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A Christian Curse of Revenge?!

Be not wise in your own conceits, recompense no man evil for evil, provide things honest in the sight of all men; if it be possible live peaceably with all men, brethren do not avenge yourselves but rather give place unto wrath for it is written "Vengeance is Mine, I WILL REPAY" saith the Lord.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" Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Rom 12:16-20

This portion of the letter from Rav Sha'ul (Saint Paul) to the congregation in Rome is one of the most empowering to all who are oppressed, picked on, belittled, down trodden, wronged or slighted; it says how God will take care of those who come against us, in His wisdom and His ways. We are not to curse others or seek revenge on others, in thought, word or deed. Many will curse and seek revenge upon another for an infraction of even the smallest degree. The rage people fall into from just driving is an excellent example. People involved in road rage have been known to go so far as to commit murder. What happened to forgiveness? That quality we seek from God (as well as those we have wronged)? We should remember the Biblical declaration by God that “vengeance is Mine, I will repay”.

By forgiving one's "enemy" God takes over the payback or revenge which rightfully belongs to Him in the first place. Thus the most effective curse on someone else is "I forgive you". The offense is then left to only the offender. It is God who then pays back, on His time frame in His way and through His wisdom as to what would best affect the offender.

In this wise, the offended can walk away clean, without having lowered themselves by bringing the sin onto themselves; thus the offender has worse to fear than the sword of Damocles hanging over his head as the Lord God will one day repay. Unless true repentance has been accomplished, which includes confession (not necessarily to a priest or similar, but one of self realization of the wrong committed), and an attempt at rectification, the wrath of God's judgment is the future of the offender.

 

If a follower of Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus), wishes to cast a powerful curse of revenge on another, all that needs to be done is to say אני סולח לך Ani Selakh Lacha  

 

“I forgive you”.  mean it from the heart and let it go, let it pass into the Hands of God who will deal with the matter. The slighted can walk away free and clean, not feeling animus, not feeling the need for revenge and not feeling slighted anymore, as God has taken that upon Himself to deal with. Now it becomes incumbent upon the follower of Yeshua / Jesus to pray for the forgiveness of God upon the perpetrator.

When evil befalls you, it is not you who are in danger, but the others who do you evil; and if you don’t help them, they will perish in it. Therefore, for the others’ sake, and because of your responsibility to them—repay no one evil for evil. For has God ever repaid you in such a way?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945),

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