A Sense of Non-Destiny for 2020

As this year draws to a close, I have been reflecting on the article referenced in Sunday morning’s message by Carl Trueman (“An Unmessianic Sense of Non-Destiny,” Reformation 21 blog, April 20, 2010). The article addresses Trueman’s own confrontation with mid-life crisis. He awoke to the realization that opportunity for great accomplishments he hoped to achieve was essentially over. If he were to have an untimely departure, the world would not be in great anguish over its loss. In Trueman’s words, “I knew I would continue to write and even to do research, but I would do these for the pleasure I found in them, not because I believed it was my God-given task to enrich the waiting world with my pearls of wisdom.” The common sense of this insight stands in stark contrast to the prideful and self-deluded opinion many, even Christians, tend to have of their perceived self-importance.

Years ago, a friend conveyed to me a negative evaluation by a respected and successful pastor of my own prospects. Apparently, my friend agreed, and his telling me was not designed to boost my confidence. So how did I take this assessment? (To put it in context, I grew up with a serious inferiority complex. I am not sure how I came to see myself in that light, but I battled feelings of worthlessness for years and still have occasional relapses. Inferiority is really a form of pride—a reverse pride that stokes anger because others fail to see just how great and important one really is or could be.)

Paul’s words to the Corinthian church in the face of attacks on his own apostleship and ministry were very helpful to me (1 Corinthians 4). Every believer is but a servant of Christ and a steward of God’s will. God expects His servants to be faithful, not spectacular. Neither are we to be overly concerned with how others see us, not even in our self-judgment. Jesus is the only judge, and He “will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God” (v. 5). In the meantime, we must not be puffed up about our own importance. “What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” (v. 7).

The only thing we ought to care about is what the Lord thinks of us. Are we good kingdom citizens? Are we obedient? Are we submissive and open to what He will teach us from His Word? Are we faithfully applying what we know and seeking to be a blessing to our brothers and sisters in Christ? As Trueman argued, our special destiny as believers “is to be part of the church, and it is the church that is the big player in God’s wider plan, not us. . . . We all need to cultivate that certain unmessianic sense of non-destiny which will make us better citizens of the kingdom.” Let this be our resolve as we enter the new year.

The Sin of Retaliation, Part Three

It is no coincidence that Jesus followed the section on retaliation with the admonition that we are to love our enemies. Retaliation is hating one’s enemy. The person against whom one retaliates is his enemy by virtue of the wrong for which he desires to get even. Vengeance is a form of hatred because getting even requires inflicting harm on another.

It is a biblical fact that God hates and that He also repays vengeance on those who do harm, but He can do no wrong in it because He is perfect in His person and ways. Although He is just and good, it is said that He hates. “I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated” (Malachi 1:2b, 3a; Romans 9:13). When God hates, He is not driven by emotion, nor is He reacting to anything. He simply does not love—does not act to promote the welfare of the one He hates. Neither is God’s anger an emotional reaction to wrongdoing. Whatever God does, He does in perfect justice; thus, His anger and hatred are always right.

Salvation is that gracious work of God requiring that He first satisfy His own justice by punishing those He saves in a substitute—Jesus Christ. God gave these sinners to Jesus who took their sins on Himself and suffered God’s wrath in their stead. God acted to satisfy His justice on His Son in order that He might act to some sinners’ eternal benefit, which is loving them. When Christ died for His own, He acted to save them from God Himself. Only those who are converted can claim God’s love. All who are not saved remain the objects of His hatred and will suffer His vengeance. Sin against an infinite Being incurs infinite wrath.

On the other hand, no sinful creature can justly avenge wrongs personally because self and feelings cannot be divorced from the process. Indwelling sinful self-interest controlled by emotion is naturally attached to both love and hate. Only God’s established lawful authorities can justly punish wrongs (Romans 13:1–7). (Observe that Paul also follows with a discussion on fulfilling the law through love; vv. 8–14.)

