What forgiveness is (P.3): leaving vengeance and retribution to GOD

Good marnin louange! Bon dia récompense! The fear of the LORD (honoring him) is the beginning of wisdom. The greatest wisdom is to love Him. His word saves, transforms, inspires and equips. His love is unalterable. When we have the opportunity, let us practice good toward all, especially toward our brothers and sisters in the faith (Galatians 6:10). "Seek the LORD, all you lowly people of the land, who put his rules into practice! Seek justice, seek humility! Perhaps you will be spared on the day of the LORD's wrath" (Zephaniah 2:3). No matter how long the night, the day always dawns. Don't stop praising. Don't stop giving thanks. Don't stop worshipping.

Part 1

1. The different words for forgiveness in the Bible

2. What forgiveness is 

Part 2

2. Forgive from the heart (with all your heart), 70 times 7

3. Why forgive (21 reasons)

4. Why leave vengeance and retribution to GOD?

5. The consequences of not forgiving 

   Part 3

6. How to forgive: yourself and others

7. Be at peace with GOD

❖ JESUS said, "FATHER, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they divided his garments among them, casting lots." (Luke 23:34, LSG)

❖ "As Joshua stood near Jericho, he lifted his eyes and looked. Behold, a man stood before him, his sword drawn in his hand. Joshua went up to him and said, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" He replied, "No. I am the leader of the army of the LORD, I am coming now." Joshua fell on his face to the ground, worshipped and said, "What does my LORD say to his servant?" (Joshua 5: 13-14, SG21)

❖ "Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but let GOD's wrath work, for it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will give to every man what he deserves, says the LORD. " (Romans 12:19, Segond 21)

❖ "Therefore, renounce lying, and let each of you speak the truth to his neighbor; for we are members one of another.  If you are angry, do not sin; let not the sun go down on your anger, and do not give access to the devil." (Ephesians 4: 25-27, LSG)

❖ "6 So we are always full of confidence and know that, as long as we dwell in this body, we are far from our homeland, far from the LORD, 7 for we walk by faith and not by sight. 8 Yes, we are full of confidence and would rather leave this body to go and live with the LORD. 9 For this reason, too, we strive to be pleasing to him, whether we live in this body or leave it. 10 For we shall all have to appear before the judgment seat of CHRIST, so that each one may receive the wages of what he has done, good or bad, while in the body. "(2 Corinthians 5: 6-10, Segond 21)

5. Why leave vengeance and retribution to GOD?

We began this series on forgiveness by defining what forgiveness is not (see the series on what forgiveness is not). As we have seen, forgiveness is not denial. Forgiveness is not oblivion. Forgiveness does not cancel out GOD's judgment, CHRIST's tribunal and the duty to repent. Forgiveness does not approve evil, nor does it cancel the right and duty to protect (to complain, to distance oneself, to defend oneself). Forgiveness is neither healing nor restoration of the soul. Forgiveness is not reconciliation. Forgiveness is not a feeling. Forgiveness is not an obligation. Forgiveness is a decision.

Forgiveness is not an excuse to lie, an excuse to be irresponsible, a moral duty to cover up a crime, a social or religious obligation not to report a crime. Forgiving does not prevent us from lodging a complaint, reporting a crime to the police or testifying in court. We can forgive and press charges when necessary or required by law (see Yes, we can forgive and press charges).

GOD is not against the judicial system. But, He is against unjust laws and unjust judgments (Leviticus 19:15 + 17-18).  We must report and denounce abuses, crimes, serious offences, medical errors, intimidation, mistreatment, violence, theft, state lies and any act or lie that undermines the life, health (physical, psychological and financial), mission and protection of an individual or group of individuals, physical or moral. The aim is to prevent recidivism, protect others, and initiate reparation. GOD does not ask us to be complicit in silence.  He asks us  not to use our freedom as a veil to cover wickedness (1 Peter 2:16).

