Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: (1 Peter 2:23)
The first thing we must know for following the life of Jesus Christ is a fact that he is God. It means that he didn’t need to suffer an insult or undergo all sorts of hardships, but he came with a flesh and went through such things. We must remember that there are several reasons but the first is for making today’s Christian follow example.
Jesus suffered insult but didn’t call anyone names and he undergo all sorts of hardships but didn’t menace. As men go, the law says ‘eye for eye, tooth for tooth’. Nowadays, a rule in the world, is almost based on the laws in the Bible, is applying of such a principle. If one cause damage, he must compensate for a loss, but if he can’t afford to do it, he must pay the price with his body. So, a murderer is killed off through capital punishment, and a person who is liable for physical damage imposes a fine. These things are casting anchor among people in the world as a general thing.
However, when we see looks of Christians in New Testament times, we can find that they didn’t apply a world’s rule based on the law. They invoked a blessing for people who call their names, didn’t oppose to persecutors, and even they became a gentle lamb in front of death. These acts came from a mind of hoping to perform an example of Christ. Today, we can see that many churches have nothing to do with those things. It isn’t an image of people who follow an example of Christ. If they are real Christian, they have to pray and control themselves with patience even in the pessimum.
The main reason Christians must do so is that the right of judgment is not in us or the world law court, but only in God. Even if we are disadvantaged in the world, it isn’t the attitude of Christian that we get an answer to the question by ourselves or strive to retaliate. Only God can judge. We must not take the posture of defense even for a person who attempts our life. We ought to entrust ourselves to the Lord and pray for them. Look at Stephen. He didn’t implore for his life and didn’t put on a grim face in the presence of people gathered to kill him, but he committed him to the Lord’s care and pray for them spring with stones at him. He was like Jesus praying for people made an effort to kill him. Remember. We have no right of judgment. Only God will judge.
