should take loving their enemies so as to never take another’s life? In our culture today, such a view is seen as radical, yet it was the common view of the Church in the early centuries!

They took it so seriously that we ought never to repay evil for evil that they were vehemently against wars, participating in them, and even against any participation or endorsement of capital punishment!

Now, they were never dogmatic about these views as far as I understand, but these views were held by the majority of the Church all the same.

With such an extensive view of peace with enemies as this, how do our modern views look in comparison?

I’m not condemning anyone’s political positions or anything, but I really want us to look at how we treat those who wrong us in any way, whether they be within or without the Church of Jesus our Lord.

Introspection

A couple of weeks ago we came to see that we are at all times to be harmonious one with another, affectionate, sympathetic, compassionate, and humble.

In our desire to do that, something that must hit home is that we do this just as much when we are insulted and wronged!

But what is the common response to such? Maybe for some the response to a perceived insult or injustice is gossip — some people complain about others instead of working to fix problems through intuition and wisdom from above. Maybe the response is aggression — some people would rather assert their dominance than let themselves appear of low status.

What should the response be, though? Is it in love to ever gossip? Is it in love to assert dominance over someone? Do both of these, and plenty other responses not find their root in our own pride and flesh?

If you’ll remember, one of the things which we talked about with Mike Vaughn was that Christianity is not a system of programs, it’s a way that we live in service of our King.

How we respond to people when they wrong us is part of that lifestyle. If we are engaging in gossip, if we are giving in to retaliatory anger towards others, if we hold resentment and bitterness, or anything like this — we are in the wrong and not living according to the ways of Christ our Lord.

Our standards have to be higher for how we treat people — but in many ways the standard of the culture around us has lowered to bar for the Christian so that we assimilate the philosophies of the world and compromise the call of Christ.

A Worthy Response

As disciples of the Lord Jesus we should strive from the heart to live up to the standard to which He calls us — and this means being above treating people how they treat us.

But, you ask, how then should we treat them? It’s rather unhelpful to explain what not to do and leave out what should be done instead.

Refer back to the Romans 12 passage from earlier:

Be humble

Often times when I respond in an evil way for evil received, it is because my pride has been wounded. I respond, therefore, in a way that reflects insecurity and pridefulness. Can you relate?

Think carefully about what is honorable

Instead of repaying in kind, premeditate to do in all moments what is honorable among people. Show people that you value them in all circumstances. When someone says with their actions, “I hate you” reply with your own actions “I love you even still.”

Live at peace with everyone

Simply put, do not go about causing drama with people. “Blessed are the peacemakers,” says Jesus. James, his brother, says the wisdom from above is “peaceable.” If we would walk in God’s wisdom we must be peacemaking people even with our enemies.

Generosity

Clothe the naked one, feed the hungry one, give drink to the thirsty one. In so doing, you will “heap burning coals on their heads” — that is that you may cause them to see their own sins.

Leave vengeance to God

Romans 12:21 CSB

21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

The Christian lifestyle is one which forfeits any rights to get back at the one who would do you wrong. Trust in God, and let’s be not so attached to our pride and flesh! If we would overcome evil with good, we cannot be content with doing good only when it is simple. We have to plan and premeditate to do good even to those who hurt us.

Inventory

So, what are we thinking?

Worried that treating someone who has wronged you will make you look the fool?

Worried that you may feel humiliated?

Concerned that you may have to give something up?

That’s okay…to feel and look that way! Christians are people who embrace looking foolish and being humiliated by the world! For, when the world humiliates us for doing good and we endure it brings blessing. Therefore, we bless when we are cursed — in Christ we were called to this manner of living and this expectation.

How do you respond when hated?

How could you respond when hated?

How should you…?