Marks of the True Christian
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Rom 12:21
Be not overcome... Never let evil get the better of you; get the better of evil by doing good.
Seven Duties to Enemies:
1. To love them (Mat. 5:44; Luke 6:27).
2. To bless them (Mat. 5:44; Luke 6:28).
3. To do good to them (Mat. 5:44).
4. To pray for them (Mat. 5:44; Luke 6:28).
5. To lend to them (Luke 6:34-36).
6. To be kind to them (Luke 6:35-36).
7. To be merciful to them (Luke 6:36).
Seven Examples of Loving Enemies:
1. God (Mat. 5:44; Luke 6:35; Rom. 5:8)
2. Abraham (Gen. 20:14-18)
3. David (1Sam. 24:17; Psm. 35:12-14)
4. Elisha (2Ki. 6:22-23)
5. Jesus (Luke 23:34)
6. Stephen (Acts 7:60)
7. Paul (Rom. 9:3; 10:1)
Evil is of the devil. Christians are not of the devil, but of Christ. Jesus did not fight back. He submitted Himself to the humiliation of the cross. His goodness was so great that even in His pain on the cross, “He said Father forgive them for they know not what they do”. His goodness has lived on for thousands of years.
We must follow His example. In Jesus’ own Words, we read how we are to handle those who oppress us in Luke:
Luke 6:27-30. “But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,” “Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.” “And unto him that smiteth thee on the [one] cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not [to take thy] coat also.” “Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask [them] not again.”
As Paul summarized, Do not be overcome by evil, giving into the temptation to retaliate, but overcome evil with good (cf. Mat. 5:44, “love your enemies”). Again positive and negative commands are put together (cf. Rom. 12:9, 12:11, 12:16-20).
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