Vengeance verses forgiveness and the benefit of forgiving the offending party.
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Well today for the sermon I'd like to begin with a quotation — quoting someone who I don't often quote...I don't know that I've ever quoted this person in a sermon before. The quote is from Confucius. A lot of you know, "Confucius say", and we can't say all of those that we've heard growing up, but this is one that we can: "If you devote your life to seeking revenge, first dig two graves" — If you devote your life to seeking revenge, first dig two graves.
Let me give you a definition for revenge, and as you look in the dictionary, the definition for revenge and vengeance, it's almost...you can't discern between the two. It's almost the identical same definition. The definition for vengeance or revenge: Any form of personal retaliatory action against an individual, institution, or group, for some perceived harm or injustice. Another one: Punishment that is inflicted in return for a wrong. I'll give you several synonyms for revenge: retribution, reprisal, retaliation, settling of scores, punishment, payback. I think today, the popular phrase is payback.
Confucius once again: If you devote your life to seeking revenge, first dig two graves. You know, if someone has a life of seeking vengeance, especially if they do that to the ultimate extreme of the actually putting someone, their enemy, in a grave, they will also put a part of themselves in the grave — something within them will die as well.
Now the topic of today's sermon is "Vengeance Verses Forgiveness". And the purpose in my bringing this sermon is to underscore the benefit of forgiving the offending party. And the title of this sermon is, "Vengeance — Mine or the Lord's?" And those of you who are familiar with the Book of Romans, I think you'll see there's a little play on words there - Vengeance - Mine or the Lord's? It was interesting as I listened to Mr. McIntosh's sermonette today - it sounded like Hosea, Ken and myself have pretty much the same thing in mind.
Another quote, this one from the Bible: Revelation chapter...excuse me, Romans, Chapter 12, and in Verse 19, it says:
Romans 12:19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.
Vengeance is Mine, thus says the Lord, from the Old King James translation.
Now let's take a look at forgiveness, and let me give you a definition for forgiveness. Forgiveness is defined: The act of pardoning somebody, for a mistake or wrong-doing. And some synonyms for forgiveness: pardon, pity, mercy, absolution, exoneration. Now let's contrast the two words, revenge and forgiveness; let's just oppose the two. The synonyms for revenge are retribution, reprisal, retaliation, settling of scores, punishment, payback; the synonyms for forgiveness, pardon, absolution, exoneration, pity, mercy. Now which sounds more God-like, as you read those synonyms or definitions? Revenge, or forgiveness?
Let me give an illustration: Which of the two, vengeance — revenge, or forgiveness, is more easily done by the natural man? Which do you think is the easier reaction? Let's take two little kids, say they're three years old so they can talk and all, and say the two little three year old kids are sitting side-by-side, and one has a toy. And the other one reaches over and takes that toy. Now the offended child who had the toy taken from it, what do you think it's going to do? If I were a betting man, I'd say that offended child will reach over, smack the other child, and take the toy back. Or, the offended child, might say, "you took my toy - I forgive you, I hope you enjoy it"! I rest my case!
Let's look in the Bible to the first example given of vengeance. Obviously we'll look at Genesis - Genesis, Chapter 4. Genesis 4, let's begin in Verse 9. I'm sure you're familiar with the account of Cain having killed his brother, Abel:
Genesis 4:9 Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" And he said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"
Verse 10: And He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground.
Verse 11: So now you are cursed from the earth, — God speaking to Cain — you are cursed from the earth from which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.
Verse 12: When you go till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth."
Verse 13: And Cain said to the Lord, "My punishment is greater than I can bear!
Verse 14: "Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me."
Verse 15: And the Lord said to him, "Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.
Verse 16: Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden.
Brethren, the very first murder that took place happened to be between the two first-borns of mankind, of the first-born and his brother.
Now what type of vengeance did God take? God has the full panoply of things that He could have chosen; He could have taken Cain's life. He could have beaten Cain; He could have given him forty stripes, save one. He could have, you know...whatever penalty God chose, it was up to God to make that decision. God chose to drive him from His presence. To make him one who would not be in the presence of God, and the earth would no longer yield its easy yield to Cain; He would be as a vagabond, going place to place. And that was the vengeance that God extracted upon him — that was his punishment. Cain had sinned, God chose to spare his life, and then just set him away from mankind, and then put a mark upon him. We don't know what the mark was, but it was something he'd be identified, so that other people, as the earth's family would grow, would not kill Cain.
