These verses are a prime example of the difference that Christ can make in one's life. When the scriptures tell us to "Don't repay evil for evil. Don't retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it."
How different is that from the world's idea? Or our own, if someone gives you the one figured salute, what do you do in return? When someone criticizes you, what is your first reaction? These verses are a call to holiness, and a reminder of our inheritance as a child of God. Our calling is a higher calling, a higher standard of righteousness. When we see the world as God sees it, when we realize that the people around us are not going into a better place unless they come to that knowledge of the loving savior, then how we react toward aggression to our faith changes.
In the midst of trial or persecution there are two things that happen:
1) either we grow, are strengthened, made resolute by our faith, or we give in to what the world wants, what Satan loves to see, us get angry and give into temptation.
2) If we give in to anger, the person that is persecuting us will think the gospel full of hypocrisy, and their view of Christ is that he's is no different from anyone else. But if we see people as God wants us to see them, and we bless them, not repaying anger for anger, but with the peace of the knowing God, then it opens a door for that individual to see Christ as they have never seen Him before. They realize that Christ is different, there is love, redemption, and righteousness in this 'Christian' that is speaking to them. This is when the power of the gospel can impact a life.
This is why we need to take 'loving our neighbor' to heart,especially when it isn't so easy.
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