Friday, June 23, 2006

Dealing with Crime (20)

According to Paul, we are not to repay those who do us harm. We must leave revenge to God.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil…Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath (Rom 12:17,19).

We are not to repay evil for evil or to seek to avenge those who harm us. This raises an interesting question. If we are not to take revenge ourselves, but leave it to God, is there not recompense here on earth? Is there a risk that crime will get out of control.

In the Romans 13, Paul explains how a system of godly judges avenges those who do evil. This is God's solution to the problem of crime.

He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer (Rev 13:4).

Christians must not seek revenge, but they are permitted to submit their situations to good judges. Judges will ensure that criminals are punished.

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