“For I say unto you, that EXCEPT your RIGHTEOUSNESS shall EXCEED THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, ye shall in NO CASE ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN…” Matthew 5: 20 (Emphasis mine)
Another interesting subject in relation to kingdom righteousness is our approach to retaliation. Retaliation can be defined as the act of revenge. It also means to pay back someone in equal measure of wrongs. The way we handle those who unfairly treated us in our vulnerable state is an issue of concern. Most often like the Scribes and the Pharisees, whenever we find ourselves in position of power, that is when we feel the urge to payback people for the pain, they caused us or the wrong they did to us. Sometimes we see it as a God given opportunity to pay them back in their own coin. In order to justify our selfish desire for retaliation, we try to hide behind the law to execute them. After all, we are fulfilling the law.
It was not a mere coincidence for Jesus to address this misconduct and misappropriation of the law at the very beginning of his ministry, when he was introducing to us the Kingdom of Heaven and its righteousness. Being legalists does not necessarily make us righteous. Legality puts us at the same pharisaic level of righteousness which is based on hypocrisy. Let us analyze how Jesus addressed this issue in Matthew 5:38-42
“You have heard that it was SAID (in the law), ‘EYE FOR EYE AND TOOTH FOR TOOTH.’ But I (the Spirit of the law) TELL YOU NOT TO RESIST AN EVIL PERSON. If someone SLAPS YOU ON YOUR RIGHT CHEEK, TURN TO HIM THE OTHER ALSO; if someone wants TO SUE YOU AND TAKE YOUR TUNIC, let him HAVE YOUR CLOAK AS WELL; and if someone FORCES YOU TO GO ONE MILE, GO WITH HIM TWO MILES. Give to THE ONE WHO ASKS YOU, and DO NOT TURN AWAY FROM THE ONE WHO WANTS TO BORROW FROM YOU.” BSB (Emphasis & insertion mine).
Indeed, the Mosaic law recommends “eye for eye and tooth for tooth”. But Jesus suggest we ignore the ‘evil ones’ for their actions. Because we all have the proclivity to sin or become evil, the only thing that separates us from the evil ones is our ability to forgive and ignore others when they offend us. On the lighter side, “eye for eye and tooth for tooth” will make us all blind and toothless.
No one in his/her right senses will just get up to slap us or would want to sue us without a cause. These actions are always precipitated by something intrinsic. Those intrinsic stuff can make us all behave the same way we felt we were unfairly treated. Most often, when such evil is done to us nobody sees them. But the moment we react by paying them back in their own coin, then it becomes so obvious and a subject of public debate. That is when people will challenge and question the integrity of our faith in Christ.
The last two phrases of the above biblical text suggest we give to those who ask for our help irrespective of what they did to us in the past. It is therefore expedient to learn how to forgive and ignore people for their offenses. When we do this, we allow God to take the vengeance on our behalf. These are hard suggestions and are very difficult to oblige but that is what our Lord and Master requires from us, if indeed we are willing to follow Him.
In closing, let us understand that, kingdom righteousness is very demanding and yet very rewarding. Since the prize is always greater than the price, let us all endeavour to endure to the end. God bless us all.
PRAY WITH ME
Lord Jesus, I thank you this day for my life. From this day forward, I have resolved in my heart to forgive and let go. Since vengeance is of the Lord, I know he will vindicate me and reward me graciously. Holy Spirit, please guide me and help me to live this life of ‘vengeance free’. This I pray in the precious name of Jesus! Amen!
Author: REV. SOLOMON LUTTERODT