Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.OK, I can almost hear the snickering, and even hysterical laughter, from many of those who might read this passage of Scripture. It is one of those unnatural commands from our Lord which can be difficult to swallow. Give aid to an enemy! Why isn't that un-American? Is it? I don't think so . . . at least not when America is at its best.
Consider the Second World War and its aftermath. The United States stayed at peace as long as it could, but eventually we were drawn into a war that had to be fought in order to prevent world domination by the evil Axis. But after the war, how did we respond to our enemies? Did we seek to grind them under a boot of hatred and spite? Obviously not! The U.S. led the way in helping the vanquished nations to recover, rebuild, and live peacefully with the rest of the world. It was a case of overcoming evil with good.
As followers of Christ we should seek to live peacefully with all we encounter, but it is not always possible. Some people (or nations) have to be "put in their place" when their actions threaten the innocent. That is why, as a Christian, I believe that war is sometimes justified. Our world is full of evil-doers who will push the rest of us until we have no choice but to push back, or be forced to give up the liberty which was bought by the blood of many and even our lives. The war on terror, in particular Islamic extremists, is a modern day example. I would be among the first to say to Osama bin Laden (or any other terrorist) that I wish for his heart to be changed by Jesus Christ and for us to be able to live in peace. But, until that time at which we saw clear evidence of a changed heart, I would say that our nation (and our allies) would be justified in ridding the world of an evil man who shows no hesitation in seeking our destruction. This is not a case of revenge but of preserving the peace by taking away an enemy's ability to work their evil.
I know that there are those who would say that my reasoning makes no sense to them. That's OK because I'm not threatened by other opinions. I am even willing to listen honestly to the arguments of others. But, I believe that in this case my thoughts are consistent with Scripture, and that is the only affirmation I really need.
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