Now let's focus on why the role of forgiving others is so important in our lives. In the Book of Romans, let's look at Chapter 12. Romans 12 — let's begin in Verse 14. When it comes to the area of revenge as opposed to forgiveness, for the Christian, these are the marching orders — these are the standing orders that God gives us. If we're going to say, "we are a Christian, we have a relationship with God, we trust the Bible, we look to God for guidance", here is what God tells us to do. Romans 12, Verse 14:
Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Verse 15: Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
Verse 16: Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in our own opinion.
Verse 17: Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
Verse 18: If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
Verse 19: Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," thus says the Lord.
Verse 20: "Therefore if your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him drink; for in doing so you will heap coals of fire upon his head.
Verse 21: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Now, we read that pretty quickly, or I did, and as you followed along, it didn't take too long to read through that. But those are some pretty severe marching orders. When you put the...where the tire meets the road surface, you know, where the action really is, it takes a big Christian to do that, to respond, not to render evil with evil, not to try to seek vengeance — to put that in God's hands. Again, as we read there, it says that vengeance is mine, says the Lord. Do not render evil with evil.
Now, as we read that, you and I know, that living in our own neighborhoods, going to work, crime that does take place, action and interaction, personal interactions at church among members and all, that there are offending parties, you know; there are parties that do commit sin. There are people who do things that are wrong. There are people in the world, hopefully not within the church, who steal. I live in a, really a...used to be a crime-free city, well not totally crime-free, but I had a tent stole out of my back yard one time when we got back from our camping trip. Obviously it rained here in Ft. Worth and I had to set my tent up and somebody came and stole it. Well, you know, things get stolen. Someone stole my tire, wheel, lug nuts and wheel cover, and left my car on a jack not too long ago. Old plastic wheel covers. Somebody needed, I guess...they took my lug nuts — couldn't even put on my little donut. My good friend Barry says, "Well, what you do then is take a lug nut from all the other..." I didn't want to hear that — somebody stole my tire! I wanted to be mad for awhile until, you know, we find what happened — I didn't want a solution to it!
But does the offending party always get away with it? Does God expect, as we read that in Romans, does God expect us to always allow the offending party to get away with it? What about that Scripture that says, "eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth"? You poke me in the eye; I poke you in the eye. You bust my mouth and knock out a tooth; I hit you in the mouth and knock out a tooth. Now that's Biblical — I mean, kind of biblical...I took a little license there, but that's based on a Biblical Scripture. What about that?
Romans 12, Verse 19, as we read: Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath...understand, there will be angry people, there are people who will do things that are wrong... and remember it's written, vengeance is Mine, thus sayeth the Lord.
Now, when there's no law written that governs people, then the businesses of vengeance is something that's very quick...how did Mr. McIntosh...he was talking vengeance, but angry...just very quick, very sudden. And when someone is wrong, the natural, human reaction, is to avenge that, to go after that person, to make them pay for that. And in society...normally the society is governed by no or little law; you have an arborous type situation where people go after, and they put the other person to death. They catch up with him and then they put them to death. That's typically what happens and has happened in society, you know, for generations.
Before we go on, let's take a quick look there in Exodus and let's see what the intent was behind the Scripture, eye for an eye, and tooth for a tooth. I think probably over the years in dealing with our teen-agers at our summer camps, in talking with them this will come up. And a lot times you'll have the boys, you know - they're strong and all, they're about thirteen or fourteen, you know, and they're going to protect their sisters, and protect their girl friends, and protect their territory, and want to know if it's okay to take karate or pack in heat, and they'll ask all these questions, and as you begin to explain that.... "Oh no! The Bible says, eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth — you mess with me; I'm going to mess with you." And that seems to be the one Scripture teen-age boys kind of cling to, so one they've memorized, or had the most resonance for them when they heard that. Well, let's take a look at that and let's see what God is really explaining, and the fairness issue that God has. Exodus 21 — let's begin in Verse 21...Verse 22:
Exodus 21:22 "If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman's husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
Two men were fighting, one of them hit a woman who was pregnant, she had early delivery — woman doesn't die, the baby doesn't die — the man is going to pay; not going to pay with his life, he's going to pay what the husband and the judge says. However:
Verse 23: "But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life,
Verse 24: "eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
Verse 25: "Burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
So if the man - something, you know, she's hurt more than that and she dies, in premature delivery the baby dies, then he's going to give his life. You know, a life was taken; a life will be given. And he goes on, eye for eye; tooth for tooth.
