Vengeance
Vengeance in Scripture is the just repayment of wrongdoing, belonging properly to God and to human authorities acting under His order. Believers are forbidden to take personal revenge and are called instead to trust God’s justice.
At a Glance
Vengeance in Scripture is the just repayment of wrongdoing, belonging properly to God and to human authorities acting under His order. Believers are forbidden to take personal revenge and are called instead to trust God’s justice.
Description
Vengeance in Scripture refers to the just and rightful repayment of evil. Because God is perfectly holy and just, vengeance belongs supremely to Him and is never arbitrary or sinful when exercised by Him. The Bible therefore forbids personal revenge and teaches believers to leave room for God’s wrath, respond to enemies with mercy, and overcome evil with good. At the same time, Scripture also recognizes that civil authorities may serve as God’s instruments in administering temporal justice. A careful definition should therefore distinguish divine vengeance, which is righteous judgment, from sinful human vindictiveness, which Scripture condemns. The safest conclusion is that Christians must not pursue private retaliation but should entrust ultimate justice to God while honoring lawful forms of public justice.