Of course, some offenses must be ignored.  Don't make a mountain out of a molehill. Sometimes we're offended by ourselves. We must have the humility to recognize this and move on. We can be offended without sinning. Offenses are traps to lead us into sin, error, confusion and separation from GOD. They are invitations to do wrong. Some offenses need to be covered up. To be clear, I wrote offenses, not crimes.

🙂 Although vengeance and justice are often considered synonyms, there is a clear difference in dictionaries between "to obtain justice" and "to take justice or revenge". To take revenge is to obtain compensation by illegal means. It means punishing the perpetrator of a crime, offense or infraction without authorization. Justice punishes. Revenge only causes suffering.  Punishment is a penalty imposed to sanction, deter, correct or compensate for a crime, fault, wrongdoing or mistake. The aim of justice is to protect, judge (pronounce a sentence, arbitrate), decide (decide, divide), punish, compensate and, as far as possible, repair. When vengeance is exercised outside of justice, its aim is simply to cause suffering. It is driven by pain, hatred, pride and ignorance. 

Vengeance and justice are synonymous only if vengeance is exercised with justice. In other words, under the mandate of justice. The Greek word for vengeance in the New Testament is ekdikesis (Strong's no. 1557). It means vengeance, punishment and justice. GOD renders justice. His judgments or punishments are the vengeance of those who have suffered harm.   GOD's vengeance is exercised with justice. GOD does not cease to be good and just when he judges. It is because he is just and good that he avenges. GOD does not judge only the wicked. He judges the good and the bad. GOD does not discriminate (Acts 10:34, Ecclesiastes 12:15-16, 1 Timothy 5:24-25). He judges actions, words, feelings, intentions and thoughts.

🙂 Vengeance and retribution are GOD's for the following reasons:

He himself says in his Word that vengeance and retribution belong to him. 

• (Galatians 6:7-9, Romans 12:19, Hebrews 10:30, James 4:12, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Ezekiel 18:21-24, Romans 8:1, Psalms 89:14-18, Deuteronomy 32:35, Leviticus 19:17-18, 2 Timothy 4:14-15, 1 Thessalonians 4:6, Isaiah 59:16-18). 

• He is perfectly and entirely Love, Truth, Holiness, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Eternal, righteousness, equity, wisdom and faithfulness. His love is unalterable. His motives will always be pure. He will always be just in His judgments. We may not know when and how GOD will judge. But we do know that sooner or later, one way or another, GOD will, in his own time. Waiting for GOD's judgment does not forbid us to lodge a complaint when necessary or required by law (see the article Yes, we can forgive and lodge a complaint). 

  
  

Let's read a few verses

❖ "As Joshua stood near Jericho, he lifted his eyes and looked. Behold, a man stood before him, his sword drawn in his hand. Joshua went up to him and said, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" He replied: "No. I am the leader of the army of the LORD, I am coming now." Joshua fell on his face to the ground, worshipped and said, "What does my LORD say to his servant?" (Joshua 5:13-14, SG21)

❖ "1 He showed me Joshua the high priest, standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 The LORD said to Satan: "May the LORD silence you, Satan, may the LORD silence you, he who chose Jerusalem! Is not this one a piece of wood torn from the fire? "3 Now Joshua was wearing filthy clothes and standing before the angel. 4 The angel spoke up and said to those standing before him, "Take the filthy clothes off him!" Then he said to Joshua, "Look, I'm taking away your guilt and putting festive clothes on you." 5 I said, "Let them put a pure turban on his head!" They placed a pure turban on his head and put clothes on him. The angel of the LORD was there." (Zechariah 3:1-5, Second 21)

The man opposite Joshua in the first text is JESUS, not the angel Mikael. He is also the one who, in the second text, says to Joshua the priest, "Look, I'll take away your guilt and put festive clothes on you." (Zechariah 3:4) He didn't contradict Joshua when he called him LORD (Joshua 5:14). Just as JESUS did not contradict Thomas when the latter called him LORD (John 20:28-29). Only GOD, the SON, can take sin away from men, for only the SON has conquered sin, only the SON has given his life for men, only the SON is worthy to open the book of seals ( Revelation 5:1:14, John 10:18, John 3:16, Ephesians 1:2).

