Romans 12:21 (ESV)
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
The word for “overcome” in the above passage comes from the root Greek word, “nikē.” Yes, you can think about the brand name Nike swoosh label. To the Greek culture, “nike” was the meaning of success, if not the way to success, “conquering.” In the book of the Revelation of John we read seven times, as John writes to the seven churches, “... to him who overcomes, I will ...”. So, being a “nike” (a conqueror) was a great thing. But, in the above passage it is a bad thing. It is one thing to “conquer” something or someone, it is quite another to be “conquered” by something or someone. In the above verse we read that we should not let “evil” conquer is. In the context of Romans 12, Paul is telling us how to treat those who have done something bad to us, something evil. He has just told us not to seek vengeance over those who do us bad, but rather put them in God’s hands (who can perfectly balance justice with righteousness). Rather than seek vengeance, we are to not allow the evil they do to us to conquer us, but rather conquer them (and, subsequently, the evil) by doing good to them. He tells us if our enemy is thirst give him/her a drink. He tells us if our enemy is hungry give him/her a steak sandwich. That goes agains all of our inborn nature (which is sinful) and agains most of any societies norms. We are told to “fight back.” We are instructed to “stand up for yourself and your rights.” We are enticed to “take them to court.” We have no norm in any society that tells us that if we are slapped on the right cheek, turn to them the left cheek. Or, is their a culture where that is the instruction and normative?
Matthew 5:38-42 (ESV)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
No, in the kingdom of earth the norm is to hit back. But, in the Kingdom of Heaven, the norm is to turn the other cheek and get hit again. Christianity is a society, a culture, a way of life that requires and demands something entirely different. We are to allow others to take our tunic (something valuable in that day) and allow God to be the one how does the pay-back. We are to simply nike’ them by doing good. The word for “good” here is “agathos.” It means to do something that gives the person who is doing evil to a “benefit.” So, as they hurt us and take something from us, which gives us no benefit, we are to do something for them that gives them “benefit.” No, our “benefit” comes from God, who will see our “good” work and reward us in heaven.
Luke 6:35 (ESV)
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
1 Peter 3:9 (ESV)
9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
Try all that the next time cuts in front of you while driving.
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