The situation in Rome was challenging. Anyone who was a Christian ran a more direct risk of being persecuted for their faith. Many had experienced injustice. How should you deal with it? About this the apostle now writes.

Before we read this text, I would like to point out misinterpretations. In Paul’s day, it was life-threatening to be a Christian in Rome. There was actual persecution. Today, Christians are still the most persecuted religious community in the world. However, some Christians overdo it when they always see themselves in the victim role. This is not suffering, as Paul wrote about it in Romans, but rather a religious neurosis. Paul is dealing with concrete cases of persecution, not with imagined compulsive will to suffer, as I still encounter here and there among Christians. Paul has no projections, but is soberly walking in a demanding world.

“Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse!

It is necessary to rejoice with the joyful, to sob with the sobbing, to be like-minded among themselves, not thinking of high things, but, led away from them, to join the lowly.

Do not become those who think themselves prudent!
Do not repay evil with evil,
be mindful of nobility in the face of all people,
if possible, through what comes from you.

Those who keep peace with all people do not avenge themselves, beloved;
but give room to the wrath of God;
for it is written:
Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord (Deut. 32:35).

However:
If your enemy is hungry, give him the bite!
If he thirsts, give him to drink!
For if you do, you will heap fiery coals on his head.

Do not be overcome by evil,
but overcome evil with good!”
Rom 12:14-21

Bless those who persecute you

Blessing literally means as much as “to say well” (Gr. eulogia). A Blessing, therefore, is like a well-being word. Benevolent should be our attitude towards other people. It does not mean that we should hide injustice, nor – even hurt – repay like with like. Rather, we should leave room for God’s wrath. Or in other words: We should change the perspective. Not only is the immediate experienced injustice a reality, but so is God’s action. God is greater than our recognition, He is above it and therefore we can leave unjust situations to Him. In other words, we can also learn to let go of injustice because we leave it to God.

Those who experience severe injustice sometimes fall into the Stockholm syndrome, according to which a victim allies with the perpetrator in order to survive. None of that is at issue here. Demarcation is often essential. He who blesses does not overlook injustice, but stands in a different place.

He who blesses does not cower in pious suffering, but dares to take clear action against injustice and yet be benevolent. This is not a contradiction. The reason may be that one has recognized the comprehensive saving purpose of God, who will one day reach every person (1 Timothy 4:9-11) or knows that Christ died for all and consequently all died so that everyone can begin a new life (2 Corinthians 5:14-21). One sees beyond the current situation, so to speak, and already thanks God that He will achieve His goal with everyone.

Do not be overcome by evil

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good! This is the goal Paul is aiming at in the letter. When we are distressed, we can bless the other with a kind word. We do not have to become friends with our persecutors, and injustice does not have to be condoned. It’s about something completely different. We can choose not to get stuck in the negative emotion. We don’t have to descend to the same level and repay injustice with injustice. Those who experience injustice, nevertheless, do not have to be misled and overcome by retribution, by evil.

How we deal with injustice is largely our own decision. Perhaps there is still a lot to learn. Paul is not speaking here of a requirement in perfection, but of a goal. How other people act toward us is different from our attitude toward those people. How we ourselves react is our responsibility. Here we have our own scope. We can ask ourselves in which direction we direct our feeling and thinking, and for what motive.

In the face of all men, be mindful of what is noble, writes Paul. This does not mean that one should not point out injustice, should not report abuse, but moreover that one should not seek revenge, but rather be concerned with nobility. It would be disastrous not to name and shame. But it would also be a disaster to get stuck in the negative experience. Because that would mean that the other people still exercise their power over us.

Paul is not in dependence on men, but in dependence on God’s grace. It has become so great in him that he is no longer misled by immediate emotions. As far as he is concerned, he wants to keep peace with all people.

Practical decisions in everyday life

Our faith proves itself in everyday life. Elsewhere Paul writes that faith becomes effective only through love (Gal 5:6). This is not by believing the right thing, but by doing the right thing.

“If your enemy is hungry, give him the morsel!
If he thirsts, give him to drink!
For if you do, you will heap fiery coals on his head.”

Faith proves itself only in the here and now, only in everyday challenges. Doing good, therefore, is a way of “going on the road” in faith. No pious cowering before persecutors, but sober dealing with the hardships in this world – including my own hardships and limitations. We are not unbreakable, but have treasure in fragile earthen vessels (2 Cor. 4:7).

Elsewhere the apostle writes:

“Walk in wisdom before those who are outside, purchasing the opportunity. Let your word always be in grace and seasoned with salt, knowing how you should answer each one.”
Col 4:4-6

This is the attitude of grace. The apostle also writes about this in the Epistle to the Romans. First, it was about the proclamation. Now it’s a matter of implementing it in everyday life. The summary in the passage from Romans is now called:

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good!”
Rom 12:21