Verse 26: "And if a man strikes the eye of his female servant...now here's where you get to see an explanation of what God is saying there:
If a man strikes the eye of his male or female servant, and destroys it...Let's pause...we just read eye for eye, tooth for tooth, stripe for stripe...it should say:
"the person who destroyed the eye of the servant, therefore you hold down the master and pluck his eye out. That's what it's supposed to say. But it says, if he strikes the eye of his male or female servant and destroys it, he shall let him go free for the sake of the eye.
Verse 27: If he knocks out the tooth of his male or female servant, he should be held down and let somebody hit him in the face and knock out his tooth...eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.
But what it says is, if he knocks out the tooth of his male or female servant, he shall let him go free for the sake of his tooth. Meaning: Workman's Compensation; that's workman's comp. I mean literally...that's the beginning of our system of Workman's Comp. If you injure someone, then you have to compensate them.
Verse 28: "If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, then the ox shall surely be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be acquitted.
His ox gets out and gores someone and kills them, it's a tragedy, it's something that shouldn't have happened, but he doesn't pay for it with his life. You can stone the ox and know that he doesn't make any profit on that. But, Verse 29:
Verse 29: "If the ox tended to thrust with its horns in times past, — gross negligence — and it has been made known to his owner, and he has not kept it confined, so that he has killed a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death."
Brethren, what God was showing is, that the punishment, the justice, the retribution, should be something that is equated equivalent to the crime. If you put out someone's eye, they don't come back and cut your arm off; they don't come back and kill you. If you knock a tooth out, they don't, you know, cut both hands off or something. It's something that is commensurate to the crime or the accident or whatever it is that you have committed. It is just compensation; you knock out an eye, you don't pay for it with your life; if you knock out a tooth, you don't go beyond what God says and you get compensated for that.
The Bible does hold open punishment through a Civil system. God allows the Civil government, judges, police etc. to impart punishment. What God is showing, it's not our role to impart that punishment. Notice with me, in Romans, Chapter 13 — Romans 13, and let's look at Verse 2.
Romans 13:2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring punishment on themselves.
Verse 3: For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.
Verse 4: For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
And God has set up the Civil authorities, that the person who does wrong, does not get away with it all of the time. And then you go into man's system, and man's judges and juries, and jurisprudence, and all that comes into play, but God has set that up, that there is remedy within the courts when someone does something of that level, of that nature.
Verse 5: Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake.
You can go to court with an individual for Civil reparations, but we are not to seek vengeance ourselves; we're not to go after that person to hurt that person. You know, you can be sued in court; you can sue someone in court. If it's a member of the church, as other parts of the New Testament shows, then that should be a judgment of the church, you know. You should bring the matter to the church for the church to judge. For that to work you have to have two converted people to be able to bring this...to say, "yes I will abide by the judgment of the church." You know, that's a story in and of itself.
But you know, you can sue someone...some people I understand make a pretty good living on suing other people. I got sued one time — it was a tragic situation, probably about eight or nine years ago. A dear friend, Bill Cowan, my neighbor, was giving away a go-cart, a motorized go-cart, and gave it to Britton and we took that home and had to do a little work on it. He took it out in our back yard...we've got an acre of ground, and he would ride that thing, and we went over all the guide-lines, you know — "when you get on that make sure you have your helmet, and just stay in the back yard."
So, he had a friend in the neighborhood, and the friend in the neighborhood had a little dirt bike, trail bike, and he would ride that in his yard. And he had a helmet, so talked to both of them, you know...be sure, if you ever ride you have to have a helmet on — and one at a time, had all these rules. So they were riding and something happened with the clutch, and Britton got off, and this little kid, he was working on that, and the other boy got on and took off. Well when he got on he didn't have his helmet on. So he was riding around and came down our hill, and for some reason he jumped off the go-cart. And he explained later, said: "I don't know why I jumped off the go-cart." He jumped off the go-cart, just where he jumped off he fell forward...I had one rock in the yard, and he fell on the rock and hurt his eye...$280,000 judgment. Now who's fault was it? You know. Obviously they brought out the lawyers...my insurance company and my lawyers. We went over that and here were the guidelines, nobody was ever supposed to ride it...here were the two helmets. The boy said he jumped off, but we owned the go-cart and it was on our property — $280,000. So, things like that happen. Thankfully, I'd just upped my liability on my insurance before that happened. Otherwise I wouldn't look as well fed as I do today!
A former member of this congregation wrote me a couple weeks ago and said, "Oh Mr. Taylor..." said, "I watched a DVD...they played a DVD of you at our congregation." I said, "Oh well, good." She wrote back, said, "You certainly look well-fed!" I was offended, let me add!
