Romans 12:14-21 "Christian Conduct"

Let’s Pray!

Good Morning, Calvary Chapel Lake City!

It is great to be home… and to be with you all here this Sunday.

It was such a blessing to preach at my sending church, Calvary Chapel Ellicott City in Maryland… as my Pastor led a group on a Footsteps of the Paul tour through Turkey, Greece, and Italy.

Which… if you know me… that’s been on my heart for years. I’d love to lead a group especially to Israel if things calm down over there.

The message I preached in Maryland was titled “Jesus Calms the Storm”… and focuses on trials in life as the disciples found themselves in a storm while Jesus slept in the back of their boat.

And, God used the message to minister to numerous people in Maryland. The God stories were amazing.

If you want to hear that message… you can find that on our app or website under “topical teachings.”

Ty and John… thank you for preaching the last two weeks. You both are a blessing to the body and to me.

And, thank you to all who prayed for us in the past couple weeks.

Well… let’s get back to our Romans study. Please turn in your Bibles to Romans 12. Romans 12:14-21 today.

As we entered Romans 12… we entered the application portion of Paul’s epistle…

One scholar outlined Romans 12-16 with the title “How, Then, Are We to Live?”

And I love how Paul begins Romans 12 begging the Roman Christians to “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

And, it’s reasonable IF one stands upon the foundation of teachings… the doctrine in the first 11 chapters.

Last time… we looked at vv 9-13 which lists a number of exhortations for Christians in how we should behave in relation to other believers.

The context used words like “brotherly love”… “serving the Lord”… “steadfastly in prayer”… “distributing to the needs of the saints…”

These are all characteristically Christian behaviors.

And somewhat reminiscent of Jesus’ teaching from the Sermon on the Mount.

Pastor David Guzik title our passage today, “How to get along with people both inside and outside the church.”

I read that and thought… This is the “Christian Get-a-long Shirt.”

Do you all know what a “Get-a-long Shirt” is?

You’re kids would love it! Look it up. Christmas is right around the corner.

Some of Paul’s appeals in vv 14-21 are particular to our actions towards unbelievers, and some could apply towards believers and unbelievers.

And… as we read this list… you may feel challenged… because Paul exhorts Christians to behave contrary to our flesh… contrary to how we normally function…

To live out what Paul teaches in vv 14-21 is NOT natural… it’s supernatural.

To respond how Paul suggests truly takes a work of the Spirit.

And keep this in mind… because as we read this list today, you may think some of these appeals are impossible…

Well… let’s take a look in a message titled, “Christian Conduct.”

In reverence for God’s word, please stand as I read our passage.

Romans 12:14-21 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Praise God for His word! Please be seated.

So… Paul lays down a series of exhortations on Christian Conduct…

vv 14-16 seem to apply to just about anyone… Christian and non-Christian alike…

And vv 17-21 seem to relate primarily to unbelievers who seek to do evil towards believers.

And undoubtedly… it is clear that Paul was familiar with the Jesus’ teachings… some Apostle or disciple had to have told him… especially about the Sermon on the Mount… which seems to be echoed in our passage today.

Now… Paul wrote Romans before the Gospels were written, so it’s not that Paul had a Gospel to read, but he was connected with other believers.

Certainly Paul had spent some time with Peter. And Peter said some interesting things about Paul and his writings… and even provided a warning about properly handling scripture.

In 2 Pet 3:15-16… Peter referred to Paul as a “beloved brother”… and mentioned Paul wrote his epistles with “wisdom given to him”… which was no doubt ‘wisdom from above’…

Therefore, Peter wrote “some things [in Paul’s epistles] are hard to understand...”

Which… if you’ve been with us for any length of time in our Romans study… you know this to be true.

Paul’s words are profound… not just because Paul was off the charts brilliant… but because divine writings are profound.

Thus they deserve our time… and our care to understand them… and to correctly interpret them… otherwise error occurs.

Peter saw this in his day… regarding Paul’s writings, Peter wrote “… untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of Scriptures.”

If we’re not noble like the Bereans… who “received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so...” (Acts 17:11)

We may fall in the same error of twisting scripture… whether intentional or not.

Perhaps you’ve heard the biblical interpretation terms “exegesis” and “eisegesis.”

Exegesis is what we do… it’s important and proper biblical interpretation.

It’s reading meaning “out of” a biblical text based on a careful and objective analysis.

Good teachers labor over the word to deliver a solid exegetical bible study.