 Believers are to overcome hate and revenge by acts of love toward those who have wronged them. Kingdom citizens must not resist evil persons but suffer the wrong and turn the other cheek. Further, when they lose their tunic in a civil suit, they are to surrender their cloak as well. When forced to go a mile, they should volunteer to go two miles. When someone begs, they should give to them, and when someone asks to borrow, they should not refuse. These are responses that go against our natural inclinations.

We always have nagging thoughts that some recipients of our generosity may not be worthy. Did not Paul argue that those who don’t work shouldn’t eat? Why must we give without first vetting the recipient? Why should able-bodied people receive welfare at the expense of hard-working taxpayers? We wrestle with this dilemma, but it is actually not our responsibility. Jesus simply told us, “Give to the one who asks.”

The Sin of Retaliation, Part Two

A fundamental flaw in the sinful nature of all humans requires them to take revenge on those who hurt them. As noted in part one, the Pharisees followed tradition, not Scripture. The just principles of judgment for wrongdoing informed magistrates of their responsibility. However, these were hijacked by individuals due to their general application. A common practice in the ancient world allowed anyone to avenge wrong. God’s law stopped this practice by putting punishment into the hands of governing authorities, His servants “attending to this very thing” (Romans 13:6).

It should also be noted that Jesus did not institute new principles for the gospel age but only reiterated the standards of the former age: “Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you” (Proverb 20:22). “Do not say, ‘I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done’” (Proverbs 24:29). The OT standard goes even further: “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him” (Proverbs 24:18, 19).

Jesus instructs His followers to leave retaliation to God because this instinct runs counter to the attitude and spirit the Lord intends for His people to love their enemies (Matthew 5:44). Pushing back and getting even is not a loving impulse; it is prideful. Rather, Proverbs 25 informs us, “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you” (vv.21, 22). Paul cites this passage in Romans 12:20, adding, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (v. 21).

Consider the following passages in the NT instructing believers to leave pay-back to the Lord. “Repay no one evil for evil but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Romans 12:17–19, citing Deuteronomy 32:35). “See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:15). “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9, quoting Psalm 34:12–16 for support).

Jesus is the great example of this practice and principle: “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23).

People do not know what to make of people whose response to wrongs is to bless the wrongdoer. This does not mean that the state should ignore wrongdoing. That would be disastrous. However, Jesus demands that His people live as He did and leave judgment to God.  

The Sin of Retaliation, Part One

The issue of retaliation is now presented (Matthew 5:38–42). Jesus was not trashing the Old Testament in favor of a milder, fairer, or more humane gospel standard of justice. He corrected the faulty righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees who misinterpreted and misapplied OT justice, as evidenced in the introduction: “You have heard that is was said, ‘An eye for and eye,” etc. (v. 38; Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21). The Pharisees took these words governing judicial law (Exodus 22–24, often referred to as lex talionis or the “law of retaliation”) and used them for personal retribution. However, the meaning is plain: “The judges shall inquire diligently . . . then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. . . . Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” (Deuteronomy 19:18–21).

The biblical standard of justice has been attacked by atheists and infidels as too severe and inhumane, as expected of those who have no real understanding of God, human sin, and righteous judgment. Sadly, many modern “Christians” are also sucked into this condemnation of Old Testament justice and punishment. Is it any wonder that crime is increasing exponentially in these days of biblical ignorance? The principles of justice that really work have been jettisoned, but the day is coming when God will vindicate His honor, as Abraham declared, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Genesis 18:25).

A.W. Pink summarized the appropriateness of divine justice. First, God’s rules are just: “If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him, fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him” (Leviticus 24:19–20). Here is the real quid pro quo (“something for something”), an elementary principle of jurisprudence. Punishment must fit the crime (Galatians 6:7; Judges 1:6, 7). Jesus argues this principle in Matthew 7:1 and 2.

Second, this statute was merciful. It safeguarded the rights of helpless slaves or servants against the brutality of uncontrolled masters. God required magistrates to compel such masters to take a dose of their own medicine but also limited the judge lest he should punish the owner too severely. Third, this statute was beneficial to society as a whole, protecting the weak from the strong: “You shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you” (Deuteronomy 19:19, 20).

This article provides the background for the next article that will examine why it is evil to take personal revenge against those who do harm: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Romans 12:19).