Turning the other cheek

[Tatie]

I need help on interpreting the following verses, my son is bent on not to resist "an evil person" and turning the other cheek, he's been telling this to me every time I come home and complain on someone who was cruel to me, I finally asked him to find the verse in the bible and he did, I now have to figure it our once and for all:

39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Mat 5:39

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings Tatie,

It is not that we are to just stand by and let the enemy walk all over us, but we are to be "proactive":

Romans 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

Romans 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Please read the story of Joseph. He makes a fine example of what you are talking about.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

[tsth]

Romans 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink:

I would also like to add if I may, that in regard to hunger and thirst, we should feed and refresh, by the giving of the Truth of the Word.

John 6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

John  1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[Tatie]

Greetings Tatie,

It is not that we are to just stand by and let the enemy walk all over us, but we are to be "proactive":

Romans 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

Romans 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Please read the story of Joseph. He makes a fine example of what you are talking about.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

This is about the enemy, I agree that we are not to act according to the world but to take every opportunity to witness for them.

What I am concerned about, is what does it mean "do not resist an evil person", what if an evil person is the man you met in a dark garage who wants to rape and kill you.

[Guest C.D. Light]

Does anybody really think that I would turn the other cheek?  

I dont understand that scripture, never really dug into it to study it well, and I would resort to common sense.

Jesus said specifically that he HATES EVIL, so why should we then not resist it.

cd

[Tatie]

"But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

"

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings Tsth,

I would also like to add if I may, that in regard to hunger and thirst, we should feed and refresh, by the giving of the Truth of the Word.

That is AFTER you finished being a "good samaritan". A person does not want to hear the gospel when s/he is starving or half dead from frostbite. Otherwise you are making the gospel to be the "last rites", instead of the "good news".

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings Tatie,

It is important to understand the "Beatitudes" in conjunction with the WHOLE Bible, but particularly the Ten Commandments. Jesus not only fulfilled the Ten Commandments, He fulfilled ALL the "Beatitudes" as well. The chapter winds up with:

Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

The Ten Commandments could NEVER make anyone "perfect". In another thread it was said that they served to show the absolute need for Christ. And He is the one you should be emulating in your daily walk. Did He resist His captors when they came to get Him? After all, they had only evil intent in their hearts and desired to kill Him. What Christ was talking about in the Beatitudes is the absolute necessity for being "filled with the Holy Spirit" which would be sent at Pentecost. Before then no one could fulfill either the Ten Commandments OR the Beatitudes other than Jesus. Just ask Peter - "Get thee behind me Satan" - denied Christ thrice, James or John - the Sons of Thunder or doubting Thomas.

But even after Pentecost, because of the "frailty of men", Peter tried to impose circumcision on the gentiles and it brought swift rebuttal from Paul. Paul had a thorn - a messenger of Satan that he could not depose. But their frailties did not stop them. Paul declares:

2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

I have known instances that because of a person's faithfulness, they were delivered, quite literally, from the clutches of a rapist. And for whatever reason a Christian woman recently serving as a minister and nurse to Islamics was shot dead upon opening the door. This is the price we pay for bearing Christ's Name and His Image.

So if you suffer, even as Christ already has, for His Name, then considered yourself blessed. Read the Beatitudes.

We are not under "law", but under "grace". The Lord told his disciples that when they went in front of kings and magistrates not to worry about what to say because at that time it would be given to them. Most frequently we arrive at a situation without having prepared for it. At that time, if we are listening to God, He will tell us what to do, or not to do. We need NOT worry about it. We prepare every day for the days events, but often times they are filled with surprises and we find ourselves unprepared AGAIN! How often has this happened to you? Usually you just REACT, but let's hope you react from the Spirit and NOT the flesh.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

[tsth]

Thanks for your response Dad Ernie, I guess I am specifically addressing this day and time.  There is a great famine of the Truth right now, and people are in great need of it.  They just need to hear Truth, and if you are speaking Truth, you are speaking love, for God Is Love.

The pains and disorder of today, is caused by those who have not been fed the Truth of the Word.  People are needing to hear it again, that is the only way they will find peace.

Amos 8:11 "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord God, "That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the Lord.

Luke 15:14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.

They are in want of Truth.

(But yes, you must be led by the Spirit, but Truth is Truth, and Love is Love, no matter when you give it.  )

In His Love,

Suzanne

[Guest C.D. Light]

Suzanne--I cannot agree that there is a famine of the Truth of the Gospel, anywhere.

I think there is a famine of the HEARING of the Gospel, just as the scripture states.

And this famine of hearing seems to be sent by God. So are we to try to outdo Him?  I really dont think there is a thing we can do to "make" people hear (that is, to receive) what we are saying.

Do you see my point here?

As Ive searched around the internet, I find there are just tons of sites which are telling the Truth of the Gospel and the Doctrine of Christ, that anyone in any country can read. So for that reason, I dont believe there is a famine of truth telling; just a famine of "hearing and receiving it".

cd