Christ Leads The Way

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’” – Matt. 5:38

Hey friends! I hope that you are well. Thank you for your continued show of love and support. As always, I appreciate you!

We live in a tooth-for-tooth society. You know what that means: if you break my tooth, I’ll break yours. It means if you hurt me in some way, then I’ll do the same to you and hurt you back – if not worse. Friends, that’s not the way it should be. Christ teaches us a different way.

Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’. But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also” (Mt. 5:38-39). If someone intentionally and maliciously hurts us, Christ doesn’t want us to do the same. It’ll only continue a cycle of violence and pain.

Instead, He says, don’t resist them. They have to answer to God for how they treat you. And, “‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay’, says the Lord” (Rom. 12:19). God will take care of those who mistreat and abuse us.

And, if you have anything against another person, don’t hold on to that anger. If someone is angry at you, don’t let them stay that way. We can’t fully and truly worship God while harboring anger, hate, or ill-will in our hearts.

Jesus said, “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Mt. 5:23-24).

Christ is a god of love, a god of reconciliation, and a god of peace. And He wants us to have peace, reconciliation, and love among one another. Let’s not be angry with one another, hold grudges, or extend to others the evil that they bestow upon us. We don’t have to get back at someone just because they hurt us. It’s not the way of Christ.

Thankfully, Christ is not a tooth-for-tooth god. If every sin we committed against Him were repaid to us, we would not survive. We all have sinned against Him and fall short of His glory (Rom. 3:23). But Christ came and died so that we do not have to pay the penalty of our sins. He bore our sins for us (1 Pt. 2:24). And we can have an eternal home in heaven if with Him if we obey Him in repentance and baptism (Acts 2:38; Mk. 16:16).

Let’s not be a tooth-for-tooth people. We don’t have to pay back wrongs committed against us. It’s not for us to seek revenge. God will handle it. Besides, if you are kind to your enemies, in doing so you heap coals of fire upon their heads, and the Lord will reward you (Rm. 12:20).

Let’s go be kind.

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