OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD

Rom. 12:21 ... "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

      It would be wonderful if we lived in a world where no one ever got in another's way, where no one ever offended another, where people never became each other's enemies. One of the conditions that make heaven so appealing to us is that it is just such a world where offenses never occur. All relationships there are peaceful, happy, and encouraging. But while we yet live in this world we must learn to cope with offenses, emotional injuries, and enemies. We are told in Jas. 3:2 (KJV) that "in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body." Not only do we suffer offenses by others, but we ourselves offend others. Many times these occurrences are not intentional; but whether unintentional or deliberate, the one offended still feels the emotional pain.  If that pain is not relieved by satisfactory reconciliation, the one injured will probably become an enemy to the offender. Enmity always involves anger, and Jas. 1:20 informs us that "the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God." To have enmity toward another person is to harbor an evil attitude, and to incur the enmity of another, when you can avoid it, is also within the province of sin.

      Romans 12:21 gives us the Christian formula for dealing rightly with offenses, given or received, and the enmity which they generate. First, it teaches us to "not be overcome by evil." The context shows the "evil" under consideration is allowing yourself to respond to provocation with vengeance. In the preceding verses it says, "Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. ... Never take your own revenge, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord." As Satan watches our lives, he is very alert for the opportunity where one person provokes another. Nature urges us to apply the rule of getting even by giving back an equal measure of hurt for what we have suffered. Satan has to encourage us but very little to induce us to resort to this rule. Furthermore, our family and friends are usually quick to offer us their support, advising us to take revenge and praising us after we have done it. But such reaction is allowing yourself to "be overcome by evil." It is impossible to defeat evil with evil, (Mat. 12:25-26). When hatred is met with more hatred, then hatred is only compounded. Enmity gradually escalates until those who feed it are themselves consumed by it. Thus are we warned in Gal. 5:15, "If you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another."

      The second part of the formula for dealing with offenses is given in the words, "but overcome evil with good." Experience tells us that such a response is not natural; people do not instinctively return good attitudes and actions for offenses inflicted upon them. This is a mode of thought and behavior which must be learned, and the gospel of Jesus emphatically teaches it to all who are willing to learn.

In Mat. 5:44 (KJV) Jesus instructs us to "love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you." Not only did He teach this way of response to us, but He practiced it Himself. Though reviled and hated throughout His ministry, He never returned to His oppressors anything but goodness, kindness, forgiveness and mercy. Meeting hatred with such sterling qualities of spirit is the only effective antidote for its poison. They break the vicious cycle of escalation and give the best opportunity for transforming enemies into friends. Booker Washington, (1858-1915), the imminent Negro educator, once said, "I will not allow any man to make me lower myself by hating him." The only real way to destroy an enemy is make him a friend.

THE KINDNESS AND SEVERITY OF GOD

Rom. 11:22 ... "Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off."

      The focal point of all existence and all reality is God. God is self-existent, but man owes his existence to God's decision in the beginning to create him. The psalmist declared, "Know that the Lord Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves." Our continued being is in God's hands every moment, and we enjoy the progress of life from day to day because He is so gracious as to give us everything we need. From this understanding it is obvious that our first interest should be God, and our greatest goal should be to do whatever He has created us to do. We can be sure that God always watches us to observe how we conform to His will for us. The true meaning of life can be discovered only in this context of God's scheme for us and our response to it.

      Rom. 11:22 deals with this basic theme as it pertained to Israel on the one hand and the Gentile nations on the other. God chose Israel to be unto the Gentiles a light of truth, of faith in Him, and of righteousness in keeping His covenant. Sadly, however, she failed in this uniquely favored role as over the centuries the people looked elsewhere for truth, turned to the service of idols, and defied the divine covenant.  In Paul's word they "fell." Having been exalted above all other nations, Israel fell by way of infidelity, rebellion and sin. Consequently, just as He had promised when He instituted the covenant (Dt. 28), God judged Israel severely in many ways to recompense her for her waywardness. More is required of those who have greater advantages than of those who have less. Then God turned to the Gentile nations with a new covenant, one of grace in the gospel of Jesus Christ. He displayed amazing goodness in granting them the favors and privileges which Israel had spurned. Through Christ He offered them salvation from sin, citizenship in His universal kingdom, and eternal life in His glorious home in heaven.

      Now the burden of responsibility lies upon Gentiles, namely, all of us who are not of Jewish heritage. As we enjoy God's blessings and the special favor of His benevolent outreach to fellowship with us as our Father and us as His beloved children, we must recognize that grave conditions are attached to the relationship. What happened to Israel can happen to us, if we carelessly and foolishly repeat her mistake of taking God lightly, disregarding His plan for us, and myopically focusing our attention upon this present earthly life with its transitory pleasures and interests. Thus the inspired apostle warns us to "continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off."

      It has been said that "those who ignore the tragedies of history will eventually also fall victim to them." This is true of secular history, but it is even more true in the spiritual dimension of life. So often the Holy Scriptures urge us to consider carefully the errors of those before us, lest we wander  into the pathway of destruction as they did. We read in I Cor. 10:11, "Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come." These lessons teach us to covet God's grace upon us, appreciate it supremely, and respond to it with true faith and unwavering obedience to His will. We find this enlightening statement by God to us in Isa. 66:2, "To this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word."

      (Someone having read the above article may conclude that Jewish people are now excluded from God's covenant of grace and salvation. That is by no means the case! Paul, who wrote Rom. 11:22, also wrote in the same chapter, v.1, "My heart's desire and my prayer to God for them (Jews) is for their salvation." If Jews put their faith in Christ, as well as in God, and submit to the gospel, they will be accepted into His eternal kingdom equally with Gentiles. Historically, the gospel was first offered to Jewish people, and the church during its earliest period was composed entirely of Jews. In fact, in the kingdom of God the Jewish-Gentile dichotomy no longer exists. We are assured in Gal. 3:28 that "there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for all are one in Christ Jesus." The factors that divide us as physical beings no longer operate in the spiritual context of the eternal kingdom of God. It is a beautiful and wonderful thing that the issues of earth life that so grievously polarize us are excluded forever from heaven life. Therefore, heaven is a place of peace, prevailing good will, and mutual acceptance without reservation,)