Our Christian Response to Revenge

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Our Christian Response to Revenge:

After the recent gruesome bomb blast by militants in Kashmir when bodies of nearly 50 soldiers were blown up in smithereens, plus many others were seriously injured, the whole country is baying for revenge. Anyone not doing so, is immediately labelled as anti-national. While many Christians and churches are praying for the families of the martyrs, what should be our Christian response:

Scripture clearly instructs us, do not take revenge, but instead let God's anger do it. "I will take revenge, I will pay back, says the Lord. Therefore, if your enemy hungers, feed him. If he thirsts, give him drink. For in so doing you shall heap coals of fire on his head.  Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19-21) Like it or not, we need to love the militants and pray for them that their spiritual blindness may be removed, and they may come to the saving knowledge of TRUTH (Jesus). Matt. 5:44; Acts 26:18; 1Tim. 2:4.

Jesus not only preached but also practiced what he preached. He set a great example by praying for his enemies while on the cross: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” Luke 23:34 He not only prayed but also demonstrated his love for the sinner by rescuing him and taking him to Paradise.

Remember that the militants are doing all this in the name of their Allah. When they behead, they shout, “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is great) expecting a great reward in Islamic Jannat (Paradise). However, every dark cloud has a silver lining. After experiencing the sheer brutality in Syria, many Muslims are making a beeline for the nearest underground churches and finding Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

Equally important is that we need to look at our own backyard. For the first time, India has been included in the list of top ten most persecuting countries (of low caste Dalits and minorities like Muslims and Christians). Again, the silver lining is that, during this regime, authentic Christianity has grown and multiplied as never before in its history, in tens of thousands of villages and shanty towns of India. We praise God and thank the persecutors for igniting, what the church could not do.

So, if we want to advance the Kingdom of God, our response should be that we do not take revenge but pray both for the persecutors and the persecuted families and demonstrate our love by rescuing the perishing. Shalom, V.



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