Versus Eisegesis which is reading meanings “into” a biblical text.

Which is dangerous because context, syntax and grammar are set aside in order to support one’s personal position.

It leads to mishandling the text and misinterpretation.

One scholar wrote, “Exegesis allows us to agree with the Bible; eisegesis seeks to force the Bible to agree with us.”

So… let’s be careful to ‘rightly divide the word of truth’… and not fall into the error of false teachers…

Who’s end is… as Peter put it… “destruction.”

They will suffer dire consequences… judgment from God…

Quite the sobering warning from Peter… on the importance of handling scripture.

That was just a bonus lesson for you all today. Free information.

Don’t worry… no test later.

Back to our passage today… Paul… no doubt… as a contemporary of Peter and the other Apostles… had heard teachings of Jesus…

And, it would seem Paul was familiar with the Sermon on the Mount.

Just listen how closely V14 sounds to the teaching of Jesus.

V14, Paul writes… “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”

And, Jesus said in Matthew 5:44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,”…

And, why should you do that?

Well in Matthew 5:45 Jesus continued… “… that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

God provides “common grace” to the world. ALL people are blessed by the sun and the rain.

God does not consider human character or their faithfulness to Him in determining who deserves to receive God’s general favor…

God is indiscriminate to bestow a variety of blessings upon the human race.

Everyone alive has the privilege to enjoy God’s creation… and creation testifies to everyone of God (Rom 1:20)…

Common grace does not save. It neither renews or redeems, but it does testify of God…

And, it is grace because God’s provision of a created order is completely unmerited by the human race…

We did nothing to earn seasons, and solar systems, and the many wonders of nature.

Yet… all people saved and unsaved alike gaze upon the beauty of sunrises and sunsets… and are provided for through sunshine and rain.

This instruction to love and show kindness to enemies… it was not just a NT concept…

Exodus 23:4 states “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.” Exo 23:5 is similar.

Why? Because feelings about another person should not determine our right and wrong behavior towards them.

The context of that passage dealt with justice. And the Israelites were to exercise principles of justice.

So, how does all this relate to what Paul is saying in V14?

Well… when we behave like our Father in heaven… even blessing our enemies… we act in a way that reflects God.

We rise above the standards of the world… and our supernatural behavior may be the witness that testifies to… and melts the heart of our enemy…

Maybe God even transforms that enemy into a friend… maybe they even accept Jesus Christ and become a brother or a sister.

And, it truly is supernatural if you bless… meaning “speak well of or praise” a persecutor.

Not just “tolerate” or “stay silent”, but actually bless a persecutor.

It’s such a foreign idea to our flesh.

The word persecute means “to put to flight”… meaning “to pursue with malignity”… or malicious behavior.

Which can take several forms… physical harm… verbal harm… social ostracization leading to isolation and even poverty…

Not easy at all to bless someone like that.

Jesus underwent arguably the worst form of persecution historically known to man… scourging followed by crucifixion.

And, Jesus was not a hypocrite… for He lived out His instruction to “bless those… who persecute you.”

From the cross Jesus cried out, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do.”

And, don’t think, “Well that was Jesus… not some mere man. Of course HE could live that out.”

Everyday Christians can too. In fact… Paul witnessed one such at… with the first martyr of the church… Stephen.

Paul was there… guarding the clothes of the religious leaders… and consenting to the death of Stephen (according to Acts 8:1 and 22:20)

And, do you recall the final words of Stephen? His final cry out to God as he knelt and was being stoned?

Stephen didn’t recite an imprecatory Psalm… "Break the teeth in their mouth, O God!”

No… He said, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” (Acts 7:60)

That is a supernatural response… when facing a group of hostile people throwing rocks at you to death.

And, did Stephen’s supernatural response of blessing his persecutors… ring through the mind of Paul over and again?

Jesus said to Saul, “It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” (Acts 26:14)

Was Paul wrestling with his own conscience? Was he unable to forget Stephen’s words… and the grace he exhibited to his persecutors?

I believe God used Stephen’s blessing in the conversion of Paul.

Paul writes in V14… “bless and do not curse.”

Paul tells us to bless a second time… probably because we need to hear it again… AND he adds “do not curse”… because that’s what our flesh wants to do.

Had Stephen cursed his persecutors… this would have been the natural response… and would have been much easier to forget.

I imagine someone persecuting others out of religious zeal would feel justified in their persecution if curses were cast at them.

