vengeance is mine

We live in a fallen world, therefore people will always do harm to other people for a myriad of reasons.  Some don’t have a reason, it’s just their nature to act like the devil.  Can you imagine the utter chaos if all the Christians were permitted to “even the score”, there would be less civility than there is now and right now there is very little.
 
Romans 12:19 Beloved never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for God’s wrath, for it is written, vengeance is Mine, I will repay says the Lord.
 
Note our text, God says vengeance is His.  The text does not say revenge, it says vengeance and there is a difference.  Revenge is the heartfelt desire to inflict pain in retaliation for what some one did to you.  Vengeance is to enforce the consequence for breaking the law.  Based on this definition vengeance cannot be ours because the laws men break are not ours, they belong to the Lord.  If we try to exact vengeance on people who break God’s laws, we will reap what we sow.
 
Jude 1:7 Sodom and Gomorrah gave themselves over to fornication and strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
 
The folks in Sodom and Gomorrah violated God’s laws, they would not listen to Lot, a preacher of righteousness.  The sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was disgusting but it’s not for us to judge, our place is to preach righteousness to the sinner, not judgement.  They violated God’s laws and they knew because Lot told them, God had a legal right to exercise vengeance on them.  Our part in all of this is the same as Noah and Lot, we are to warn people of their impending judgement.
 
Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him, shall He appear the second time.
 
Our ministry is to tell people that Jesus is coming soon to take us home and they must be looking for Him.  We must be prepared to meet Him because He is coming in the twinkling of an eye, so no one will have time to get right.  Many Christians who are not looking for Him will remain here with the sinners.  They will have three and a half years to correct their decision but it won’t be easy.  The anti-Christ will demand loyalty, he won’t allow people to buy or sell unless they take the mark of the beast.  God will exact vengeance on all the scoffers just as He did at the time of the flood and at Sodom and Gomorrah.
 
Acts 17:30 At the times of this ignorance God winked at (over looked), but now commands all men everywhere to repent.
 
God will not ignore the folly of the people, He can judge sin whenever He chooses.  He executes vengeance on them who violate His laws and refuse to repent.  God is in no hurry to exact His vengeance, He always gives people a lot of time to repent.  No man who lives in opposition to God will live forever, he will suffer vengeance in this life or the next.  Let us live in peace and expectation, relax and let God take care of His business.  Live a righteous life and you will never know His vengeance. 

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