Day #16 “One Another” December 16, 2017
Vengeance or Forgiveness?
As we continue in our “one another” series, I’m including (with permission) a post from my friend from England, Phil Drysdale.
December 16. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Eph. 4: 32, Col. 3: 13, 1 Thess. 5: 15)
Anyone ever done something wrong to you?
Yeah, me too!
There is something about being wronged that can rub us up so much… especially if the other person “gets away with it”. You know, when they don’t seem to have any consequences for doing something so wrong!
In the Bible we see this situation again and again, people calling out for God to give them justice over the evils of people who have wronged them.
But it’s not the only response we see in scripture.
Let’s look at Abel and Jesus as an example of this…
The blood of the innocent can call out for one of two things.
Vengeance or Forgiveness.
Both feel like justice to the person who suffered the injustice!
Abel was killed for no good reason. He was innocent.
He called from beyond the grave on the justice of God to avenge him.
Yet, despite God agreeing that Abel was innocent, He did not give him what he desired.
Jesus also was killed for no good reason. He was completely innocent.
He also called from beyond the grave on God’s justice.
He cried out for God to forgive the wrong doers!
God heard His cry and forgave them.
There are two forms of justice when you have suffered wrong doing.
1) The justice of Abel. The world’s justice. It wants revenge. It wants punishment.
2) The justice of Jesus. The Kingdom’s justice. It wants forgiveness. It wants restoration.
This is why the author of Hebrews tells us that “the blood of Jesus speaks a better thing than the blood of Abel.”
God is calling us to be a people of kingdom justice. A justice that does not overlook wrongdoing. But actively forgives the wrongdoer and works on restoring them to who they truly are.
What kind of justice do you seek in your life?