Chapter 12 - Revenge
Bonhoeffer- 'It looked as though evil had triumphed on the cross, but the real victory belonged to Jesus. And the cross is the only justification for the precept of non-violence, for it alone can kindle a faith in the victory over evil which will enable men to obey that precept. And only such obedience is blessed with the promise that we will be partakers of Christ's victory as well as of his sufferings.
The passion of Christ is the victory of divine love over the powers of evil, and therefore it is the only supportable basis for Christian obedience. Once again, Jesus calls those who follow him to share his passion. How can we convince the world by our preaching of the passion when we shrink from that passion in our own lives? On the cross Jesus fulfilled the law he himself established and thus graciously keeps his disciples in the fellowship of his suffering. The cross is the only power in the world which proves that suffering love can avenge and vanquish evil. But it was just this participation in the cross which the disciples were granted when Jesus called them to him. They are called blessed because of their visible participation in his cross.'
My thoughts-
Victory over evil.
The cross.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
We shall not all sleep death's sleep. Some, those saints living in the last days in Christ, will never taste of the first death- the sleep. But we will ALL be changed. Those who sleep and those who have not slept death's sleep will ALL be changed.
In a twinkling of an eye.
At the last trump.
The dead (those sleeping in their graves) will be raised up out of their graves incorruptible.
Corruption turned to incorruption. Mortal turned to immortal.
Death swallowed up in VICTORY.
Thanks be to God which gives us the VICTORY through our LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Without Christ's sacrifice of His life in every way, all the way to the cross, and His death, there would be NO victory over evil.
He's the ONLY One who has ever triumphed completely over evil. Without Him there is NO triumphing over evil, none.
The cross of our Savior is His WILLINGNESS to let LOVE triumph over EVIL.
The cross of our Savior revealed SUFFERING- temporary suffering- endured as evil had its full sway in the crucifixion of One who was completely innocent of any evil at all.
We who are guilty complain when we are called to suffer at the hands of evil.
He who was innocent complained NOT when He was called to suffer at the hands of evil.
He calls us who would be HIS to complain NOT when we are called to suffer at the hands of evil, any manner of evil.
We are to be subservient as HE was subservient.
The GREATEST EVER- a SERVANT to ALL!
What does that tell us?
We who strive to NOT serve but be served?
It tells us how far off the mark we are in our lives when we choose to NOT SERVE.
Christ's disciples were called BLESSED because of their VISIBLE participation in the suffering of Christ on the Cross- Bonhoeffer wrote.
It is true.
The disciples did not hide their love of Christ in following His teachings.
It wasn't always easy for them, but the very nature of suffering makes it far from easy.
This is the voice of one who is suffering-
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
That was Paul speaking, calling himself a wretched man, seeking deliverance.
Our suffering at the hands of evil people, does not end there. We suffering evil throughout our lives and do so in many ways.
Visibly suffering where others witness the suffering is not easy at all.
We hate to be abused by evil people and our NATURAL inclination is to do all we can to avoid that. When we are confronted by these situations we are required by our Savior to suffer as HE suffered. The suffering is NOT deserved, but endured all because of the LOVE of Christ. The love of Christ is TRIUMPHING over evil by NOT becoming evil in any way, enduring evil without rendering evil in kind, suffering as evil has its way.
Please LORD in whatever situations we find ourselves in confronted by evil help us to look to You for all our needs. You who suffered and died for us, let us be YOURS.
All by YOUR GRACE!
YOUR LOVE!
Bonhoeffer- 'It looked as though evil had triumphed on the cross, but the real victory belonged to Jesus. And the cross is the only justification for the precept of non-violence, for it alone can kindle a faith in the victory over evil which will enable men to obey that precept. And only such obedience is blessed with the promise that we will be partakers of Christ's victory as well as of his sufferings.
The passion of Christ is the victory of divine love over the powers of evil, and therefore it is the only supportable basis for Christian obedience. Once again, Jesus calls those who follow him to share his passion. How can we convince the world by our preaching of the passion when we shrink from that passion in our own lives? On the cross Jesus fulfilled the law he himself established and thus graciously keeps his disciples in the fellowship of his suffering. The cross is the only power in the world which proves that suffering love can avenge and vanquish evil. But it was just this participation in the cross which the disciples were granted when Jesus called them to him. They are called blessed because of their visible participation in his cross.'
My thoughts-
Victory over evil.
The cross.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
We shall not all sleep death's sleep. Some, those saints living in the last days in Christ, will never taste of the first death- the sleep. But we will ALL be changed. Those who sleep and those who have not slept death's sleep will ALL be changed.
In a twinkling of an eye.
At the last trump.
The dead (those sleeping in their graves) will be raised up out of their graves incorruptible.
Corruption turned to incorruption. Mortal turned to immortal.
Death swallowed up in VICTORY.
Thanks be to God which gives us the VICTORY through our LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Without Christ's sacrifice of His life in every way, all the way to the cross, and His death, there would be NO victory over evil.
He's the ONLY One who has ever triumphed completely over evil. Without Him there is NO triumphing over evil, none.
The cross of our Savior is His WILLINGNESS to let LOVE triumph over EVIL.
The cross of our Savior revealed SUFFERING- temporary suffering- endured as evil had its full sway in the crucifixion of One who was completely innocent of any evil at all.
We who are guilty complain when we are called to suffer at the hands of evil.
He who was innocent complained NOT when He was called to suffer at the hands of evil.
He calls us who would be HIS to complain NOT when we are called to suffer at the hands of evil, any manner of evil.
We are to be subservient as HE was subservient.
The GREATEST EVER- a SERVANT to ALL!
What does that tell us?
We who strive to NOT serve but be served?
It tells us how far off the mark we are in our lives when we choose to NOT SERVE.
Christ's disciples were called BLESSED because of their VISIBLE participation in the suffering of Christ on the Cross- Bonhoeffer wrote.
It is true.
The disciples did not hide their love of Christ in following His teachings.
It wasn't always easy for them, but the very nature of suffering makes it far from easy.
This is the voice of one who is suffering-
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
That was Paul speaking, calling himself a wretched man, seeking deliverance.
Our suffering at the hands of evil people, does not end there. We suffering evil throughout our lives and do so in many ways.
Visibly suffering where others witness the suffering is not easy at all.
We hate to be abused by evil people and our NATURAL inclination is to do all we can to avoid that. When we are confronted by these situations we are required by our Savior to suffer as HE suffered. The suffering is NOT deserved, but endured all because of the LOVE of Christ. The love of Christ is TRIUMPHING over evil by NOT becoming evil in any way, enduring evil without rendering evil in kind, suffering as evil has its way.
Please LORD in whatever situations we find ourselves in confronted by evil help us to look to You for all our needs. You who suffered and died for us, let us be YOURS.
All by YOUR GRACE!
YOUR LOVE!
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