“See… this foul mouthed Pagan deserved wrath!”

But, being blessed… what would they do with that?

How many Christians… besides Stephen cast blessings upon young Saul of Tarsus while he persecuted them?

And how did that sting his conscience… priming him for the road to Damascus… where Jesus would meet him on the way?

Paul continues… V15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”

This may seem like the right thing to do, but often our natural man resists this.

Someone has success… and we respond in jealousy, envy… even coveting.

Have you ever found yourself rejoicing when someone fails?

It’s easier to weep with someone who weeps because sympathy in the face of tragedy or loss is expected.

But to rejoice with someone’s success?

They have their success… why do they also need my approval? Why do I need to be happy… not just FOR them, but truly happy WITH them?

Well… specific to believers Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:25–26 “… there should be no schism [meaning “a split”, “a tear”, or “division”] in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”

God wants the body unified… NOT divided. And, so we are to walk with one another in our pain and in our rejoicing.

Division is contrary to God’s design for the body.

Imagine having an itch on your face, but your hand won’t scratch it?

“I hope that face suffers with terrible itchiness!” That’s not how our body works… it’s unified.

In fact… if a person is NOT acting in a unified way… if a person causes division… or schism…

In his closing remarks of Romans… Paul writes in Romans 16:17–18 “Now I urge you, brethren, [strong words] note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.”

Division means “to stand apart”… “dissension.”

Offenses is the Gk word ‘skandalon’ (where our English word ‘scandal’ comes from).

And means “a stick for bait”… (a trap, a snare, a stumbling block)

If you notice someone standing apart… and luring people in to divide… this is contrary to God’s teachings… and Paul says to avoid them… for their motives are selfish and deceptive.

The body of Christ… the church should be unified… not divided.

And when we rejoice with unbelievers… it serves as a witness to them. They may only know back stabbing… and phoniness in the world.

People smiling hypocritically in their face… “being happy for them”… but complaining behind their back and vying for position.

How many of us have seen this in the secular work force?

So… remember… these exhortations should be part of our Christian Conduct with the world.

When we celebrate the success of unbelievers… it could set the stage for our witness to them.

And… even more… when we weep with other people.

That tenderness may be foreign to them. They may not be receiving genuine compassion from people of the world.

So, your time and heart and counsel to them… may be the very witness that testifies of Christ.

A guy from High School who was consistently unkind to me… has opened up to me… and accepted prayer in light of his medical trials.

He’s quite the stinker… He mocks God… He’s openly atheist… and yet he still will dialogue with me knowing I’m a believer.

I think there’s hope for him yet… and at times I show compassion… and a witness he is not getting anywhere else.

I pray he recognizes the light of Jesus Christ as love and truth… amidst the darkness shrouding his mind and heart.

You may have people like this in your life too. Be intentional to encourage and comfort them in their high and low moments… be a light to the world.

V16 “Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.”

“Being of the same mind” is not a call for believers to be of the same mind with unbelievers.

Though… sadly… many Christians and Churches think like … and approve of… the debased thinking of the unbelieving world.

Which should no be so! Believers should not affirm the various forms of Godless behavior approved by the world.

Scripture declares… 2 Corinthians 6:14 “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?”

Light and darkness should not be joined… there should be no communion… or fellowship between light and darkness.

The Bible teaches separation… set apartness… holiness unto the Lord.

Not as in no contact… otherwise Jesus could not have eaten then with tax collectors and sinners.

But not joined fellowship.

Our lives should be distinctly different from the lives of unbelievers…

Paul used the illustration that our aroma is that of the fragrance of Christ… we smell of life… refreshing to those who believe…

But to those perishing… we smell of death. The “deathly smell of doom” as one scholar put it.

So… our lives are to be distinct… we are not to have the same mind with the world.

Which is a great application, but not what this verse means…

This verse is a call to live in harmony with other people and to be humble.

To “Be of the same mind toward one another” means to “Have equal regard for one another”…

… which speaks against feeling superior to other people.

“Do not set your mind on high things”… “Do not be too proud”… “associate with the humble”… “enjoy the company of ordinary people.”

This is one of the things I love about church life… Church brings all walks of life together.

Seeking after high things so often is pursuing recognition.

Our flesh loves recognition. Jesus even cited how this plagued religious leaders of his day in prayer of all things.

Numerous times… Jesus is cited in the Gospel rebuking religious leaders for their love of recognition from people… versus sincerity in what should be a pious act…

For ex… Matthew 6:5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men."

