Marks of the True Christian
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. Rom 12:17
Recompense to no... Never pay back evil for evil to any man. Recompense in this instance means to repay. We could see in this that God does not want us to get even for the things people have done to us. God wants us to turn the other cheek when we have been dealt a blow on one side.
Mat. 5:39 “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.”
1Thes. 5:15 “See that none render evil for evil unto any [man]; but ever follow that which is good, both among ourselves, and to all [men].”
We also see that the Old Testament law of an “eye for an eye”, “tooth for a tooth” was never intended to be applied by individuals in the Old or New Testaments, but it was a standard for the collective society to use to enforce good conduct among people.
Provide things honest... Do not live beyond your means. Christians are to respect what is intrinsically proper and honest. “God” also carries the idea of visibly and obviously having the right behavior when they are around others, especially unbelievers.
The exhortations in Rom. 12:17-21 relate primarily to believers’ relationships with unbelievers, speaking as they do of those who do evil toward believers (Rom. 12:17) and are the “enemy” of believers (Rom. 12:20). The Old Testament principle of justice was “eye for eye” (Exo. 21:24), but Paul commanded, Do not repay anyone evil for evil (cf. 1Pet. 3:9). On the positive side Christians are to do what is right (kala, “beautiful,” used here in the ethical sense of good, noble, and honorable).
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