Chapter 12 - Revenge
Bonhoeffer- 'To leave everything behind at the call of Christ is to be content with him alone, and to follow only him. By his willingly renouncing self-defense, the Christian affirms his absolute adherence to Jesus, and his freedom from the tyranny of his own ego. The exclusiveness of the adherence is the only power which can overcome evil.
We are concerned not with evil in the abstract, but with the evil person. Jesus bluntly calls the evil person evil. If I am assailed, I am not to condone or justify aggression. Patient endurance of evil does not mean a recognition of its rights. That is sheer sentimentality, and Jesus will have nothing to do with it. The shameful assault, the deed of violence and the act of exploitation are still evil. The disciple must realize this, and bear witness to it as Jesus did, just because this is the only way evil can be met and overcome. The very fact that the evil which assaults him is unjustifiable makes it imperative that he should not resist it, but play it out and overcome it by patiently enduring the evil person. Suffering willingly endured is stronger than evil, it spells death to evil."
My thoughts-
'Renouncing self-defense, the Christian affirms his absolute adherence to Jesus, and his freedom from the tyranny of his own ego.'
The tyranny of our own egos.
Our own egos. You know what that is, that part of you that seems to always consider yourself first in light of all you do. It doesn't mean you won't help others, but it means you instantly help at the expense of yourself. Let me try to clarify. You are asked to help someone do something- instantly your thought is of what you are doing, whether or not you can rightly stop what you are doing, and whether you even want to help. These thoughts have become automatic and happen in an instant. Even if you know you are going to help, the thoughts take place and in there is the thought about how you are helping at the expense of your own desire to continue on with whatever you were doing, even if it was nothing. We think of ourselves first almost automatically. That is our EGO.
Our ego also seems to demand we defend ourselves from any insult or any sort. Why? Because any SELF respecting person would NOT just allow themselves to be insulted or injured in any way at all, they'd defend themselves. We have been taught to believe that our SELF respect means not simply allowing insult/injury but railing against it. To us, someone who take insult and/or injury without standing up for themselves, is a loser. By that way of thinking we are actually calling our Savior a loser without even realizing it because HE led the example with His life, and death. He took insult, He took injury and He did NOT stand up for himself, He did NOT rail against the unwarranted abuse.
When we renounce our SELF-DEFENSE, when we renounce defending ourselves against any and all abuse- we are truly AFFIRMING our adherence to Jesus. The tyranny of our own ego, being a slave to our own egos, is GONE. The self we worship is gone and in its place is the choice made to live as our greatest example, our Savior.
'The disciple must realize this, and bear witness to it as Jesus did, just because this is the only way evil can be met and overcome. The very fact that the evil which assaults him is unjustifiable makes it imperative that he should not resist it, but play it out and overcome it by patiently enduring the evil person. Suffering willingly endured is stronger than evil, it spells death to evil.'
This is truth. Read it a few times.
Do we want to overcome evil through our SAVIOR? Then we must live His example.
We should NOT resist evil assaults against us- but PATIENTLY endure the evil person.
Suffering WILLINGLY endured is stronger than evil- it spells DEATH to evil.
Satan has convinced people that those who suffer willingly are weak, stupid, foolish and so on.
We've grown up surrounded by this concept. We have to stand up for ourselves, this is what is applauded by the world. The truth is not of the world, but of GOD and we have to live for God's truth, not the worlds!
We need to recognize the difference and comprehend what the LORD desires of us and live by HIS grace, not caring what the world thinks of us. Our ONLY concern should be how God views us, not mankind.
If we live in HIM, truly in HIM, then we will live loving Him and our neighbors, and this is God's will.
1Jn_5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Rev_14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Rom_12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
1Pe_3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
All by HIS LOVE!
Bonhoeffer- 'To leave everything behind at the call of Christ is to be content with him alone, and to follow only him. By his willingly renouncing self-defense, the Christian affirms his absolute adherence to Jesus, and his freedom from the tyranny of his own ego. The exclusiveness of the adherence is the only power which can overcome evil.
We are concerned not with evil in the abstract, but with the evil person. Jesus bluntly calls the evil person evil. If I am assailed, I am not to condone or justify aggression. Patient endurance of evil does not mean a recognition of its rights. That is sheer sentimentality, and Jesus will have nothing to do with it. The shameful assault, the deed of violence and the act of exploitation are still evil. The disciple must realize this, and bear witness to it as Jesus did, just because this is the only way evil can be met and overcome. The very fact that the evil which assaults him is unjustifiable makes it imperative that he should not resist it, but play it out and overcome it by patiently enduring the evil person. Suffering willingly endured is stronger than evil, it spells death to evil."
My thoughts-
'Renouncing self-defense, the Christian affirms his absolute adherence to Jesus, and his freedom from the tyranny of his own ego.'
The tyranny of our own egos.
Our own egos. You know what that is, that part of you that seems to always consider yourself first in light of all you do. It doesn't mean you won't help others, but it means you instantly help at the expense of yourself. Let me try to clarify. You are asked to help someone do something- instantly your thought is of what you are doing, whether or not you can rightly stop what you are doing, and whether you even want to help. These thoughts have become automatic and happen in an instant. Even if you know you are going to help, the thoughts take place and in there is the thought about how you are helping at the expense of your own desire to continue on with whatever you were doing, even if it was nothing. We think of ourselves first almost automatically. That is our EGO.
Our ego also seems to demand we defend ourselves from any insult or any sort. Why? Because any SELF respecting person would NOT just allow themselves to be insulted or injured in any way at all, they'd defend themselves. We have been taught to believe that our SELF respect means not simply allowing insult/injury but railing against it. To us, someone who take insult and/or injury without standing up for themselves, is a loser. By that way of thinking we are actually calling our Savior a loser without even realizing it because HE led the example with His life, and death. He took insult, He took injury and He did NOT stand up for himself, He did NOT rail against the unwarranted abuse.
When we renounce our SELF-DEFENSE, when we renounce defending ourselves against any and all abuse- we are truly AFFIRMING our adherence to Jesus. The tyranny of our own ego, being a slave to our own egos, is GONE. The self we worship is gone and in its place is the choice made to live as our greatest example, our Savior.
'The disciple must realize this, and bear witness to it as Jesus did, just because this is the only way evil can be met and overcome. The very fact that the evil which assaults him is unjustifiable makes it imperative that he should not resist it, but play it out and overcome it by patiently enduring the evil person. Suffering willingly endured is stronger than evil, it spells death to evil.'
This is truth. Read it a few times.
Do we want to overcome evil through our SAVIOR? Then we must live His example.
We should NOT resist evil assaults against us- but PATIENTLY endure the evil person.
Suffering WILLINGLY endured is stronger than evil- it spells DEATH to evil.
Satan has convinced people that those who suffer willingly are weak, stupid, foolish and so on.
We've grown up surrounded by this concept. We have to stand up for ourselves, this is what is applauded by the world. The truth is not of the world, but of GOD and we have to live for God's truth, not the worlds!
We need to recognize the difference and comprehend what the LORD desires of us and live by HIS grace, not caring what the world thinks of us. Our ONLY concern should be how God views us, not mankind.
If we live in HIM, truly in HIM, then we will live loving Him and our neighbors, and this is God's will.
1Jn_5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Rev_14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Rom_12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
1Pe_3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
All by HIS LOVE!
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