Dr. Mike Jones

Q: Lately, it seems as though America has lost its moral compass: we live in an ever increasing ‘cheating culture;’ and very few are being held accountable for their wrongful deeds!  We aren’t to retaliate, because God said, “Vengeance is Mine.” What should be our response?

A: [Now] that’s a very good question! Jesus, through Old Testament scriptures and examples, revealed that God never intended man to take personal vengeance/matters into his own hands. He started His teaching of “the law and retaliation” by saying, “Ye have heard that it has been said,” again implying that the teaching of the Pharisees on this topic is erroneous and not God’s true interpretation of the passage of scripture. The Pharisaic interpretation was to take personal vengeance on those who wrong us — take the law into our own hands and dish out whatever punishment we think fits the crime.

Jesus went on to say, “An eye for an eye” applied not to those in positions of leadership but to all (Israel) in general. The “eye for an eye” law was designed to protect the weak from the strong and the peaceful from lovers of violence. [The Interpretation: preserving the law and order in communities!]

Jesus‘ next statement was, “Resist not evil!” He was simply saying, do not take the law into your own hands. Roman 12:17 says, “Recompense no man evil for evil.” (Meaning, do not try to get back at someone when they have done you wrong; but commit your just cause to the Lord because He said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay the one that has done you wrong, because my punishment is just and righteous.”)

There are many other New Testament scriptures that tell us we are to let the love of God reside in our hearts and, as much as possible, live peaceably with all men; because without holiness, no man shall see (take part in) God’s kingdom. The entire chapter of Romans 13 tells us the natural order we are to follow when wronged by those in the world. [Summation: Do not let retaliation be your first or only course of action.]

Conclusion: Every day of our Christian walk, we should strive to walk upright before God, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Many things have happened in our lives, whereby it would have been in our power to retaliate. But the love of God and His word surged through us and we were able to love the person, but hate the sins in their life. God said vengeance is Mine; I will repay them for their wrong doings.