At some point, every follower of Jesus feels a real tension. We want justice for wrongs that have been done, but we also feel called to show mercy to those who did them. Most of us tend to lean more toward one side. Sometimes we want justice for the victim and consequences for the person who did wrong. Other times, we hope for mercy for everyone. But the gospel doesn’t make us pick one or the other. It brings both together and asks us to do the same.
This isn’t easy. In fact, it might be one of the hardest things we’re ever asked to do.
The Courtroom We All Live In
Imagine a courtroom. On one side are the people who have been hurt or treated unfairly. On the other side is the person who caused the harm. Our first reaction is very human: we want the victim to be protected and to see justice done, and we want the person who did wrong to face consequences. That’s not wrong. God cares about justice, and it matters.
But here’s the real question: as followers of Jesus, what do we want for the person who did wrong?
Jesus didn’t come for people who are innocent. He came for those who are guilty. If that feels uncomfortable, think about this: if you aren’t as guilty as the worst person you can imagine, then Jesus didn’t come for you either. He came for sinners, and that means all of us. As Paul says in Romans, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). He didn’t wait for us to fix ourselves or prove we were worthy. He came right into our mess.
This changes how we see the people who have hurt us.
Do Not Repay Evil for Evil
Romans chaRomans chapter 12 makes this very clear. The instruction isn’t complicated, even if it’s hard to follow: Do not repay anyone evil for evil (Romans 12:17). It doesn’t say some people or most people. It says anyone. There are no exceptions, no matter how much you’ve been hurt or how right your anger feels.age continues by urging believers to live at peace with everyone, adding an important qualifier: as far as it depends on you (Romans 12:18). That phrase carries real wisdom. Some people will not allow peace. Some people are so committed to conflict that no amount of goodwill on your part will change the dynamic. In those cases, you are not required to force a relationship that cannot exist. You are only responsible for your own behavior. But where peace is possible, pursue it.
Then there’s a verse that might be the most surprising instruction in all of scripture: if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he’s thirsty, give him something to drink (Romans 12:20). The passage says that by doing this, you heap burning coals on his head. This isn’t about trying to manipulate anyone. It’s about showing radical, unexpected generosity that can soften even the hardest heart—and your own, too.
Something amazing happens when you choose to bless someone who has hurt you. Your heart starts to follow your actions. It’s hard to stay bitter toward someone you’re serving. Being generous to an enemy is one of the best ways to start forgiving them in your own heart.
Getting Out of God’s Way
One of the hardest and most practical truths in this passage is that vengeance belongs to God, not us. The Lord says, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay” (Romans 12:19). That’s not just a suggestion. It’s God’s promise and authority.
Here’s the problem: when someone hurts us and we try to handle it ourselves, we take on a role that isn’t ours. Sometimes, we even get in the way of the consequences God meant for that person. We end up making ourselves the focus, instead of letting God finish the story.
Think about it: we trust God with our eternal salvation. We believe he can handle the biggest question of all—where we’ll spend eternity. But sometimes we struggle to trust him with the person who hurt us or treated us unfairly. That doesn’t add up. If we can trust him with forever, we can trust him with this, too.
The Gospel Is for Everyone, No Exceptions
Maybe the hardest truth in all of this is how wide the gospel really is. It’s not just for people whose mistakes seem acceptable to us. It’s not only for those whose failures we can understand. The gospel is for the guilty—period.
That means the person who hurt your family deserves to hear the gospel. So does the person whose choices you can’t stand. The murderer, the abuser, the addict, the person whose politics or lifestyle offend you—they all deserve to hear the gospel. If the gospel isn’t big enough for the worst person you can imagine, then it isn’t big enough for you either.
This doesn’t mean we call evil good. You can love someone without agreeing with what they’ve done. You can pray for someone without pretending their actions were okay. Grace doesn’t mean giving up on truth. But truth without grace isn’t the gospel. They go together.
When the gospel really reaches someone, it changes them. Real repentance leads to a different kind of life—not a perfect one, but one that’s truly moving in a new direction. The light of the gospel, when it comes, shines on everything.
The call is simple, even if it’s not easy: trust God with justice, show mercy freely, and share the gospel with everyone. Keep all three together and see what God will do.
Thoughts from Pastor Toney 