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Do Not Resist Evil?

Previously, we considered that while Christians need to minister to the hurting and broken [downstream], we also need Christians who will stop evil people before they damage others [upstream]. We need Christians who will stand for Truth, expose evil, and bring down wickedness in high places. But then we ran into Jesus' words in Matthew 5:39. Was He saying, "Do not resist evil at all?"

But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. Matt. 5:39, NIV

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Is Jesus saying that Christians have to stand and take it? Are we just to let evil run riot and destroy people’s lives and this world? Are we only doctors and never soldiers? How do we understand the words of Jesus? Do not resist evil seems plain, but is it?

Before we look at the Scripture, step back and think. Jesus cannot be making a blanket statement about never resisting evil. If He were, then we would have no court system, no police, no soldiers. Anarchy would rule, and the powerful would prey on the powerless without hindrance. This would make absolutely no sense, and it certainly would not fairly represent the justice of our Holy God.

As Feed Yourself and other Bible students know, when considering a Scripture, we must consider both the topic as a whole and the context in which the verse is found. Scripture will never contradict itself.

In Hebrews 2:14, the inspired writer said:

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself [Jesus] likewise also partook of the same, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil… [NASB]

Destroying the devil is resisting evil. The purpose Jesus came was to resist evil by destroying the devil and his works.

Not only did Jesus resist the diabolical devil, but Christians are told to resist the devil in James 4:7:

Submit therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [NASB]

Satan is a personal being, and he works through others, both demons and humans, to put his plans into operation. Did Jesus passively submit to evil people? He did at the cross because He knew that was God’s will for His life. But during His life, He attacked religious hypocrites, calling them a brood of vipers and children of the devil. He referred to King Herod as a fox. He overturned the money changers’ tables in the temple. He resisted evil.

Do Not Resist Evil?

So, how do we understand the words of Jesus in Matthew 5? The first questions to ask are: Who was Jesus talking to, and what was their situation? As we can see from verse one, Jesus is primarily addressing His disciples, but there are a multitude of Jewish people around. The Jews were under the rule of the Romans; the court system was full of corruption, and the powerful held great influence. In a situation like this, as it is in many countries today, it is often better to take insults and injustice without retaliation. To fight back or insist on justice will only escalate to greater violence and worse problems. By having a good attitude and being generous, the aggressor is more likely to be disarmed. Like everything, it takes the wisdom of God to know how to respond in a given situation. There are no “one size fits all” answers.

In the preceding verse, Jesus mentioned the eye for an eye principle. This is a valid principle for legal justice, but it was perverted into an excuse for revenge. Jesus is not forbidding us to seek justice, use self-defence or defend others against evil people. He is prohibiting us from seeking personal revenge for injuries.

Christians need to oppose evil people. Sometimes, we cry to God and say things like, “Why did You allow an evil person like Hitler to ruin so many lives?” God looks at us and says, “Why did you allow it? I gave you dominion over the earth. I promised that if you obeyed My laws, evil would be minimized until My return when it will be eliminated. Runaway evil only happens because you allow it.”

It has been the actions of Christians who instigated the end of the cruel gladiator games in the Roman Empire, the end of wife burning in India and, the end of slavery in the British Empire, and many other social evils. Sometimes, the fight against evil has cost them their lives, but the compassion and justice of God drove them on.

The giants of abortion, socialism, sex slavery, poverty, and more will fall when the church as a whole repents and begins to return to the Laws and ways of God wholeheartedly. Christian men and women must stand against evil, expose it and actively and wisely work to destroy the enemy’s works. God will hold us accountable for our actions or inactions. No one can fight every battle, but when God places a specific area of need in our hearts, we must pursue it diligently and courageously with prayer and action.

Glenn Davis is a Christian author and Bible teacher whose work draws on more than 40 years of study, writing, and teaching in local churches. He has written 700+ articles, created five Bible courses, published three books, and shared 300+ Bible videos on YouTube. Readers can find his books on Amazon, follow his teaching on YouTube or visit Glenn Davis Books. Away from the keyboard, he enjoys time with family, reading, walking, and board or card games.

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