Overcoming Evil With Good

Temple Baptist Church - 2-24-2019

Romans 12:19-21

Introduction:

A.  I guess the 12th chapter of Romans could be called a college course on Christian ethics. 

1.  Before we get started, I want to say that there has only been one perfect man in this world, and they crucified Him.  If you ever get perfect, and you won’t, they would crucify you also! 

2.  Though perfection is not possible in this life, I do believe that we should earnestly strive to be so.  We often us human frailty as an excuse for sinfulness.

B.  I have often said that life is hard and often unjust.  Bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people but, thank the LORD, neither normally stay that way.

Matthew 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

C.  And, if you live a consistent life for the Lord, the world will not be your friend.  The world hated and continues to hate Christ and those who live for Christ.

John 15:18  If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

2 Timothy 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

D.  Therefore, though you try to live for Christ, people will try to hurt you or your family.  I do not like it when people try to hurt but it causes a different reaction from me when they try to hurt my family.

E.  Vengeance defined:  infliction of injury, harm, humiliation, or the like, on a person by another who has been harmed by that person.  The human reaction is to get back at or get even with those who hurt you.  Those who desire vengeance try to justify it with scripture.

Exodus 21:24  Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. (This verse is found in the realm of Civil Law, not vengeance.)

F.  In verse 19, the Bible expressly states in our text that vengeance belongs to God and He will repay.  It may not be on my time or in your time, but He will not forget and, in His time, will judge all sinfulness.

G.  Look at Verse 21 with me.

1.  There is a Perilous Possibility.  “Be not overcome with evil.”  Verse 19 – “Avenge not yourselves.”  Hurt turns into anger and anger into wrath and the wrath of man worketh not the rightness of God!

Hebrews 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

2.  There is a Positive Proceeding.  “But overcome evil with good.”  Verse 20 – “But overcome evil with good.”

Romans 12:20  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

Matthew 5:43-45  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.  (44)  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;  (45)  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

3.  There is a Plain Purpose.  “With good.”  Verse 20 says, “Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.”

Matthew 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Conclusion:

1.  God does not want His children to be overcome with evil.  This is evil from within, not without.  Not overcome by evil but with evil.

2.  God does not want His children to react wrong.  Vengeance belongs to God and make no mistake, He will avenge all wrong.  God wants us to overcome the potential evil of our flesh.  React right!

3.  God wants us to do good and do good to our enemies.  The Golden Rule:  Do unto others as you would have others to do unto you.