All of Jesus’ messages in Matthew 5:38-48 emphasize that we should neither seek revenge nor defend ourselves.
“Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord” (Romans 12:19, Hebrews 10:30).
Struggling to justify yourself to someone reveals a lack of trust in God’s promise to repay evil. It also reveals spiritual shortsightedness by focusing on the present offense rather than focusing on eternity.
One of the best examples of this is David in 1 Samuel 24 and 26. David had many opportunities to avenge himself against King Saul but refused to do so. He trusted God to avenge and promote him when it was time (Psalms 75:6-7). As a result, all of God’s promises to David came to pass, and in his old age, God showed David mercy (2 Samuel 15-18), just as David had shown mercy to Saul.
Just as Christ did not come to condemn the world (John 3:17) and was not holding people’s sins against them, we, too, have been entrusted with the same ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:19-20). For those who exploit our kindness and disregard the love we extend to them, God will repay their actions (Revelation 13:10; 14:9-12).
Whoever has taken advantage of you, your battle is not with them. Matthew 5:39 makes this clear: “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.”
James 4:7 and I Peter 5:8-9 tell us to resist the devil. Yes, we are to resist the devil, but not the individual the devil is using against us. David extended mercy toward his enemy, Saul, but fought against other foes. Jesus drove the money changers out of the temple (John 2:13-17, Mark 11:15-17). Certainly, Jesus didn’t break His own instructions.
When you trust that your battle is with the enemy and not with the person who has offended you, you submit to God's authority. As you resist the devil, he loses power in your life. You have nothing to prove to the one who has offended you. You resist the enemy's instructions. You have no need to defend yourself or seek revenge. You can forgive as Christ has forgiven you. You are free of the need to justify yourself or prove yourself. You trust Jesus to take care of it for you. This trust leaves you free to love with Jesus’ love and allow the Holy Spirit to work in another person’s life. You become a living witness to the grace of Jesus by extending His grace to them.
Jesus Christ never condemned you or held your sins against you. He died for you and reconciled you to God. Let Him work through you. Trust that your Father will overturn what you cannot. He will fix what you were not designed to fix. He is the judge, not you. Resist the devil, not the person. Love the person who has hurt you, do good, and pray for them. Live in the freedom of Jesus’ grace.
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