“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:38-39 ESV)
Arguments and Hope
Christ’s direction here is very hard to obey. We do not like it. He seems to want us to surrender. He seems to want us to ALWAYS surrender. He seems to want us to always surrender so that we always lose.
Who wants to do that?
But found in Christ’s command is actually a directive to live in hope.
Because Christ is not asking us to lose every conflict, ESPECIALLY not those conflicts in which we battle HIS enemies. Because His Word makes it clear that HE has already won the war, the battle, the fight, and the conflict. (among others: Colossians 2:15, I Corinthians 15:57, Romans 8:37, Deuteronomy 20:4, John 16:33, I John 4:4…)
When Christ tells us to ‘turn the other cheek’ He is giving us hope that WE do not need to strive for victory, because HE has already won. WE do not need to be concerned about the immediate conflict, because HE guarantees the victory. WE do not need to agonize over the battle raging around us, because vengeance, victory, protection, defense, offense, and every detail of that battle are already ensured… bought and paid for on the cross.
He does not merely say, “turn the other cheek,” or “do not attack back in arguments, do not squabble in the dirt.” He says, “The victory is firmly in my grasp. Let ME win.”
Take the hope God grants us.