30 Sep 2014
Matthew 5:39-41
Matthew 5:39: “But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.”
The key here is “at the law”. Christ is saying that Christians should not seek revenge, but should instead comply with legal court orders. In verse 40 He mentions someone being sued in court and having their coat taken away. In verse 41 He mentions the Roman law that allowed soldiers to force people to carry their packs for a mile. In all of these cases, where the law of the land has handed down a ruling, we are to comply – even if it is unfair.
This is not at all saying that society should do away with justice altogether and allow evil to run rampant. God expects society to round up criminals and mete out justice. Those who do evil should not be left alone so they can keep murdering people; instead they should be stopped and dealt with according to God’s law. But it is not up to us to avenge ourselves or to resist the law. We are to be compliant as much as possible – but no further, for there are some areas where there can be no compromise. (For example, a law requiring Christians to stop following Jesus is a law that Christians cannot obey.)