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In the above-mentioned text the Apostle Paul warns the children of God that they should not themselves take revenge in all kinds of ways but should leave this to God. The “mills” of God may grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly small! Vengeance is a characteristic that marks both the spirit of God and also the spirit of man; but in the way this vengeance is wrought we find a vast difference. When a man plans vengeance, in order to “pay back”, so to speak, a wrong he has suffered, he usually does it in a way that is even worse than the behaviour of the man on whom he wants to be avenged for this, that, and the other. Instead of having the matter settled and the differences balanced, the result is that the evil is rendered even worse. God, on the other hand, will settle the affair perfectly, and He says: “Vengeance is mine!” In other words, when men take revenge, the chaos is inevitably rendered greater. The Apostle Paul’s advice is addressed primarily to the children of God, to the “loved ones” of the Lord; for the worldly man, who tends to hate not only his neighbour but also God, is not capable of following the wise, divine counsel. But we, too, still find ourselves in this world full of hatred, revenge, and manslaughter, and we therefore run the risk of imitating the “world” and growing to resemble it.

Throughout all the centuries there have always been upright Christians and men who have trusted in God, who have suffered all the injuries inflicted on them and the wrongs done them, without planning revenge in the manner of man. Even Jesus had to suffer disappointments within the circle of His disciples. Peter, who was very near and dear to Him, denied Jesus and said: “I do not know the man!” In spite of this, Jesus never ceased to pray for him! He could have said. “That’s the end of our friendship; you deserted me in the most difficult moments; now I don’t want to know you anymore,”

When brethren and sisters whom we have loved deceive us, do us injury, or speak ill of us and disappoint us, then let us not scold, let us not repay in the same coin, and let us not be angry with them, but let us pray for them, that their eyes may be opened, that they may see that they have acted wrongly. It is not difficult to scold and be angry; but to be able to forgive and forget – that requires strength of mind. The enemies of Jesus had to recognize, in spite of everything, that in all His subjugation and seeming weakness, Jesus was in every way the strongest, and this aroused their utmost hatred and rage.

The Apostle James wrote to the twelve tribes living in dispersion: “For the wrath of man, worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save -your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves”. (James 1:20-22) The Word is the “Word of the Cross”: “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do.” This word is engrafted or planted in us; and this word shall become flesh in us, i.e., it must take shape, must be transformed into deeds. The practical Christianity that the Apostle James had in mind is not only concerned with what we must do to others, but specially with what we must do TO OURSELVES.

When the love of Christ, His grace, His mercy, His truth, become “flesh” in us, in other words, when Christ takes on a form within us, then we shall no longer be overcome by evil, but we shall overcame evil with good.