Matthew 5: 38: Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil:

The civil law of God teaches us of our need for grace like all the rest. God's civil law was founded in justice. In a court of law the fine was to equal the offense--life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. In everyday dealings between men, outside of a courtroom, such a rule of law promotes revenge, malice, retaliation, and an unforgiving spirit.

Therefore, our King Priest instructs that the believer is not to give back the offense others give to us but to deal in grace and love. The Lord Jesus Christ instructs us not to resist evil when it comes to personal injury (v39), personal possessions (v40), personal liberty (v41), and serving others (v42.) The Lord says love your enemies, bless them who curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you (v44.)

If we are children of our Father in heaven then we will be like our Father in heaven. Our heavenly Father sends the rain not to those who earn it, but to the just and the unjust alike (v45.) But if we are only children of Adam then we will deal in kindness only toward those who merit our kindness (v46-47.) The lesson here is not that grace is common. Grace is not common any more than the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God is common. The lesson here is that grace is free, unmerited, not based on any good or evil in the receipent.

Remember your father's dealings with you

Our standard is not our fellow man, but our Father in heaven (Ro 5: 6-8; I Jn 4: 10.) Remember how our heavenly Father dealt with us while as yet we were enemies toward him. God gave his only begotten Son, not for those who had strength to do good to him but only evil. God gave his only begotten Son, not for those who regarded him as their friends, but as their enemy. We were surely not righteous, we were not even merely good but we were ungodly sinners. But God commendeth his love toward us.

Remember the father's only begotten son

In laying down his life for you, believer, the righteous Son of God did not resist evil (v39) but opened not his mouth as he gave his back to the smiters, his cheeks to them who plucked off the hair, his face to shame and spitting (Is 53:7; Lk 22:64; Is 50:6.)

God had a suit against us. We broke the whole law of God. Yet, when he came as a faithful Son of his Father we took him to the court of law, crying, “We have a law!” (v40; Jn 19:7.) Yet, he gave not just a coat, not just a cloak, but he laid down his life and robed us in the garment of his own righteousness (Is 61:10.)

We complain about being compelled by the government (v41.) How we murmur that the tax burden lays too heavily on us to pay the way for others. Yet, the government of God was on his shoulder (Is 9:6.) Free grace compelled him to pay what was due to God for us. He went beyond, by not only paying our debt in full, but he made us kings and priests unto God (v41; Re 1: 6.)

What has he given to you, brethren? (v42) We cursed him, he blessed us. We hated him, he did us good. We despitefully used him, yet he everliveth to make intercession for us. Of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace (Jn 1: 16.) In Christ Jesus, we are perfect, holy and without blame before God in the Son of his love, accepted in the Beloved. In the Son of God we are as perfect as God’s own Son (I Jn 2:1)

I say unto you

This is Christ Jesus, the Captain of our salvation speaking. This is the Author and Finisher of our faith giving us the grand conclusion. He is speaking unto “us”—who he has washed in his blood and forever set apart by his grace and love (1 Jn 3:1.)

Considering our Father in heaven, he says for us to treat all men in grace and love not based on any merit in them, but in grace and love even as our Father has dealt with us (Mt 5: 48; Eph 4: 32, 5: 1.) Be children of your Father in heaven.