I Peter, Chapter 2...
I Peter 2:13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme,
Verse 14: or to the governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers and for the praise of those who do good.
Verse 15: For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men —
Verse 16: as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bond servants of God.
Verse 17: Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
I read those Scriptures, brethren, just to let you know that there is...when you read the Scriptures about not seeking vengeance and all, there is the route, or one can take the route, depending on what the situation is, to go to Civil court. If someone steals your car, you can testify against them, you know — that was my car they stole etc.
Now for us in the church, normally it doesn't rise to that level within the church — member against member. Sometimes it does. It is quite rare when that happens. But if it's something that happens within the church, is it okay to settle the score? Is it okay to take vengeance, or to have revenge, or to hold something against them? What does God expect of the Christain? Sometimes it's just...if I could have just been there, just a quick phrase, or part of a sentence — there is the time to let go. There is the time when there has been an infraction, there's been something that has happened, and someone is the offending party, and the offended party is offended - something has happened; there is the time of letting go.
I remember when we were kids growing up, and my younger sister will remember this...this was back, I think I was probably eleven or twelve years old, and we were new in Kansas City, and maybe I was thirteen - yeah, I think I was about twelve. And that was before the days of YOU; that was before the days of basketball tournaments, and volleyball tournaments, and teen dances, and teen proms, and track-meets and all of that, and really about the only thing that kids had in the church was to go to the Feast. And because my father wasn't in the church, we weren't able to go to the Feast...till I was about fifteen. Anyway, it was announced in services that we were...the church was having a dance, and I want to say a formal dance. I don't know what that meant, but the church was having a dance. Well, we were all excited about it. After services some month later, or whatever it was, you'd get to come to this dance, and go there and enjoy it. Everybody was excited. And then the week before, they were reading the announcement again, and there was an age cut-off, and you had to be twelve. And the dance was on, like...very close to my birthday. Well I was eleven, about two or three days shy of being twelve.
Well, at that time, all my buddies were older guys, and they were all going, and we were all excited, and I'm thinking, "well, I don't get to go to the Feast, we don't get this...and here is this dance, and now I'm three days, or two days shy." So my mother went to, really the head deaconess who kind of ran everything...a "jack-booted Elsie Taggart!" No, I mean...Elsie's really sweet and kind! You know, this is the lady who ran the socials and everything — she was a deaconess. And my mother went to her and explained to her, "Well you know, he's just two days away from turning twelve, and he really wants to go" — and all that — "can he go?" And she said, "No". So that hurt my mother's feelings. So she came back to me, you know, she was my proxy, going on my behalf, so she came and she said, "You can't go." I said, "Really?" I said, "I'm almost twelve." And my mother said, "Well, why don't you go ask the minister?" I never thought a thing about it — first time I'd ever talked to the guy. Went up to him and told my situation...two days — he said, "Sure, you can go." So I really thought that the deaconess would be happy, so I shot right over there and told her, "I ask Mr. Clark and he said..." — and her face just fell. And then I told my mother, and that made my mother mad! Now, my being a pastor, I see this a different way now than I did as a little kid.
But, for years, my mother would bring up this deaconess' name. It wasn't everyday, and it wasn't every week...it might have been every month, for about forty years! She would bring this...she would always go back to that. And Barbara would laugh, and I would laugh, and then finally the deaconess died, you know, about ten years ago; my mom would still bring her up. I said, "Mom, she's dead. It's time to let it go — it's just time to let it go." And there is that time. Even though someone thinks that they have been wronged, or they may have been wronged, there is the time to let it go and move on. It's probably best not to wait till the person dies before you let it go!
Turn with me to the book of Psalms. And this would be the subject of placing it in God's hands; let it go, place it in God's hands. Allow God to render His jusgment, because, you know, God knows the facts. He knows the heart of the individual, and God's timing is always right. God knows the heart; He knows all of the circumstance; He knows if that person really had no idea that they've done you wrong, or the person may know that they have, but they're too embarrassed to apologize — he knows all of that. Notice in the Book of Psalms — Psalms 94, and then Verse 1:
Psalms 94:1 O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs — O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!
Verse 2: Rise up, O Judge of the earth; render judgment to the proud.
Verse 3: Lord, how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked triumph?
The main point, brethren, it is God to whom vengeance belongs. Notice in II Timothy — II Timothy, Chapter 4, and let's begin in Verse 14. Here Paul is writing to Timothy and he's leaving an area, and he's asking Timothy to gather things for him and to take care of some things now that he's leaving, and he said:
II Timothy 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works.
