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Pastor Lud Golz
Pastor Lud Golz

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  Home | Transcript Archive | September | September 27, 2011

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18) 

In our last visit we studied the command in Romans 12:18, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” As tough as it might get, as far as it depends on you, be a peacemaker and peacekeeper. If others choose not to live at peace with you, don’t try forcing the issue. 
 
Worse yet, don’t let their actions prompt you to do the wrong thing. This is how Paul puts it in verses 19-20: “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 
 
When someone disrupts a peaceful relationship the innocent party is usually hurt. And once hurt, it is very easy to retaliate. Others looking at the broken relationship might conclude that the innocent person is at least partially responsible. Being hurt and falsely accused, at least as far as the hurt person perceives it, could cause him to try vindicating himself. 
 
Commentator Denney says; “Even when the Christian has been wronged, he is not to take the law into his own hand, and right or vindicate himself.” The gracious thing for him to do, is by faith to “leave room for God’s wrath.” Dr Wuest suggests, “That God, not injured men or those who believe themselves such, is the maintainer of moral order in the world, and that the righting of wrong is to be committed to Him.” 
 
We save ourselves many negative consequences if we follow these clear instructions to entrust outcomes to God.
 

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