REPAY EVIL WITH A BLESSING

PROCLAMATION

“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.  Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.  On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”  2 Peter 3:8-9 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by the apostle Peter, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers who scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (1 Peter 1:1-2)  Peter began this third chapter with instructions on how husbands and wives should treat one another. (1 Peter 3:1-7)  Then he tells them not to repay evil with evil, but to repay evil with a blessing because that is how they will inherit a blessing for themselves.  He goes on to quote King David from Psalm 34 (Psalm 34:12-16) telling them to avoid evil speech, to do that which is good, and to seek peace because the eyes of The Lord God are upon them. (1 Peter 3:10-12)  He ends the chapter by telling them to do what is good and to revere the name of The Lord.  For if they suffer for doing that which is right and good, they will be blessed. (1 Peter 3:13-17)  He reminds them that Christ suffered. (1 Peter 3:18-22)

 

APPLICATION

Once again, we are told in The Word of God that as believers, we are not to repay evil for evil. (Romans 12:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:15, and 1 Peter 3:9)  The Lord God has said that vengeance belongs to Him and He will repay those who do us wrong. (Romans 12:19)  We are to repay evil that is done to us with a blessing. (1 Peter 3:9)  We are to always exercise good Christian conversation and behavior, regardless of that which is shown to us.  If we really want to live life to the fullest and enjoy it, then we need to live in such a way as to do no harm to others but to do them good. (1 Peter 3:10-11)  Know that the eyes of The Lord God are always watching us. (Psalm 34:15 and 1 Peter 3:12)  It is to Him that we must give an account for our thoughts, words, and deeds. (Proverbs 23:7, Matthew 5:28, Matthew 12:36, and Revelation 20:12)

 

THE BAD THAT WE WISH FOR OTHERS MAY BE DONE TO US

PROCLAMATION

“So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai.”  Esther 7:10 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

After Esther agreed to do that which Mordecai had requested of her to save her people, she asked him to have the people fast and pray for her for three days. (Esther 4:15-17)  Then Esther approached the king and asked him to come to a banquet which she had prepared for him.  She also asked that Haman be present. (Esther 5:1-5)  At the banquet the king asked her what it was that she wanted.  She requested that the king and Haman attend a second banquet the following day and then she would answer his question. (Esther 5:6-8)  After the first banquet, Haman left feeling very full of himself until he saw Mordecai.  Then he went home filled with rage.  His wife and friends told him to have a pole set up and ask the king to have Mordecai impaled upon it. (Esther 5:9-14)  The king had been reminded that Mordecai had warned him about a threat to assassinate him.  When the king saw Haman, he asked him how he should honor such a man.  Haman offered a suggestion thinking that the king was going to honor him. (Esther 6:1-9)  Then the king told him to go and bestow this honor upon Mordecai.  He did as the king requested and returned home in grief. (Esther 6:10-13)  At the second banquet, Esther told the king that Haman had ordered that all of the Jews be destroyed, killed, and annihilated and that she was a Jew. (Esther 7:1-6)  Then the king left the room in a rage.  He returned to find Haman on the couch with Esther and he had Haman impaled on the pole which he had set up for Mordecai. (Esther 7:9-10)

APPLICATION

It is not good to think evil of someone or to wish evil upon someone.  As believers we are to pray for and do good to our enemies. (Matthew 5:44)  We are not even to think evil thoughts about the bad things we want to befall those that we do not like. (Proverbs 40:7)  We are to do that which is good and right to those who we feel have wronged us and The Lord God will deal with them. (Proverbs 25:22 and Romans 12:20)  We are not to return evil for the evil which was done to us. (Romans 12:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:15, and 1 Peter 2:14)  The Bible says that we ourselves may fall into the hole which we have dug for others. (Psalm 7:15)  “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)

DO NOT REPAY EVIL WITH EVIL BUT WITH A BLESSING

Proclamation:

“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.  Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.  On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”  2 Peter 3:8-9 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the apostle Peter, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers who scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (1 Peter 1:1-2)  Peter began this third chapter with instructions on how husbands and wives should treat one another. (1 Peter 3:1-7)  Then he tells them not to repay evil with evil, but to repay evil with a blessing because that is how they will inherit a blessing for themselves.  He goes on to quote King David from Psalm 34 (Psalm 34:12-16) telling them to avoid evil speech, to do that which is good, and to seek peace because the eyes of The Lord God are upon them. (1 Peter 3:10-12)  He ends by telling them to do what is good and to revere the name of The Lord.  For if they suffer for doing that which is right and good, they will be blessed. (1 Peter 3:13-17)  He reminds them that Christ suffered. (1 Peter 3:18-22)

Application:

Again we are told in The Word of God that as believers we are not to repay evil for evil. (Romans 12:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:15, and 1 Peter 3:9)  The Lord God has said that vengeance belongs to Him and He will repay those who do us wrong. (Romans 12:19)  We are to exercise good Christian conversation and behavior, regardless of that which is shown to us.  If we really want to live life to the fullest and enjoy it, then we need to live in such a way as to do no harm to others but to do them good. (1 Peter 3:10-11)  Know that the eyes of The Lord God are always watching us. (Psalm 34:15 and 1 Peter 3:12)

WE SHOULD BE AND LIVE AS HOLY AS WE CAN

Proclamation:

“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see The Lord.”  Hebrews 12:14 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by an unknown human author under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter of The Bible Book of Hebrews, the author begins by telling them to throw off sin and everything which hinders them as the run their Christian race and to focus on Christ. (Hebrews 12:1-2)  Then he tells them that in their struggle against sin that they have not yet experienced the worst of things. (Hebrews 12:4)  He reminds them, as he quotes Proverbs 3:11-12 to them that no matter what they are going through or what is to come, that God disciplines His children because He disciplines those that He loves. (Hebrews 12:5-6)  The author then goes on to encourage them to live as holy as they can. (Hebrews 12:14)

Application:

Some people will not let you live in peace with them because they are not at peace with themselves.  It is better for us to avoid those people. (Proverbs 21:9 and 21:19)  While none of us is perfect, we should strive to be as Christ-like and as holy as we can.  We should all strive to be holy because The Christ which is within us is holy. (1 Peter 1:16)  We should treat people as we would like to be treated (Matthew 7:12) and not as they treat us. (Romans 12:17)  When we know better, we should do better. (2 Peter 2:21)  Striving for peaceful living is a good thing, however striving to live holy is even better and much more important.

THE LORD GOD WILL AVENGE US FOR VENGEANCE IS HIS

Proclamation:

“Do not say. ‘I’ll pay you back for this wrong!’ Wait for The Lord, and He will avenge you.”  Proverbs 20:22 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by King Solomon under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Here he tells the people not to say that they will pay someone back for doing them wrong.  He reminds them that vengeance belongs to The Lord and He will repay those who do them wrong.

Application:

All of us have been wronged by someone.  Our human nature causes us to want to pay them back for whatever they did to us.  However, as believers, we are not to repay evil for evil. (Romans 12:17)  We are not to take revenge on those who do us wrong.  We must allow The Lord God to do that for us.  He has said in His Holy Word, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay.” (Deuteronomy 32:35, Romans 12:19 and Hebrews 10:30)