They loved greetings in the marketplaces… they loved to be seen by men… they wore long robes and boxes on their heads containing scripture (called phylacteries)… they loved the best seats in the synagogues and at feasts… they loved to hear their title “Rabbi”…

Jesus said, “whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

I remember being drawn to recognition when I started selling insurance…

I saw people going up to get trophies for performance at large sales meetings… and everyone was clapping for them.

I leaned over and said to my manager… “At the next one of these meetings, I’m going to be up there.”

And, I was. Every meeting after I was. I have several boxes of trophies… all in my parent’s attic.

Know anyone who needs some trophies? They make great paperweights. They are useless to me.

We have to be on guard about wanting to be recognized… about setting our minds on high things…

… even in our service at church. If you’re serving to get a pat on the back or recognition… and that’s your motivation…

Be careful… how different is that from the religious leaders Jesus rebuked?

Pride is one of the key ways Satan tempts mankind… the pride of life has been the downfall of many people.

“Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Pro 16:18)

Be on guard about haughty mindedness… a prideful spirit…

It corrupts the heart… and linked to that is separation.

When one is set on prideful thinking… they often limit their associations with other people.

One’s network changes to people of influence… people who can help promote them… or promote what they are about… personal advancement becomes paramount…

Thus, Paul writes… “Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble.”

It’s not accidental that we are challenged in how we think and who we associate with.

James warned in a similar way… warning against partiality (or personal favoritism)… James 2:2–5 “For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”

James taught in the preceding verse that God is impartial in who can come to Him in faith through Jesus Christ… and therefore our love towards others should also be without partiality.

We should not give more love to one person over another based on societal class… or prominence… or title.

Even for those who have achieved much in this world… this does them a disservice.

Often people suck up to them… in attempt to absorb their favor… because they want something from them.

But the rich and powerful need that which is genuine.

A friend who is impartial… a friend who can be real with them… and not take advantage of them.

Their broad network of people typically contains very few whom they can trust with their personal life and hurts.

Very few whom they can be vulnerable with.

Impartiality does not just victimize the poor… it also victimizes the rich.

So… when you act in an impartial way… “associating with the humble” as Paul suggests… or ‘being a friend to the influential without selfish motivation’… it reflects the impartiality of God.

“God shows no partiality.” (Deut 10:17; Acts 10:34)

And then wrapping up V16… Paul writes, “Do not be wise in your own opinion.”

“Don’t think you know it all.”

This is a quick way to find yourself on an island. No one wants to listen to or receive from a know it all.

You feel like your getting talked at NOT talked to.

A person wise in their own opinion walks into the room with an air of superiority… and no one else can breath… it’s stifling.

Even if you are the smartest person in the room… if you don’t handle that with humility…

… everyone else will shut down… you could talk and talk and talk… but no one wants to listen and no one wants to participate.

Have you even been around someone who goes on about how much money they have… or degrees… or knowledge?

You can often predict how the conversation will go… they talk a lot… and the other people look for the first opportunity to shirk away.

But, how refreshing is it… when one who has obtained much power… and success… and knowledge… is humble… and offers the wealth of their resources… when it’s to build others up?

And not to further elevate themselves?

That’s beauty… that’s reflective of God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills… and yet prays for us without ceasing… and died for us so we may live.

Continuing to V17 “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.”

Bill Mounce wrote, “The principle of nonretaliation for personal injury permeates the entire New Testament.”

vv14 & 19 also touch on this in our passage today.

If someone does evil to you… we are not called to revenge ourselves.

1 Peter 3:9 in the context of loving our enemies… reads, “… 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.”

Jesus said, “… whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” (Matt 5:39)

Paul wrote, “Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;” (1 Cor 4:12) and “See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone...” (1 Thes 5:15)

I’m still growing in this area… I haven’t arrived.

In the past month… I had not one, but TWO almost fatal car accidents… and both times I would have been the clear victim.

I clearly felt God’s hand of protection on my and my kid’s lives… And, felt like I got a object lesson for my message today.

I could do without the object lesson.

After the first near accident… where I almost got T-boned by a guy who ran a stop sign going around 50…

I tell you… my first thought wasn’t… “blessings”… it wasn’t “oh, he must be rushing to the hospital.”

You’re a saint if you think that way!

I was pretty upset by the reality of almost dying from someone else’s carelessness.

