Elder Chew Chong Kiat

RESIST NOT EVIL

Matt 5:38 (KJV),"Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus sought to correct a prevalent error that was taught by the Pharisees and Scribes and practised by the Jews. The command of "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" is taught in Ex 21:24; Lev 24:20; Deut 19:21. God gave this command to regulate the judgment by judges in the court of man to give order to the life of the Israelites in the Promised Land. This rule defines the equitable justice of God to be practised by the Jews as a nation and to be used by a magistrate to mete out the justice of God. In the time of Christ, the oral traditions of the Jews had extended it to private and personal conduct. It was used to justify vengeance. When a person is hurt, he could retaliate with the same degree of hurt. The Lord Jesus Christ corrected this abuse.

Jesus taught the divine principle to all believers with regard to private and personal injuries: "Resist Not Evil". This means that on personal matters such as being persecuted for Christ’s sake, instead of exacting vengeance, all believers are to stand still and let the persecution come. They are to be abused for Christ's sake instead of retaliating.

Jesus elaborates in Matthew 5 with some examples. Matthew 5:39-42 (KJV), "But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away." The believer is to allow himself to be beaten (cf. v39). He is to allow himself to suffer material loss (v40). He is to allow himself to be inconvenienced (v41). He is to give of his substance to those who ask for help. In other passages of the Bible all believers are taught to be prepared to suffer pain even to the point of death. This was the Apostle Paul’s understanding of the life of suffering of the believer for Christ's sake. He testifies in Acts 21:13 (KJV), "Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

One of the best elaborations for this command is found in Rom 12:17-21 (KJV), "Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."

All believers are exhorted to never take vengeance. This teaching of Christ was contrary to the religious leaders’ teaching in the time of Christ. If the believer's adversary does evil against him, he is to let him and not resist. The word "resist" means "to stand against." It means to not retaliate but to stand still and be buffeted. This teaching does not mean that the believer goes out of his way to do silly things and to purposely get himself abused. This kind of masochistic notion is unbiblical and wrong. It is in the course of the believer's obedience to Christ, like living a holy life and witnessing, that he will experience such abuse, thus then this truth will apply. Instead of avenging himself, the believer is to show love to his enemies. This is not man's love but the love of Christ. This love of Christ allows the believer to not only not retaliate but to render help. If his enemy is hungry, he is to feed him. If he is thirsty, he will give him drink. By these acts of kindness, the believer is heaping "coals of fire on his head." What it means is that the persecutor of the believer will be hurt within his soul when he realizes that the more he persecutes the believer, the more love is shown to him. Then he will begin to be convicted and when the gospel is shared with him by this same believer about the love of Christ who died for him, the persecutor will have already experienced this love of Christ through the believer who suffered for Christ's sake. Believers are to overcome evil by doing good and not allow evil to overcome them in retaliating.

We must be careful not to have a wooden literal understanding of this wonderful truth of being counted worthy to suffer for Christ's sake. This truth does not mean that when a thief comes in to rob and hurt the believer's family, he is to stand there and do nothing. He is supposed to something. The thief comes to steal and to hurt him and his family because of a covetous and greedy heart. It is not about the believer's witness for Christ like his testimony in his office or at school or in church.

Even in the mission field, Apostle Paul avoided harm when he escaped in a basket (Acts 9:24-25). But when he knew the will of God to suffer for God’s glory and to testify of Him, he set his face to go to Jerusalem (Acts 20:22-24), regardless of the pleading of Luke and other believers.

We can learn from the perfect example of our Lord Jesus. When it was not time for Him to be delivered, He avoided all harm’s way. But when it was time for His deliverance, He resisted not. Nevertheless, when He was slapped unjustly, He remonstrated against them, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?" (John 18:23) Did Christ break the rule of not resisting evil in Matt 5:39? Of course not!

He did not resist evil although He had divine power to do so, neither did He avenge himself, but endured patiently and further submitted himself to more abuses and scorn. But Christ demonstrated that there is nothing to prevent a Christian man from protesting when he has been unjustly treated, provided that his mind is free from hatred and revenge. Paul likewise used his rights as a Roman citizen and appealed to Caesar when he knew that Festus was unjust and wanted to please the Jews by killing him (Acts 25:9-11). The precept in Matt 5:39 was regarding personal injury of a believer when he suffered for Christ's sake. This does not mean that the believer’s rights as a citizen cannot be appealed to. He can, so long as it is for the defence of God's truth and the testimony of Christ in his life. However, this must be balanced with the readiness and privilege of suffering for Christ's sake, even if the believer has to give up his rights as a citizen in his country or an employee in his work place in order to promote the witness and testimony of Christ.

If someone were to suddenly slap a believer, should he offer the other cheek? Or should he block a second blow and demand a reason for the slap? The biblical answer is the latter. If he is angry with the believer for something that he had done, then the believer should apologize. However, if it is a misunderstanding, then explain the situation to him patiently but under no circumstance must the believer retaliate. If he is still very angry despite the apology and willingness to make restitution, he can be advised to lodge a complaint - to the police if it is criminal or to the church if it is moral, and let justice take its course. If it is a misunderstanding, the believer must forgive him and not harbour any bitterness against him.

Likewise, if I was asked by my boss to do something unethical, and was fired when I refused out of obedience to God, I should not harbour vengeance against my boss. The sovereignty of God applies in the life of every believer. This is the most comforting truth in times of persecution for Christ's sake. Personally, even if I can, I would not even want to appeal to the Ministry of Manpower to assert my rights but endure suffering for Christ's sake.

If someone comes up to me after I get out of my car and snatches my key, and challenges me that I should do nothing because I am a Christian. Such foolish acts are criminal and has nothing to do with being a Christian witness. This is a blatant abuse of the Scriptures. By all means report him to the police. Remember that Matt 5:39 "whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also" was taught by Christ to correct an abuse. If the law of the land does not vindicate the believer, let his peace return to him, for vengeance is of God. God has ordained the higher powers to vindicate believers and so let us submit to it. Rom 13:1-4 (KJV), "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to [execute] wrath upon him that doeth evil."

Remember that there is no true power on earth except God's power. He is our loving heavenly Father and believers are His children. He will not allow anything that happens to His child to hurt him. The child of God needs to learn humility and total submission to His sovereign will. Remember that there is no injustice on earth that the child of God could ever experience that can remotely come close to the injustices that Christ endured because of our transgressions. Remember what Jesus says in 2 Timothy 3:12 (KJV), "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." Take not vengeance into our own hands, commit our cause unto God who judges righteously all the time.

Thank God for His infallible rule which when followed will help all believers to keep their testimony for Christ and to do so with the peace of God in their hearts. May all believers trust in the Lord when unjustly treated and not act like those who are in darkness, so that they can glorify God in their lives. Amen.