Scott Kamps
Tension between forgiveness and justice was displayed at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service.
The dichotomy between Erika Kirk’s powerful “love your enemies” speech with Stephen Miller’s “destroy our enemies” speech led many to say Christians must decide between one or the other.
This posture betrays an ignorance of the Christian ethic – which is alarming, because it’s the foundation of Western civilization. While both speeches can’t be true in the same way, there’s no contradiction to Erika’s responsibility as a Christian individual to forgive her enemy while – at the same time – acknowledging the magistrate’s responsibility to “bear the sword” (execute justice against evildoers).
Rejection of either forgiveness or justice demonstrates biblical illiteracy. While Bibles are more available now than ever, most don’t read or understand them; this ignorance prevents right thinking and application of biblical truths.
Many Christians shun righteous retribution, demanding forgiveness by the government – which is God’s “avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer” (Romans 13:4). Others wrongly use passages like Psalm 109:8, praying for personal vengeance against political opponents: “May his days be few; may another take his office!”
Neither of these postures are in line with Christianity.
The Lord’s commanded Christians to love their enemies. Paul writes, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’”
Christians shouldn’t take personal revenge – we must leave it in God’s hands. Scripture is equally clear that vengeance will come: God will repay. This happens in part through righteous governments bearing the sword but ultimately when Jesus returns.
Jesus also has power to execute judgment on His enemies (2 Thessalonians 1:6-8): “God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.”
The Jesus of the Bible isn’t some peace-loving hippie tolerating evil perpetually; instead, He’s the gracious Savior offering forgiveness (priestly duties) and the awesome Judge who will mete out God’s covenant curses on the wicked (kingly duties). Because of who Jesus is, it’s not inconsistent for the New Testament to include, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do,” as well as, “If anyone does not love the Lord – a curse be on him.”
Christians – as deserving of wrath as God’s enemies – are exempt from His curses only because Jesus bore those curses for them. In light of these truths, we ought to pray for our enemies: that they’ll receive the gift of forgiveness in the cross before it’s too late, recognizing those who reject God’s way of forgiveness are opposing Christ and setting themselves as His enemy.
When Christ comes back, Christians will praise God for exercising His righteous indignation against sin/evil (Revelation 19:1-3).
Scott Kamps writes a bi-weekly column for The Graham Star. He can be reached via email, thestableguy@frontier.com.