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Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord. Romans 12:19
I used to think God was saying the same thing twice in this verse; that vengeance equaled paying someone back for the evil they’d done to me. But no, that is not what this verse is saying!
I was a partner in a company that had done over a million dollars worth of business in its first full year of operation. One day I came to the office and everything had been cleared out by the other two partners. Over the next two weeks it became clear to me that I was going to be held responsible for most of the debt obligations the company had incurred, even though the means of paying those obligations had been taken from me. I had a young family (5 kids under 7 years of age), a mortgage, car payments, and the means to support myself and my family had been immorally taken from me.
I tried for a year and a half to float everything, but in the end I had to declare bankruptcy, a very humiliating thing. Within a year after that, I had been restored as whole, financially, as I had ever been. Most importantly, I had no ill will toward the two ex-partners who had robbed me. I credit the truth of the above verse with doing both for me… restoring me financially, while protecting my heart from any bitterness or anger or hostility of any kind. Rather, I gloried in God’s provision and love for me!
Here’s how it happened: When my whole financial well-being began to crumble, due to the crookedness of my partners, I went to this verse, praying for God to protect my heart from becoming bitter. That is when God taught me what this verse really means, and it saved my soul from destruction, as well as my finances!
When I decided to research this verse, the first thing I did was read the verses before and after, as my manner is, in order to make sure I was understanding the proper context of what God was saying:
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice; holy, acceptable unto God, which is your logical religious service. Romans 12:1
Since Romans chapters 9, 10 and 11 are parenthetical, Romans 12:1 can be read immediately after Romans 8:39.
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:39
Therefore, because I am persuaded that nothing shall be able to separate me from God’s love, found in Christ, I am positioned to present my body (figure of speech, synecdoche… a part representing the whole… my body, representing everything that makes me, me) a living sacrifice. That is, every aspect of my life is rightfully at God’s disposal.
And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2
To “prove” means to put to the test, to the end that what you think is true actually produces the promised results in your life. This proving eliminates the need for dogma in anyone’s life. Dogma is what we think is true but which is unproven in our life; that is, that which we think is true has not been put to the test to the end it has produced fruit (the promised result) in our life. Dogma is unproven beliefs, unfruitful beliefs.
All the rest of Romans 12, and all the way through to the end of Romans, is the material (knowledge, thoughts, call to action, etc.) we need to put to the test the love of God in our lives, which love is found in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is the context of Romans 12:19, speaking of vengeance.
Now let’s take a look at the verses before and after Romans 12:19.
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men: If it be possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men. (Then verse 19) Therefore, if your enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17, 18, 20, 21.
The heaping of coals of fire on one’s head was a cultural expression of warmth and invitation. Not having matches to start fires, neighbors would band together, taking turns keeping the fire going overnight. Early in the morning, especially a chilly morning, the one who was responsible would heap coals from the night’s fire into a large metal bowl, carrying it on their head (warming them) as they went around to the neighbors, giving them coals to start their own fires.
So how does not recompensing evil for evil, living peaceably with all, providing necessities for enemies, and overcoming evil with good fit in with paying someone back for the evil they have done to you? How does vengeance fit in with me not being overcome by evil, instead paying back my partners for them screwing me out of, what was to me at the time, a small fortune?
I pondered these things, and then God opened up the eyes of my understanding, and I realized the “paying back” (recompense, repayment) was talking about God paying me back for what had been stolen from me. He would take care of the vengeance on those two partners, and He would have a right to do so, because he was “buying” their debt to me by paying me back that debt. Yup, that is what Romans 12:19 is saying.
Ever heard of a factoring service? You’ve probably used one, whenever you bought something on time. When you buy a $2,500 bedroom set, for instance, with “No money down and 12 months to pay,” you’re using a factoring service… or rather, the furniture company is. The furniture company sells the $2,500 debt to the factoring company for, say, $2,300.00, giving the factor the right to collect the $2,500 from you. This is what God is saying here. I’ll buy the right to enact vengeance on whoever stole from you, by paying you back whatever was stolen from you.
Oh what sweet release! When God revealed to me the truth of verse 19, I was set free in an instant of time. I’d been taken for over $100,000, and in that instant of time I “sold” that debt to God, along with any need for vengeance toward those two ex-partners. Over the next 2-3 years, God repayed me plus interest! And any time I ever thought of those two men, even to this day, I think, “It’s up to God to exact vengeance for what they’ve done to me. I wouldn’t want to be them.” And really? I hold not one bit of animosity toward them at all. I often think, “I wouldn’t want to be them. Better to be taken than to do the taking.”
God paid me back that entire $100,000, and freed my heart from any bitterness, anger or animosity of any kind. That is the power of the truth of God’s love for me, all contained in the spirit of Christ which resides within me, and from which I will never be separated.
If you have been wronged or robbed, been treated horribly or unfairly, and carry any bitterness in your heart whatsoever toward others because of it, I encourage you to “sell” that debt to God Himself. He will pay back to you every single thing that is owed you, freeing you from the burden of needing to exact revenge. Leave the vengeance up to God, knowing that He is a just judge. That debt will be repaid to Him, whether by the wrongdoer himself, or by the sacrifice of His son, Jesus Christ.
I’ll be paying you back whatever’s been stolen from you; you leave the revenge against your wrongdoers up to me, says the Lord.
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Related Studies
If you enjoyed how this study challenged your thinking and opened up your understanding of Christ, click on one of the related studies below:
Mercy and Kindness
Learning to Recognize the Voice of God
The Death of Dogma
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