I did better with the second almost accident… which was just this past Tuesday at midnight in Chicago… my kids and I were headed home from the airport and fast car approached from behind and swerved in my lane… almost rear ended me… I had to swerve to dodge them…

They proceeded to weave in the shoulder… and weave between two lanes. They had to be drunk.

I was really shocked and concerned. But, I wasn’t nearly as upset as the first near accident.

So, that was progress.

And, I did bless them… I called 911.

I also prayed for them. I do hope they got caught… for their safety… and the safety of others… and to shake up their life… where they cry out to God.

I’m not sure if those are good examples… maybe I just wanted to vent… I’ll give you $.05 cents later for “psychiatric help.”

But, it’s not our job to retaliate. We are not to pay back evil with more evil. We are to rise above this… to live above reproach…

Some translations read the latter half of V17 as “Respect what is right in the sight of all men” (NASB)

… or “Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.” (NLT)

But, also… understand that “Not repaying evil for evil” is not forbidding self defense.

In Luke 22:36, Jesus tells His remaining disciples, “But now… he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.”

A sword for personal protection was needed for any wise traveler in the Roman Road as bandits and thieves would lie in wait.

In Exo 22:2 we also read clues about God’s attitude toward self-defense: “If the thief is found breaking in, and he is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt for his bloodshed.”

Paul… through wit… not violence… engaged in self defense.

In Acts 16 and 22… Paul cited his Roman citizenship as a means to secure and official apology on one occasion and to avoid being scourged on the other.

The Bible never forbids self-defense, and believers are allowed to defend themselves and their families.

But… again… this is different from retaliation which V17 forbids.

V18 “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”

Paul advocated here to live in harmony with one another.

Now… notice the conditional clause ‘IF’ at the beginning of this verse.

Very important… very freeing.

You do your part to make peace… and IF it is possible proceed.

But, if the other party is unwilling or hostile… there is no requirement to make peace at any price.

If you can, make peace. But, if you’ve tried, and the other person is stuck in hostility… you’ve tried your best.

It’s not your fault if the other person makes peace impossible.

Murray said, “If it be possible indicates that it may not always be possible.”

J. Veron McGee said, “Just do the best you can.”

I like that this verse encourages making peace… and doing our best to make peace, but it also gives us permission to have boundaries.

Sometimes people are contentious… and it’s not possible to make peace with them. So, exercise wisdom.

We’re not called to be Christian punching bags… or doormats.

The Bible gives us plenty of verses to set and maintain healthy boundaries.

We should be open and happy to have conversations with people… even if they caused offense… to make peace.

But are they willing to have a peaceful conversation?

Are they seeking reconciliation? Are their hearts ready?

Often in pride, people dig their heels in… they stand in their position and their perception… even if it lacks all the facts.

These are not peacemakers. A peacemaker is open minded… humble… communicative… they work to bring about peace.

Now, from a salvation perspective… Jesus said in Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.”

Peacemakers seek to reconcile the lost with God through the sharing of the Gospel.

One can only become a ‘son of God’ by trusting Jesus as Savior.

Though we were once enemies of God… we were reconciled to Him through faith in Jesus Christ… Jesus who “made peace through the blood of His cross.” (Col 1:20)

So while we should live peaceable with all men… and while temporal peace is good… it’s only temporary…

Heavenly peace is the goal, for it is eternal.

V19 “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.”

I read this exhortation and this one stands out to me different from the rest we’ve been reading since V9 of Chapter 12.

So much of the instructions we’ve received from Paul address Christian behavior, but V19 also requires an element of surrender and trust in God to be our defender.

If you did not repay evil in V17, and tried to make peace in V18, but hostility still erupted…

Even as a victim… Paul again instructs NOT to retaliate.

Tenderly he writes “Beloved”… “Dear friends”… do not avenge yourselves… or “never take revenge.”

We are to surrender vengeance to God because we too often will go too far.

When the law was given which read… Exodus 21:23–25 “But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,”… and so forth…

There was just recompense. The punishment should fit the crime.

But, the human tendency is to cause more harm then was dealt out.

To avenge the violation of their sister Dinah in Gen 34… Simeon and Levi tricked the men of Shechem to all get circumcised and when they were in pain… they killed their king, his son (the true guilty party), and all the males of that city.

Then they plundered the city. That was not just vengeance. That was excessive violence.

Even their father Jacob rebuked their actions.

They gave no place for God.

