Forgiveness and Vengeance

"I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible." Isaiah 13:11

There was a movie that came out a few years ago called Man on Fire. In it, a former soldier takes the job of bodyguard to a little girl. They form a tight bond that is horribly broken when the little girl is kidnapped and killed. The soldier goes on a rampage of vengeance and justice as he lays waste to the infrastructure of the kidnapper's network, and the once untouchable organization is brought to its knees. I have yet to meet someone that did not like that movie.

We like stories like that one because we all have an innate desire to see justice dealt upon the wicked. Nothing is more exciting than to see the arrogant villain get his in the end. Isaiah 13 sounds just like the soldier from Man on Fire: so many will die that men will become scare (vs. 12), my wrath will shake heaven and earth (vs. 13), everyone will flee (vs. 14), no one will be spared (vs. 15-18), and all their pride will be made desolate (vs. 19-22). Our hearts stir at the thought when Christ will finally return and demand an answer from every proud villain of the world. Death will no longer hide them from His sight: He will claw them out of their graves.

This innate desire for justice is what makes Jesus' teachings on forgiveness so hard. We desire vengeance against those who have hurt us out of malice and pride, but then Christ comes like a cosmic killjoy: "Forgive men their trespasses." (Matthew 6:14) Aw, do we have to? If we are God's children, then we must (Matthew 6:44, 45).

There are some things to remember here, though. First of all, Christ speaks on forgiveness in regards to wrongs against us. There is nothing that says we should not help others when God causes them to cross our path: even Jesus defended the adulteress from being stoned. Of course, Jesus' weapon was His wisdom and wit, living out His principle of being as wise as a serpent but gentle as a dove.

Secondly (and perhaps most importantly), the New Testament teaches that Christ already won the victory over all evil at the Cross (John 16:33; Colossians 2:15). The wrath of God fell on all wickedness at Calvary. We should see now that forgiveness is not found in thinking suddenly that "so-and-so" is now an okay fellow. Forgiveness is (amongst other things) an issue of pity, not delusion. These poor souls have already lost the war and battle, yet they act like they can still win. Such knowledge should drive us to pity for the lost, for they are not our foes, but are poor, wretched, and blind. We "love our enemies" because there are no more enemies: God's vengeance has been dealt already on Sin, and now there is no reward left in anything but loving those who hate you, i.e., having compassion for the lost.

Finally, we have to remind ourselves that vengeance will come. God dealt with Sin through Christ, but all those who still cling to nothingness and reject Reality will face the vengeance of fire. Perhaps such news should comfort us (and it should), but it should also drive us with the love of Christ to reach those who are in danger of being swept up in the vengeance that comes from the righteousness of God. Vengeance is the Lord's, and forgiveness is the Lord's; and He gives liberally to those who ask.