Verse 15: You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words.
So Paul was saying, you know, may it be the Lord repay him — Paul didn't say he was going to take it in his own hands. The ultimate revenge, if I may put it that way, or vengeance, probably better stated, Revelation, Chapter 18 — and this is where the whole system of the Babylonian way of government, and all those things that are wrong with modern Babylon, and how it's hurt the people of God for all these years...Revelation 18, begin Verse 4:
Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.
Verse 5: "For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
Verse 6: "Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her.
And that's where she was drunk with the blood of the saints; mix her cup double.
When God does settle the score, when God does bring punishment on that Babylonian system, it will come suddenly and it will be severe. But that's God's doing; that's God's judgment; that's God's choice.
In I Thessalonians, Chapter 5 — Let's look at what it shows for forgiveness and not vengeance.
I Thessalonians 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.
Verse 15: See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
Is there a time to render evil for evil? No, not for the Christian. There's not the time to do that; there's no space to do that. Over a couple of books, I Peter, Chapter 3 — I Peter 3, begin in Verse 8 :
I Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;
Verse 9: not returning evil for evil of reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
Brethren, as I read that, that's along the line of the very, I don't want to say severe, but stern and pronounced marching orders that God has given to the Christian; this is what God expects. This is what God expects us to do. It is to be different for the Christian; he is not to lash out, or lie in wait, or hold a grudge, or seek his own vengeance, or revenge. It's not supposed to be that way.
Notice just a few quick Scriptures in Matthew. Returning here to the heart of what Christ was saying there at the Sermon on the Mount, and notice Matthew 6, Verse 12. This is the heart of the example of the model prayer. And he says in Matthew 6, Verse 12:
Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And God expects us to forgive people when we have been offended; when we have been sinned against, he wants us to forgive. And when we seek forgiveness from God, God says, you need to be forgiven, forgiving those who have sinned against you.
A couple Scriptures of the previous chapter:
Matthew 5, Verse 39 "But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whosoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. (The New King James)
Slap you on one cheek, turn to him the other. Verse 44, same Chapter:
Verse 44: "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you,
That's a tall order. That is what God expects though. Matthew 18 — I won't turn there, but Verse 21 Peter says, how (to paraphrase), how many times do I need to forgive the brother who sins against me, seven times? And Peter saying, I've already done it six — seven? And Jesus answered and said, "Seventy times seven."
Now the "text-a-crats" among us could say, 490 — I've forgiven them 460 so I've got ten more to go! No, it means a complete forgiveness, that we totally forgive someone, and be willing to forgive them.
Let me read you several quotes, secular quotes — the majority will be in favor of forgiveness; one will talk about vengeance. Josh Billings: "There is no revenge so complete as forgiveness."
"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" — Mahatma Gandhi
Here's from Machiavelli; Imagine his side, or take on this: "If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared." If you're going to hurt him you'd better put him out of commission so you don't have to fear him coming after you.
"In taking revenge a man is but even with his enemy, but in passing it over, he is superior; live well, that's the greatest revenge." — from the Talmud
"Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you are."
"Forgiveness is almost a selfish act because of its immense benefits to the one who forgives."
"The hatred you're carrying is a live coal in your heart, far move damaging to yourself than to them."
"The weak can never forgive; forgiveness is the attribute of the strong."
"It really doesn't matter if the person who hurts you deserves to be forgiven; forgiveness is a gift you give yourself; you have things to do and you want to move on."
Brethren, in conclusion turn with me to the Book of Colossians. Christ made a statement similar to the following: "If you live by the sword you will die by the sword." If one devotes their whole life to seeking revenge, they first better dig two graves, cause it's going to hurt them just as much as they seek to bring revenge upon someone. If you hold on to vengeance, be prepared to dig two graves.
Ecclesiastes 10:8 says, he who digs a pit will fall into it. If you're digging a grave for your enemy, you know, you're going to end up falling into that yourself.
Colossians 3 is a Scripture I'd like to close with, Verse 12:
Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, and longsuffering;
Verse 13: bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
Scripture says, vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord. The title of the sermon is, Vengeance — Mine or the Lord's? I believe that rests in God's hands; believe it is God who is the One who knows all things. His timing is perfect; He knows what goes on; He knows how to repay; He knows how to forgive, and will forgive. He knows how to soothe things over. He knows that the Christian...so much more is demanded of us; how we conduct ourselves. So, let's put things in God's hands; let's realize that even for our own good, when we are offended, or we're sinned against, we're far better off if we forgive the other person.
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