The expression angel of the LORD is not a name but a description of a function and a belonging. The word angel means messenger, delegate, representative of => The SON is a servant of the FATHER (John 6:38, Acts 4:27). => The SON can therefore be called an angel of his FATHER. => ETERNAL being a name of GOD, the SON can therefore be called the angel of the ETERNAL. See the article, JESUS-CHRIST: eternal, angel of the ETERNAL and GOD the ETERNAL.

Parenthesis:

JESUS said to Satan "May the LORD silence you (Zechariah 3:2)", because at that time he had not yet received all authority from the FATHER. As a Man, he had not yet paid the price of our salvation and defeated the devil on the cross (Colossians 2:15). GOD gave Adam authority on earth (Genesis 1:26-28, Psalm 8:6-7). Adam, unfortunately, gave the devil the authority he received from GOD. Glory be to JESUS, from whom we receive authority through faith and consecration. That said, until Adam's lease expires, the devil has power of influence on earth and freedom to bargain with human beings. Being in CHRIST enables us to resist him, to stop his works, to overthrow them, to call for GOD's intervention and judgment.

When Joshua asked JESUS if he was for them or for their enemies, JESUS answered NO. (Joshua 5:13-14, SG21) Yet he stood by them, fighting for them, the people of Israel, the people of GOD.

❖ "LORD says: "I have seen the suffering of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their cries before their oppressors. Yes, I know their pain. I have come down to deliver them from the domination of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey; this is the place inhabited by the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites." (Exodus 3:7-8, Segond 21)

❖ "You shall tell Pharaoh:  This is what the LORD says: Israel is my eldest son.  I command you to let my son go so that he may serve me. If you refuse to let him go, I will kill your eldest son."  (Exodus 4:22-23, Segond 21)

❖ "Then the LORD said to Moses: arise early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him: thus said the LORD, the GOD of the Hebrews: let my people go, that they may serve me. " (Exodus 9:13, Martin)

❖ "Your arm is mighty, your hand strong, your right hand high. Righteousness and justice form the foundation of your throne; goodness and truth are before you. "(Psalms 89:14-15, Segond 21)

❖ "It's because of me, because of me alone, that I want to act. Indeed, how could I let myself be dishonored? I will not give my glory to another. " (Isaiah 48:11, Segond21)

🙂 GOD judges to bring about justice. He is for justice before he is for a people. This is what his answer to Joshua means (Joshua 5:13-14). He judges the source, the intention, the thoughts, the words and the action. GOD avenges us, he avenges those we have offended and he avenges himself.  It's very important to understand this. He judges the good and the bad. That's why he tells us not to sin when we're angry (Ephesians 4:25-27). Let's stop for a moment and pray in tongues for five minutes.

I repeat, GOD avenges us, he avenges those we have offended and he avenges himself. GOD avenges himself on the devil and on mankind. Our salvation and the fulfillment of our destiny is one of GOD's greatest avenges (Isaiah 57:3-12). Knowing this helps us realize how important it is for our souls to be healed and restored. The casting of the devil into the lake of fire is also GOD's vengeance (Revelation 20:10). JESUS said that blasphemy against the HOLY SPIRIT will not be forgiven (Luke 12:10). So GOD will take vengeance for blasphemy against the HOLY SPIRIT.

