Romans 12:21

Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

The relation toward his fellow Christians demands a great deal from the true disciple of Christ, and he is obliged daily to learn humility and service from Him who is our model for all time. But, in a way, the relation of a Christian toward those that are not of the household of faith requires still more, because he may expect nothing but enmity and bitter persecution from them. Therefore St. Paul writes: To no one return evil for evil; no matter how great the provocation on the part of their enemies, the Christians should not pay back in kind; retaliation and revenge must be foreign to their nature. We should rather endeavor to attain to that which is excellent before all men, we should at all times conduct ourselves so as to command the confidence and respect of all men, to commend ourselves to them as honorable, straightforward, clean in all our dealings] letting no spot stain our characters in the sight of the world. See Proverbs 3:4. This includes another manifestation of Christian character: If it is possible, so far as you are concerned, keep peace with all men. Christians never pick quarrels, neither are they defenders of the peace-at-any-price slogan. There are times when a quarrel is forced upon the Christians, when truth, right, justice, duty demand that they defend themselves, just as the Lord did in the palace of the high priest. But as long as it is possible with a good conscience, the Christians will maintain peace with all men; they are never the cause of dissension and strife in the sense that the guilt actually rests with them. And this includes a further thought: Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but give way to wrath. These words contain a further application and amplification of the last thought. The idea of revenge must be foreign to the hearts of believers, to those that are the beloved of the Lord, that are rejoicing in the fullness of His love and mercy. And when carnal anger wants to come into their hearts, when it comes along like a wild beast to take possession of the mind, then we should give it a wide berth and not let it gain its object, for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God, James 1:19; Colossians 3:8. On the contrary, we should remember what is written Deuteronomy 32:35: To Me belongs vengeance; I will repay, saith the Lord. In the hands of the Lord we should therefore leave the punishing of evil and not attempt to take it into our own hands. The prerogative of God as a revenger of evil upon those that do evil must not be usurped by any man. A Christian that is actually imbued with the spirit of Christ will rather follow what St. Paul urges: Rather, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in doing this thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head. The apostle here speaks in words of the Old Testament, Proverbs 25:21 ff., and follows the earnest admonition of the Lord, Matthew 5:44. The fiery coals fitly represent the uneasiness of conscience which is bound to follow in the case of kindness shown under the circumstances assumed in the context. Instead of taking advantage of his enemy's misfortune, no matter what form it may take, the Christian takes the opportunity to show him every kindness. And this repaying good for evil in most cases will so deeply affect his enemy that he will be gained, or, at least, that his heart must acknowledge his own inferiority in the face of such treatment. And so the apostle concludes: Be not conquered by the evil that thy enemy may show thee, do not let this incite thee to thoughts of enmity and revenge under any circumstances; rather conquer the evil by doing good. Subdue your enemies by kindness, not by meanness. For doing good is the sphere in which we believers should move at all times, and this must exert its influence in the case of our enemies. Many a bitter enemy has been overcome by Christian magnanimity and has become the friend of the Christian cause.

Summary

The apostle admonishes the Christians to serve faithfully in the congregation and to show true Christian love toward the brethren and to all men.