Proverbs 20:22 states, “Do not say, “I will recompense evil”; Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.”

Our natural flash wants revenge when someone does us wrong. But, Paul instructs us here in V19… to “give place to wrath” and Paul quotes…

Deuteronomy 32:35 “Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand...”

This verse spoke both about God permitting the enemies of Israel to prevail against Israel for her unfaithfulness to God.

And also to how God would hold the enemies accountable for their wickedness and evil.

God would dole out perfect justice to all guilty parties.

We are not fully capable of this.

But still we should do our best to discern situations… not for vengeance… but for making wise decisions.

A good principal Jesus laid out is John 7:24 “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

True justice was instructed in Deut 16:18-19, Isa 11:3-4, Zech 7:9…

Scripture instructs to not have a superficial understanding when making judgments. But to objectively do your best to gather all the facts… to have all the conversations… to understand the situation…

AND to then judge… meaning “to decide.” To “make a distinction” (either mentally or judicially).

More mentally for our life circumstances.

Leave vengeance and judicial judgments to God and authorities.

But… for us… how we should treat our enemy who has paid us evil…

V20 Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

Notice this doesn’t say… “If your enemy is hungry, then eat a big fat juicy burger in front of them and tell him how good it is and don’t share.” That’s not what it says.

That’s what our flesh wants to do.

This is an instruction to show mercy to our adversaries. And, even demonstrating mercy…

Offering food or drink to an enemy who is hungry or thirsty is an act of kindness foreign to the world… and foreign to our flesh.

But is this not what God did for us?

Romans 5:8 declares, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Even though we were enemies of God… Jesus made a way for us to be reconciled to God.

Remember the words of Jesus we read earlier from the Sermon on the Mount?

“… love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you...”

Again… this is NOT natural behavior… this is Supernatural behavior.

And, if you rise above what your flesh wants to do… “you will heap coals of fire on his head.” (Quoting Pro 25:21-22)

You might be thinking “That sounds perfect… I’ll dump burning hot coals on my enemies scalp and burn their flesh.”

NO… that’s not what this is saying.

That may sound like something our flesh would like to do to our enemies, but that’s not the meaning here.

What this actually means… Honestly… I don’t know what this means…

I think what it’s saying is that by your act of kindness… your enemy will feel a degree of sorrow for their behavior… that may even cause them to turn to God.

But, you’ll read all kinds of interpretations…

One interpretation speaks about an ancient custom of lending hot coals to a neighbor… and this act of neighborly love may convict wrongdoing.

Another interpretation is burning coals symbolize God’s judgment that will come on the enemy if they persist in their evil.

Another interpretation is fire represents the presence of God … from the burning bush… to the pillar of fire… to tongues of fire at Pentecost…and your kindness will be like a “burning conviction” upon the enemy.

Whatever may be the case… can you forsake pride… and act in a humble and loving way… so that you invite the presence of God into a hateful situation?

Your enemy may be waiting for your retribution, but when they experience supernatural love…

Hopefully that causes them to turn from wickedness… and turn to God.

Hopefully they’re not hard hearted and stiff necked.

But, no matter the result of what they do… do what’s right… and guard your own heart… as we see in our closing summary verse…

V21 “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Don’t give into the temptation to succumb to fleshly and evil ways.

The NLT reads, “Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.”

Spurgeon said, “This text inculcates [there’s a $0.50 cent word… meaning ‘teaching or admonishing through repetition’] not merely passive non-resistance, but it teaches us active benevolence to enemies. “Overcome evil with good,” with direct and overt acts of kindness. If any man has done you a wrong, do not only forgive it, but also avenge it by doing him a favor.”

There’s an old saying… “Returning evil for good is devil like, evil for evil is beast like, good for good is manlike, and good for evil is God-like. Rise to that God like point.”

Using good… and love… and blessings… in the face of evil is counter to the world…

And, these testify of the love and goodness of God.

When faced with adversity, I hope you rise above to employ the weapons of kindness often.

I pray the Holy Spirit empowers you to respond supernaturally.

Christian conduct is hardly natural, but we are called to the supernatural in our dealings with those in and outside the church.

Amen? Let’s Pray!

Each of the exhortations from versus 9 to 21 could be a sermon of their own…

These are not small and easy appeals to live out.

Christian conduct is a work of the Spirit… and I pray blessings over you as He works in you this week.

If you need prayer for anything, please come and pray with the men and women up front as we close out in song.

“The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’

God bless you as you go.