Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Epistle Lesson just read, from Romans 12. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- I don’t suspect that any of us really wants there to be evil in the world. Although our sinful nature moves us to desire our personal subset of evils, this is not what we really want to do. And we are of course incensed when others perpetrate evil, especially if we are targeted or someone we care about is suffering.
- Like Peter, it is painful for us to hear about the evil that Jesus had to suffer. In some respects it even makes us angry – but then we remember that it was for our sins also that Jesus had to suffer and die, so that we might have forgiveness, peace with God, newness of life, and eternal life. Still, those who perpetrated the acts were reprehensible.
- And we’re also not quite sure what to do with the statement of Jesus, that if we are to join Him and follow Him, that we will have to endure the same kinds of evil perpetrated against us. Most of us are probably not quite ready for taking up a cross for Jesus and losing life for His sake. Thankfully, we may be spared the worst kinds of persecution. But it is angering to hear and read about our fellow Christians in other parts of the world being persecuted and even martyred for their faith in Jesus.
- It is somewhat curious, just how strong the desire and compulsion is within us for justice – when it comes to others committing evils. This is God-given, a strong sense of right and wrong and justice. However, in view of human sin, this is not how God reacts, nor how He desires for us to react. Instead, throughout His Word He urges us to “OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD.” And He doesn’t just instruct, but:
I. This Is What God Does For In Christ – He Overcomes Evil With Good, And This Involves Humility, Self-Sacrifice, Suffering, And Perseverance In Faith
1 Pet. 2:21-24 “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth. When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.”
Statement: Perhaps it seems strange for us to think of Christ having faith, and that even God has faith that the suffering He put Christ through on our behalf would in fact yield dividends – faith that some of us would come to believe in Him and rejoice in His love. Actually, it would appear that this required a much greater faith from God than He calls us to have, for surely He is more trustworthy and dependable than we are.
Application: So it is important for us to consider this carefully – for we know that God is good, and that it would be good for us to be like Him. If He has such faith and trust, and is willing to humbly suffer for us, for our great good and welfare, overcoming the evil and guilt and punishment of our sins so that we might be healed and saved, then perhaps we should consider doing and being the same.
It is true that this isn’t how we normally think of God as being, but it is how He is – full of love, kindness, care, gentleness, and humility toward us, willing to do whatever was necessary for our salvation. And it is always on this basis, in consideration of what God has done for us and what God is for us, that we are encouraged to do the same. And so it is certainly His will, and for our blessedness, that:
II. We Are Also Called To Follow The Same Path Of Overcoming Evil With Good
A. To Do So We Must Strive For A Genuine Love For God And Others
Text: “Let love be genuine.”
1. This means abhorring what is evil
2. This means holding fast and strong to what is good
3. This means honoring others, seeking to hold others up in praise
4. This means having great zeal and fervency in serving the Lord
5. This means living a life of joy and hope, having patience in suffering, and being constant in prayer
6. This means taking up the cause of others – providing for the needy, being hospitable and hosting others, blessing even our enemies, and sharing empathetically with those around us – in their joys and their sorrows
7. This means living harmoniously with others, and being with the lowly, having humility and no conceit
Statement: These are the positive things that God wills for us to do toward others – the loving and genuinely good things. All of this is hard to do in a sinful world, not only because of our weak sinful nature but also because of the evil in others. It is difficult to honor other fallen and sinful human beings – and much easier to note their weaknesses and to despise people because of their weaknesses. Is this not the way of the sinful world? And because we are keenly aware of our own needs, and that often it seems no one else cares about us, we struggle to pour ourselves and our resources into the good and well-being of others.
Application: But again, our focus is to be on God and His love for us, and we are to trust that He is working all things together for our good and blessedness – so that we are free to focus on others first, and love them even as we have been loved by God. If we can grow in our faith and trust in Him, and in His love for us, then we can become trusting enough to follow His example of overcoming evil with good. This is His will for us, a blessedness He wants us to have!
And so we understand that as we live in His love this means:
B. There Is To Be No Evil For Evil, No Vengeance, But Rather We Are To Leave All To God In Faith And Trust In Him
Text: “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. . . . Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Statement: So there we have it – we are spared having to commit evil by the promises of God, that He will see to everything. This frees us to engage in good, even toward our enemies and those who have perpetrated evil. It may seem to be a less efficient and less effective way of “overcoming evil,” but it is the only way that has any chance of changing our enemies from the inside out, by affecting the condition of their heart. This is God’s will, that His children not be associated with evil at all but rather demonstrate by their softness of heart and decency of behavior the “heart effects” of God’s great love and compassion.
Application: And this is how God has been toward us in Christ Jesus, and it is part of the character and nature of God. So godliness is not displayed by our indignation and self-righteousness and “law and order” attitudes; rather genuine godliness is exhibited by mercy, compassion, care, kindness, peacefulness, gentleness, and goodness toward others, even those who persecute us and perpetrate evil against us. Such is the blessedness that God seeks to instill in each of us!
Conclusion: Understanding these things will never make following Christ easier or more pleasant to our sinful nature. But then, we are not destined to strengthen or even hold onto our sinful nature. Rather, we are to put it to death.
And suffering evil or observing evil will never be pleasant for us – we will always react with some anger. But we understand from the way in which God has stilled His wrath at our sin by suffering to bring about good, that this is the right and the best way to “overcome” evil.
May God grant us continued comfort and growing strength in His gracious mercy, forgiveness, and love, so that we may increase in our love for Him and for others, and our ability to “OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD.” For this is true godliness! Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.