An Eye for An Eye? Maybe Not.

 1 Peter 3:9

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.  Instead, speak a blessing, because you were called for the purpose of inheriting a blessing.

People like to misuse the Bible verse that says, "...an eye for an eye," but look at what Peter says here.  He says don't repay evil for evil.  This is a more impactful way of saying, "two wrongs don't make a right."

In fact, "an eye for an eye" is the authority  given to the governing authority to punish crime, not to individuals to seek out selfish revenge.  If you read further in that section of the Old Testament, God also says, "It is mine to avenge."  So Peter's point here is consistent with God's commands throughout all of history.

Peter's point is that we are never justified to sin.  Just because someone breaks one of the Commandments and hurts us, we don't then have license to break one of the Commandments and hurt them.  We are each held accountable by the Lord for our own actions, not the actions of others.  Retaliation and revenge are tools of Satan.  We see him implementing those tools very effectively all across our country right now.  

It is pride and arrogance that fuels hatred and destructive behaviors.  Rioting isn't about justice, it's about advancing personal political agendas.  It's about advancing Satan's agendas: his tighter control over his foolish slaves, and his war against Jesus and His children.

That's why Peter tells us how to live for Jesus: don't retaliate and bless even those are attacking you.  This is how Jesus expects his children to act in the face of oppression.  Jesus is not some detached deity who issues these decrees from an ivory tower, he experienced greater persecution and injustice than any human will ever know.  Jesus is the Son of God and people rejected him for telling the truth.  They killed him for telling the truth.  People still reject him and hate him for revealing his true identity to mankind.  This is why Jesus can, and does, tell us not to avenge ourselves.  Instead, we are to model him.  We are to live for him.  Our lives are to be living sacrifices to him.

If you truly are a follower of Christ it is time to stop living for this world, and start living for him.

Jesus loves you!  He died for you!  He rose from the grave so you can be with him for all eternity in heaven.  It's time to stop living for your selfish desires and store up your treasures in heaven.

Your life matters to Jesus, and his opinion is the only one that matters.

God bless

Jason Fredrick