“ Repay no one evil for evil. ---Beloved do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” Romans 12: 17, 19
The core of Christian living involves loving others as Christ has loved us. In this regard it is expected that we will be willing to forgive even when someone does not deserve it. This is in correspondence with what Christ did for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
Christ taught that we should treat our enemies and those who persecute us with love. If they hate us we ought to show them love. He said “ love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be the sons of your father in heaven” Mathew 5: 44-45.
Loving your enemy as Christ loves can only be possible when one has fully surrendered themselves to God. In the same way that Christ was willing to forgive his persecutors at the cross (Luke 23:34) , we too with the help of the Holy Spirit can forgive our enemies. Indeed Stephen, a mortal man, did this when he was stoned to death for his faith.
As Stephen died he said “ Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” There after he knelt down “and cried with a loud voice, Lord, do not charge them with this sin”, Acts 7: 59-60. Stephen did the same thing that Christ did on the cross. He forgave his enemies before his death.
King Saul was a man that God had called to be the first king of Israel. Saul leadership was however a failure because he was more focused on pleasing people than God. When God rejected Saul as King, “the Spirit of the Lord departed from King Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him” 1 Samuel 16: 14.
God then called David, who was still a young man to be king after rejecting Saul “and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward” 1 Samuel 16:13. This started a spiritual struggle between Saul and David. King Saul was still on the throne while David was God's anointed King in the waiting.
Saul’s servants suggested that he appoint a man who could play music for him which might help him in his depression occasioned by the departure of the Spirit of God. One of the servants suggested David and told King Saul that he had “seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him” 1 Samuel 16: 18.
At this time King Saul did not know that David had been appointed King and as such did not feel threatened by him. God must have been inolved in this because by David working for Saul, he would learn kingdom needs from the man he would replace. This teaches us not to despise the place we are at for it could be the place of preparation for our bigger calling.
Read more: http://www.bukisa.com/articles/469745_wait-pon-god-for-vengeance#ixzz1JNRRh7OX
The core of Christian living involves loving others as Christ has loved us. In this regard it is expected that we will be willing to forgive even when someone does not deserve it. This is in correspondence with what Christ did for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
Christ taught that we should treat our enemies and those who persecute us with love. If they hate us we ought to show them love. He said “ love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be the sons of your father in heaven” Mathew 5: 44-45.
Loving your enemy as Christ loves can only be possible when one has fully surrendered themselves to God. In the same way that Christ was willing to forgive his persecutors at the cross (Luke 23:34) , we too with the help of the Holy Spirit can forgive our enemies. Indeed Stephen, a mortal man, did this when he was stoned to death for his faith.
As Stephen died he said “ Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” There after he knelt down “and cried with a loud voice, Lord, do not charge them with this sin”, Acts 7: 59-60. Stephen did the same thing that Christ did on the cross. He forgave his enemies before his death.
King Saul was a man that God had called to be the first king of Israel. Saul leadership was however a failure because he was more focused on pleasing people than God. When God rejected Saul as King, “the Spirit of the Lord departed from King Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him” 1 Samuel 16: 14.
God then called David, who was still a young man to be king after rejecting Saul “and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward” 1 Samuel 16:13. This started a spiritual struggle between Saul and David. King Saul was still on the throne while David was God's anointed King in the waiting.
Saul’s servants suggested that he appoint a man who could play music for him which might help him in his depression occasioned by the departure of the Spirit of God. One of the servants suggested David and told King Saul that he had “seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him” 1 Samuel 16: 18.
At this time King Saul did not know that David had been appointed King and as such did not feel threatened by him. God must have been inolved in this because by David working for Saul, he would learn kingdom needs from the man he would replace. This teaches us not to despise the place we are at for it could be the place of preparation for our bigger calling.
Read more: http://www.bukisa.com/articles/469745_wait-pon-god-for-vengeance#ixzz1JNRRh7OX
