It is always our first inclination to do unto others as they have done unto us and it is a great perversion of the Lord's sermon on the mount. The Lord teaches us to be active (even proactive) in showing good to the neighbor. Often times however, we react according to our flesh. We must not be overcome with evil, but we must overcome evil with good! The "golden rule!" The Apostle Paul shows the result of this and that it is easy to get "sucked into" evil when we do not practice this. We too, often elevate the old man among us as we struggle against the old man that is within us.

Warning: Paul begins with a warning. We have the negative and positive in our text here. "Be ye not overcome with evil...." A battle and struggle and the outcome of that battle. We are living sacrifices, but Paul puts the positive against the negative admonitions beforehand in warning us. We must have a renewing of the mind which sets aside the practices of the world and illicit ways of the flesh! We know we will experience persecution and may believe the enemy is not yet, but often we let those principles into our lives. The battle is with evil. We either overcome it OR it overcomes us...and at its very head is the devil himself. The devil uses all the means to set himself against us even as we deal with the nature and give place to the devil causing us to stand in violation of the command of Christ and evil overcomes us. We want to rectify things and take things into our own hands..and we do not put on the things of Christ and we are overcome. We begin to partake of the things we are despising in the first place and that we are on the recieving end of. When we react in kind we employ ourselves and will be called to blame after getting "sucked in" even though we will justify it. We have been conquerors and adopted.

The Admonition: The antidote that will overcome. "Vengeance is mine saith the Lord and I will repay." Vengeance is NOT revenge. Revenge is reacting and employing something to the enemy for the hurt caused. God will repay being the just and Holy one. Every sin against Him first. He does delegate the sword power which is derived from God, but that power should never be done in revenge. Vengeance is a perfect theodicy and the end whereby God will trample sin with His righteous wrath and calls us to do good until then. When we do what is good and that which is right, God will use it for His purpose. Give place to wrath (the wrath of God against sin that He places among sin) does NOT mean to give place to our wrath to be vindictive. "Kill him with kindness!" We try to kill using the principle of kindness....not what we are told. To do good is to seek the welfare of the enemy so that God may do His work and rest assured He will heap coals of fire upon their heads. Read chapters 3 & 4 of I Peter.