Matthew 5:39?

[logos83]

"But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right check, turn to him the other also." Matthew 5:39

I have a question what are your views on this verse? I try to take it at face value but I do not want to be somebody elses doormat. I also know if you have a family to take care of; you can't always turn the other check .
"But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." I Timothy 5:8

I would appreciate any advice especially from the Scriptures.

 

[Baruch]

"But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right check, turn to him the other also." Matthew 5:39

I have a question what are your views on this verse? I try to take it at face value but I do not want to be somebody elses doormat. I also know if you have a family to take care of; you can't always turn the other check .
"But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." I Timothy 5:8

I would appreciate any advice especially from the Scriptures.

Don't look at Matthew 5:39 as something you can do, but what Christ can do in you.

Philippians 4:13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Philippians 3:14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

There were many times, looking back, that I did not react the way my "enemies" would if what they had done to me was done to them. I wondered foolishly how oblivious I was to these affronts, but then I realized that Christ did it.

This is what it means to live by faith and trusting Him to help you live as His. I find myself slow to anger, but then.. the devil does bring it up later on as I get fuming, but that is when I need to ask Jesus to help me forgive the affront... as He has forgiven me of mine.

I believe you have the correct verses to keep things balanced and in perspective, but trust Him to know when it is time to defend your home and family, and when it is time to be meek and be slaughtered for your faith so as to bear witness to the lost in the hopes that God may save some. Trust Jesus in that no matter what you purpose in your heart to do, He will direct your footsteps.

Example... many believers in India were being driven out of their homes, and put to test to become a Hinduist or die. Many became Hinduists and some were killed for their faith... whole familes too.

A thief breaking into the home and just doing evil, having nothing to do with your faith, one must show love for your family and your next door neighbor in subduing this thread in society. Trust Jesus to help you in that matter as well.

When a crisis comes, trusting the Lord is paramount in getting through this with the love of God as well as with the peace of God, but even then, the Lord may have already worked in you to be ready for moments like that... and He may have already led away those moments that would have been too much for us to not sin. That is where trusting Him to be our Good Shepherd is to His glory as He leads us away from temptation and delivers us from the evil one.

 

[logos83]

Don't look at Matthew 5:39 as something you can do, but what Christ can do in you.

Philippians 4:13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Philippians 3:14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

There were many times, looking back, that I did not react the way my "enemies" would if what they had done to me was done to them. I wondered foolishly how oblivious I was to these affronts, but then I realized that Christ did it.

This is what it means to live by faith and trusting Him to help you live as His. I find myself slow to anger, but then.. the devil does bring it up later on as I get fuming, but that is when I need to ask Jesus to help me forgive the affront... as He has forgiven me of mine.

I believe you have the correct verses to keep things balanced and in perspective, but trust Him to know when it is time to defend your home and family, and when it is time to be meek and be slaughtered for your faith so as to bear witness to the lost in the hopes that God may save some. Trust Jesus in that no matter what you purpose in your heart to do, He will direct your footsteps.

Example... many believers in India were being driven out of their homes, and put to test to become a Hinduist or die. Many became Hinduists and some were killed for their faith... whole familes too.

A thief breaking into the home and just doing evil, having nothing to do with your faith, one must show love for your family and your next door neighbor in subduing this thread in society. Trust Jesus to help you in that matter as well.

When a crisis comes, trusting the Lord is paramount in getting through this with the love of God as well as with the peace of God, but even then, the Lord may have already worked in you to be ready for moments like that... and He may have already led away those moments that would have been too much for us to not sin. That is where trusting Him to be our Good Shepherd is to His glory as He leads us away from temptation and delivers us from the evil one.

Thanks Baruch this how I view this verse, myself. But I was wondering if I missed something.

 

[thefightinglamb]

I agree with Baruch on most of what he wrote...and it was very well written and thought out...

Its just the buts get me--perhaps because I am always wanting to have exceptions to things...

Well, obviously this does not have to do with false doctrine...Paul explicitly writes to a church that was accepting every doctrine that 'perhaps they had been too weak."

Where I disagree with Baruch is possibly where he uses the thief breaking into your house as grounds for 'subduing a thread in society." I love Jean Valjean in Les Miserables...and Victor Hugo poignantly shows flaws in this way of thinking...remember Jesus said mercy triumphs over judgment...Meaning, I take it, if someone trespasses against you in any way, and you forgive them--then that is the most excellent way...

Remember Paul talking about the utter rediculuosness of Christians taking Christians to court? And his response is "why no prefer to be defrauded?" That is why not accept whatever loss is occassioned by your brother/sister's sin instead of 'legally seeking the law" for your justice...but look away onto Jesus, the author of our faith, at these times; as Hebrews states consider how this just man suffered for the unjust..."You have not yet suffered such great persecutions from sinners to bloodshed" as Jesus did...Think of the garden in Gethsemane...

