2 Samuel 3:39
And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.
There is a difference between sin and evil. Throughout the Scriptures, we learn that all evil is sin, but not all sin is evil. Sin is a transgression of God’s law. In other words, I sin whenever I do something that God tells me not to do or I don't do something He tells me to do. However, this alone is not evil. Evil is doing wrong with the intent to hurt another.
Let me illustrate. David sinned by committing adultery with Bathsheba, but this sin was not evil because he did not intend to hurt someone else. Now, sin always hurts others, but the intent to hurt others is what is evil. David’s evil was putting a contract on Uriah’s life to have him killed; this was an intent to hurt someone else; therefore, it was evil.
God’s Word says that the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness. David made a treaty with Abner. However, Joab hated Abner because he killed Joab’s brother. Joab killed Abner when they were alone to avenge his brother’s death. David said this was evil and that one day God would reward Joab for this evil.
Most people, if not all, will one day experience an evil. Yes, believers will do evil toward other believers. Because we live and serve with other believers, we will likely experience evil from another believer’s hand. When evil happens, we must console ourselves in God’s promise to reward the doer of evil according to their wickedness. Let me share a few thoughts about God’s promise to reward the doer of evil.
First, God never says how long it will take for Him to reward the doer of evil. All God said was that the LORD shall reward the doer of evil. God did not say when He would reward the doer of evil, but He promised the doer of evil would be rewarded according to his wickedness. Joab did not experience God’s judgment until he was old, but God kept His promise. God always keeps His promise; therefore, God will reward the doers of evil against you in His timing.
Second, another’s evil toward you does not make it right to do evil to them. Don’t take God’s job to reward evil into your own hands. Just because someone has done you evil does not make it right for you to do evil to them. You are as guilty as the doer of evil if you attempt to do evil toward the doer of evil. Their evil does not justify you doing evil to them.
Third, don’t let another’s evil toward you cause you to quit on God. God did not do the evil even if the evil happened from another believer. Many want to blame Christianity and God because of a doer of evil who is saved, but God is not the one who sanctioned the evil; therefore, to quit on God because a doer of evil did evil toward you is to be evil to God. There is no justification for evil from anyone.
Fourth, pray for the doer of evil. This is the greatest test of your Christianity. You will find it is easier to forgive when you pray that God will help the doer of evil to do right and be blessed. Don't pray for God to hurt them, for that in itself is evil, but pray for God to change their heart. Always remember that a doer of evil did evil because sin broke them; therefore, God will remove them from evil if He removes the sin in their life. It is always better to pray for the doer of evil to get rid of sin than for you to do evil toward the doer of evil and suffer the reward for your wickedness of doing evil.
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