Turn YOUR Other Cheek

   Today's Gospel reading is well known. It is important to read in context and in relation to the rest of the New Testament.

Luke 6. 27-30

 "I say to you that hear, Love YOUR enemies, do good to those who hate YOU, bless those who curse YOU, pray for those who abuse YOU. To him who strikes YOU on the cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away YOUR coat do not withold even YOUR shirt. Give to everyone who begs from YOU: and of him who takes away YOUR goods do not ask them again."

  Here we see what I call 'personal pacifism'. Jesus did not say to stand by while others are being slapped and abused.  God never tells us, that we should stand by while women and children are being beaten and abused. 

Romans 13 also makes it clear that LAWFUL government punishes the bad and protects the good. When government reverses their role and punishes the good and rewards the bad, that government is illigitimate. But that is a topic for another sermon. 

 We only have the right to forgive those who harm us personally. We have no right to forgive those who harm a third party. Only that person or God can forgive them.

Many well meaning people have not paid attention to what Jesus is saying. If someone hits you, you have the right and obligation to forgive them. If you see someone beating a child, you have no right to "forgive" them, but an obligation to intervene. 

Death penalty opponents are the worst. They say as Christians we should forgive those who have raped and or murdered someone else. Only if they rape and murder us personally can we forgive. Society and Christians cannot forgive those who harm others. Such forgiveness is wrong and meaningless.

 They tell people that they should forgive someone who killed their loved ones. We cannot forgive them because it wasn't us that was wronged.

 We can choose not to hate. That is true and as Christians we must avoid hate. But we cannot forgive someone for what they did to someone else. Only that person or God has that right. 

 Real men protect women and children. Real men too are called to be martyrs if need be, but we have no right to offer others up as martyrs.

If you strike me, with God's help I will turn the other cheek. If you strike my wife , children or grandbabies, I will give you so many lefts you'll beg for a right. 

  Another example. My wife and I were both in a high risk area for the China Fauci Plague. I am 65 and overweight. She is diabetic. When we tested positive our regular physician refused to treat us. Thousands of people and many of my friends have died because doctors refused therapeutics.  If I didn't have family members that are physicians who treated us,  my wife would have died, and I possibly could have.

  Now, I forgive the person who refused to treat me and pray for them. But I have no right to forgive them for not treating her. I cannot, should not, do not forgive or have the right to forgive the CDC for murdering untold thousands by refusing therapies to those when they are newly diagnosed.

    Even Jesus demonstrated this. When he was on the Cross he forgave those who beat, tortured and killed him.

  But in Matthew 23 he blasts the Pharisees for leading people to hell. He didn't forgive them for what they did to others. 

 Satan loves it when we abrogate our duties as parents, friends, neighbors , and law enforcement to defend the innocent by misinterpreting Jesus words.

 God help us! 

Jack