❖ "There are six things that the LORD hates, and even seven that he abhors: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that meditates unjust schemes, feet that rush to evil, a false witness who tells lies and one who stirs up strife between brothers. "(Proverbs 6:16-19, Segond 21)

❖ "He sees that there is no one, he is dismayed when he sees that there is no one to intercede, so his arm assures him salvation and his righteousness serves as his support.  He puts on righteousness as a breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he takes vengeance for a garment, and wraps himself in zeal as in a mantle.  He will pay everyone the wages he deserves: wrath to his adversaries, the wages they deserve to his enemies; he will also pay the islands the wages they deserve." (Isaiah 59:16-18, Segond 21)

❖ "Make no mistake: GOD is not mocked. What a man sows, he will also reap.  He who sows to satisfy his own nature will reap ruin from it, but he who sows for the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. Let us not neglect to do good, for we shall reap at the proper time, if we do not slacken. " (Galatians 6:7-9, SG21)

❖ (Psalms 73:15-28, Sower) "15 If I said, "Let us speak as they do," then I would betray your sons. 16 I began to think: I sought to understand, I found it all far too unjust 17 until the day I entered GOD's house and pondered the fate that awaits them. 18 For, in fact, you put them on a slippery slope, you lead them towards ruin. 19 And suddenly, disaster strikes: in an instant, they are lost, they are destroyed, and terror seizes them. 20 As the images of a dream fade away, after waking up, O LORD, when you intervene, you will make them all disappear. 21 Yes, when my heart was bitter and as long as I tormented myself, 22 I was a fool, an ignoramus, I behaved with you like a beast without reason. 23 But I am always with you, and you have grasped my right hand, 24 according to your plan, you lead me, then you will take me in glory. 25 Who have I in heaven but you? And here on earth what can I desire, for I am with you? 26 My body may be weary and my heart fail, GOD remains my rock, and my precious possession forever. 27 He who forsakes you will be lost, and you will destroy all those who are unfaithful to you. 28 But my happiness is to be always close to GOD. Yes, I have set my sure refuge in the LORD, in the ETERNAL, and I will tell of his works."

If someone has voluntarily wronged you by doing something GOD hates or condemns, GOD will take revenge. And in taking vengeance, he will avenge you. Because before offending you, that person offended GOD. He won't take vengeance only or primarily on the one who hurt you. He will take revenge on the spirit that manipulated or inspired the one who hurt you. This is why being in the image of CHRIST (through the assistance of the HOLY SPIRIT) is vengeance. Making all things work together for our good (Romans 8:28), is GOD's vengeance. Praising GOD in distress when the devil thinks he's won, when people think there's nothing to hope for, is vengeance. Sharing your testimony to strengthen someone or prevent them from making the same mistakes as you, is vengeance. Do you understand what I'm getting at?

When we have the right definition of what vengeance is, from GOD's point of view, it becomes easy for us to forgive and apply the verses Matthew 5:44-48. GOD forgives, but GOD is not irresponsible.  Don't be afraid to forgive - see the articles What forgiveness is not (P.1) and Yes, we can forgive and complain.

Parenthèse 

Obedience is proof of submission, but not all obedience is a sign of submission. Submission is not limited to obedience. To obey under duress is not to be submissive. Obedience is the act of carrying out an action, a direction or an order at someone's request. We owe GOD total (absolute) submission, and therefore total obedience. To men and organizations, we owe relative submission, therefore, obedience within the limits firstly of what GOD authorizes, then within the limits of the law and internal regulations authorize. 

Martin Luther King Jr (1929 - 1968) said "Everyone has the moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws." He added "An individual who breaks a law which his conscience tells him is unjust, and who voluntarily accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to awaken the conscience of the community to that injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law."

We saw above that GOD's vengeance is exercised in justice. So, to leave vengeance (judgment) and retribution to him means: to appeal to justice, to ask for his intervention, to submit to him and benefit from his vengeance. In other words, to obtain judgment and retribution in our favor. This retribution includes healing and restoration of the soul, and measures of anointing, grace, favor and authority. Wonderful, isn't it?

** Good marnin = Good morning in Tobagonian Creole / English Creole (Trinidad and Tobago)

** Bon dia = Good morning in Papiamento (Aruba, Netherlands Antilles)

** Bonzour = Good morning in Martinique Creole