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Turning the other cheek
Nelson Boils:
When it comes to turning the other cheek,should a follower of Christ involve police when one does you wrong?Should one file a report and sue or would that be considered NOT turning the other cheek?
I'm interested to hear some wisdom regarding this,as I thought we should rather leave room for God's revenge.Correct me if I'm wrong!
Been meaning to raise this up for a while but didn't know how to ask the question,until I read a thread by karel_7 where someone says to her she must call the police.I'm a bit confused about this "turning the other cheek"
Gina:
Well, Nelson, that someone was me, Gina. I never told her she MUST call the police. I asked her a question, Nelson. I'm sure it was all a misunderstanding, but let's not twist my words.
--- Quote from: Gina on May 30, 2015, 01:42:20 AM ---Hi, Karen
Do you think you're going to be physically harmed by your persecutors and can you call the police?
--- End quote ---
I deleted my post where I said that I, MYSELF, would not hesitate to call the police in certain circumstances. It is not a sin to call the police when crimes are being committed, for instance in my case where a bunch of grown men were loitering around outside at 11 pm at night and lo and behold someone had tagged our apartments. And even then, I said that I requested that the police simply do a DRIVE-BY TO MAKE HIS PRESENCE KNOWN AND TO SCARE THEM OFF.
And then I said:
--- Quote from: Gina on June 02, 2015, 04:42:58 PM ---Karen, I have a question: were you under any sort of stress before this all started? I don't want to sound like I don't believe you're experiencing something, but I'm not ready to believe that someone "out there" is trying to harm you with radiation or weapons. If someone was trying to harm you, your neighbors would not be so uncaring, especially since it could harm them too, couldn't it? But they're not worried at all. And that tells me your perception is off -- maybe because you're suffering from exhaustion from not sleeping. Have you taken any medications in the recent past? Are you under the care of a doctor or anything? If so, you might want to look up the contraindications of the medication just to make sure that you're taking them in the proper dosage and not mixing them with things like alcohol or other drugs or whatever.
--- End quote ---
It is not a sin to involve the police, and I never said that anyone SHOULD contact the police. And I never said one word about suing anyone.
1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
3 Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same;
4 for it is a minister of God to you for GOOD. But if YOU do what is EVIL, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for NOTHING; for it is a minister of God, an AVENGER who brings WRATH on the one who P-R-A-C-T-I-C-E-S evil.…
That has nothing to do with "turning the other cheek." Turning the other cheek simply means, don't take offense. There are many times when you should not turn the other cheek. For instance, let's say you caught someone violently raping your son or daughter, or trying to burn down your or your neighbor's house, or going around making a mess of your neighborhood, are you saying that the RIGHT THING would be for you to not get the police involved for the sake of the safety of not just your child, but others who might be harmed by them?
As for suing, you know what the scriptures say:
Cor. 6
1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?
4 If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge?
5 I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?
6 But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!
7 Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated?
8 No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren!
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
Leave room for God to avenge. That means, don't take matters into your own hands. (I mean, I dare say that if I caught someone harming my daughters or trying to kill them that I would just simply stand there and let it happen, and "turn the other cheek." )
As for those who want to harm me, well, there are authorities in place put there by God. And let me tell you something, the District Attorneys/State Prosecutors don't fool around. When they find out someone's doing something wrong, they as God's minister will not hesitate to collect the FACTS and then drag their backside in court. And THEY will lower the boom.
Gina:
And as for suing, Paul clearly meant that the brethren were going to law against their own brethren only (only!) to CHEAT THEM.
I personally do not believe it is a sin to hire an attorney when someone is trying to cheat you. Otherwise, it would be a SIN to be a lawyer:
13 Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them.
14 Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.
Jesus said:
And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.
That does not mean that you can't STAND UP TO DEFEND or STATE YOUR CASE at all. It just means, settle STUPID, PETTY, INSIGNIFICANT matters quickly preferably without GETTING DRAGGED ALL THE WAY INTO COURT BEFORE UNJUST JUDGES.
Does that mean that if man wanted to cheat you out of your house or take your eight-year-old for his wife that that would be okay with Jesus?
46 “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts,
47 who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
Even the apostle Paul didn't just "take it" when he was wrongfully imprisoned. None of the apostles did. Didn't Paul have words for those who wrongfully imprisoned him when they tried to let him go out the backdoor? He gave them all a piece of his mind and a lesson in the law. He wasn't stupid, he wasn't a doormat. He didn't hate them, or try to take revenge on them for what they did, of course not.
Nelson Boils:
Alright thanks for the clarity.
Gina:
--- Quote from: Nelson Boils on June 07, 2015, 01:48:02 PM ---Alright thanks for the clarity.
--- End quote ---
Sure thing jelly bean. :)
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