See, the physical family dilemma gets quite complicated...

Are we to forsake the most excellent way for our family? Lets make this most dramatic, just for effect...If Jesus asked a husband to physically be crucified and he was the only bread-winner of his family, should he put God or physical family first? But what will become of his family? He will have to trust in God, obviously...

Okay lets make this just a tad more relateable...Perhaps, it is not a clear voice from God rather or not to physically be crucified for his faith, but just some spiritual qualm that does not let his soul keep silent...Would not this feeling condemn his action?--though he could weasel his way out by saying but God told me to look after my family, therefore I am obeying God???

Now, let us apply this to the situation at hand... Should turning the other cheek be applied to family as well? The first situation that occured to me is that someone either slanders or attacks wife or children...My heart seems to suggest that this would cause me to want to retaliate and protect them (when I have them)...

But don't you see its the same dillema? Its still wrong...its as if I am saying this verse should apply to me when I am the head of the house , but not to my family...It is a great thing for me to follow the Lord in this command...but my wife or children, shall not turn the other cheek, or I won't if they are slandered/attacked...

I still see the most holy and profound way of understanding this passage in the most difficult sense--meaning whenever something dear to you is 'trespassed against', it is a great thing to put faith in the Lord and accept the trespass for Christ's sake, and if needed forgive...

Another profound thought that occurred to me is that anyone who chooses Christ will be persecuted...when you look at this as his church, his family, then you do not see him protecting us--so much as alllowing us to suffer with him--and this being the truest way of experiencing him in this world..!

I hope this helps....never soften scripture so that it goes down the throat easily, but seek to follow as harsh as the verses actually demand.

God bless
tony

 

[MahogonySnail]

I believe from reading I've done, the early christians took these very literally. They did not join the armed forces or serve as soldiers, for a number of reasons, they were pacifist. However I think in context it is about how we deal with personal grievances, it is not saying you can't defend your family, or even yourself. Then again I guess that's what martyrs are, people who are prepared (and their families) to not retaliate and die for the faith if needs be. I guess it isn't a great testimony if we say we love our enemies, but are then prepared to blow their head off with a shotgun if they trespass on our property and threaten our family.

 

[eric51]

I don't know that the bible should be your foremost source for deciding how to treat someone who has abandoned his family. Yes, include biblical teaching on charity and mercy as one of several important factors in your decision making in such a matter. However, IMHO, I think it would take God to show charity to such a person. Nevertheless, I will provide a context and intepretation for this verse, Matt 5:29

In the NT the word, righteousness, conveys recognition of individual righteousness. E.g., Jesus requires that our righteousness exceed that of the Pharisees or Scribes, or we shall not enter the kingdom of heaven, Matt 5:20. There is no thought here of entering heaven because we have obtained an "alien righteousness". The responsibility is on the individual to make sure his righteousness is true righteousness. Jesus explains how we can measure our righteousness, in the remaining context of Matt 5.

In verse 21, it is no longer sufficient to refrain only from killing someone; rather, Jesus says, that even being angry with another's brother puts one in danger of judgement; ie., judgment that results in not being able to "enter the kingdom of heaven" as he has just stated in Matt 5:20. Hence, the way our righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees is by refraining from anger, whereas the Pharisees,tho they did not murder their brother, hated him and reviled him in their heart.

Again, interpreting the bibliical language for its face value, meaning within its own context rather than superimposing a theological system upon it, we learn that we do not exceed such Pharisaical righteousness by laying claim to someone else's righteousness [i.e., Christ's] but by exercising our righteousness by the power of God's grace unto the God who views us under His grace.

In the remaining context, Jesus tells us the many ways our righteousness can exceed that of the Pharisees, e.g., not looking with lust on a woman [verse 28], not divorcing illegitimately [verse 32], not swearing [v. 34], not seeking vengeance [v. 39], loving one's enemies [v. 44]. We must do these things, according to verse 45, "that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven," not merely because we "are" his children.

Be with God.

Amen

 

[imoss]

I believe from reading I've done, the early christians took these very literally. They did not join the armed forces or serve as soldiers, for a number of reasons, they were pacifist. However I think in context it is about how we deal with personal grievances, it is not saying you can't defend your family, or even yourself. Then again I guess that's what martyrs are, people who are prepared (and their families) to not retaliate and die for the faith if needs be. I guess it isn't a great testimony if we say we love our enemies, but are then prepared to blow their head off with a shotgun if they trespass on our property and threaten our family.

sigh guess i'll have to get rid of my "two ways to meet the Lord, 1. read the Bible or 2. trespass on this property..." Christianity with a redneck twist?? Ok not really, saw it on email.

 

[Thaddaeus]

Ec 3:1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:Ec 3:2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;Ec 3:3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;Ec 3:4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;Ec 3:5A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;Ec 3:6A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;Ec 3:7A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;Ec 3:8A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.