Biblical ethics are supernatural ethics. The call of the Lord Jesus Christ upon His followers is different from humanity’s own fallen instinct. Christ’s call is a fundamentally other worldly way of life – it is what James calls wisdom from above. When Christians encounter evil against them, the natural instinct is retaliation. A person cannot carry out the injunctions given by the apostle Paul in this passage. In this sermon on Romans 12:17–18 titled “Be Different,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says the story of humanity is one of hitting back and retaliation. People scoff at turning the other cheek as it is viewed as a weakness. While Dr. Lloyd-Jones encourages Christians not to retaliate, the Scriptures raise one’s thoughts beyond just the negative. When the Christian encounters evil against them, their response is to put the evil action against them in the larger context of their entire Christian outlook. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that Christians do not act on instinct but instead should consider the gospel, Christ, and their witness to the Christian faith. Christians should fight for peace but not peace at any cost, warns Dr. Lloyd-Jones. Listen as he explains the important nuance of contending for the truth while at the same time being peacemakers.

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