RETURN GOOD FOR EVIL

The Pastor's blogs this year repeatedly emphasized that the church was established by God as a community of believers who are to love one another.

God also expects believers to love people outside of the church, including those who mistreat them.  “See that no one repays another [any person] with evil for evil but always seek after that which is good for one another and all people [1 Thessalonians 5:15].”

This Scripture verse implies that believers will be mistreated by people inside and outside of the church, the body of Christ. 

Believers mistreat one another. Believers “bite and devour,” “consume,” “envy,” “slander,” and “complain against” one another (Galatians 5:15, 26; James 4:11; 5:9).

The world hates and mistreats followers of Jesus Christ.  Jesus explicitly stated this in Luke 21:17, “And you will be hated by all because of my name.”  Humanity’s ingrained, natural aversion for believers stems from its hatred for God.  “If [since] the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you [John 15:18, 19].”

The command to focus (pay careful attention) on doing good to those who mistreat them is due to the fact that every believer has the natural tendency and propensity to return evil for evil.  While believers have been given a new life by God’s transforming grace, their sinful, Adamic nature remains.  Even though God’s grace has freed believers from sin’s control, it still remains powerful.

The tongue has always been the most destructive tool for returning evil for evil.  “Life and death are in the power of the tongue [Proverbs 18:21].”  “The tongue is a fire…sets on fire the course of life…a restless evil and full of deadly poison [James 3:6-8].”  We can speak kindly to a person yet inwardly seethe with rage and bitterness.  We can say nice things to people yet slander them behind their backs.

Evil reactions to mistreatment are not always expressed through visible actions; they may also be confined to an individual's internal thoughts. For example, one might silently desire, anticipate, and relish the hardship, pain, and destruction of another person.

Believers are commanded to aggressively pursue good behavior towards those who mistreat them.  God has provided the following free resources for obeying His command: Scripture, prayer, and wisdom.

The Bible contains all the information needed for responding with good for evil.  Wisdom is the application of God’s knowledge (the Bible) to the issues of life.  Prayer is the means for receiving wisdom from the Bible and the necessary strength to obey.

Living in a sin-filled world means that experiencing mistreatment is inevitable, and responding to hostility with hostility may is the easiest, natural path.  It is important to choose good over evil by seeking guidance through Scripture, wisdom, and prayer. By doing so, we will embody the principle of loving one another and all people.