Romans 106

Recompense no man evil for evil

March 9, 2003

Brian Kocourek

ROMANS 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

I would like to begin this morning by looking at the second half of this verse first. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. The Word “provide” comes come a Greek word which means to think beforehand. Therefore, just after commanding us to not pay back evil for evil, he adds, think before hand. This in itself speaks volumes.

Notice that bit of advice comes right after commanding us to recompense no man evil for evil. I will be very honest with you as Paul tells us here to be. Sometimes the first half of this verse is very difficult to do. I have good days and I have bad days with this verse. And to be perfectly honest, some days I have victory in this area and other days I am a complete failure.

Let’s just examine what Paul is telling us here. He first of all says, Recompense no man evil for evil, so we must know what the word recompense means. First of all let me say, the word recompense means simply to pay in return, or top pay back. You know, that Great American phrase, I don’t get mad, I get even! Therefore if we are told not to pay back evil for evil then there must be a reason for it. And the word evil comes from a Greek word KAKOS which simply means: evil, harm, ill will, a bad nature; a mode of thinking, feeling, acting; which is base, wrong, or wicked, troublesome, injurious, pernicious, destructive, etc.

Now, why would God so command us to not do as we have been done unto? Because He is the author of what is right and good and wholesome and healthful, and uplifting, of which all these things that are the opposite of evil. Evil then does not come from God in any manner, shape or form. JAMES 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Then where does evil come from? Well, Genesis 1:11 tells us every seed will bring forth after it’s knd or nature. Therefore, evil comes from one source and that is the devil.

JOHN 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: [but] the Son abideth ever. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. 37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. 38 ¶ I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. (Notice here that Jesus is laying out the ground rules of genesis 1:11 so to speak. He is saying we all do what is in us by nature. What seed life was in our father’s is passed down to us, and that we will do likewise.) 39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. (You see, they are not dumb. They know where Jesus is driving at and so they claim Abraham for their father. You know the Muslim’s claim Abraham as their father as well.)

Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. (You see, he is back to Genesis 1:11 again. But then he goes on to point out what they are doing and he then compares what they are doing to the one they claim to have come from, and he points out the discrepancies in their actions verses Abraham’s actions.) 40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. (Then he tells them whose father they are from because he shows them the attributes of that father for every seed is known by its characteristics. He says,) 41 Ye do the deeds of your father. (Now, at this point he does not come out and tell them who this other father is, but they know what he is driving at because there are only two sources we can speak of One which is God, and the other which is Satan through the serpent.)

Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, [even] God. (Notice how they catch on to what he is driving at and they try to beat him to the punch and say, No, No, we are not serpent seed. We were not born in fornication. We have one father, God. Then watch how Jesus uses logic and scientific reasoning, to break down their argument. ) 42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. (In other words, if you are of God and I am of God then you would love me because we both came forth from the same source. But then he goes on to explain why they just don’t get it.)

43 Why do ye not understand my speech? [even] because ye cannot hear my word. (Notice he tells them they are incapable of understanding the things he is telling them. Now, I want you to hold onto this thought because we are told not to pay back evil for evil, because evil is the attributes of satan through the serpent. We are not in any way, shape or form to reflect the attributes of that seed source if we are sons of God. And notice he tells these men that they are incapable of understanding.

Hold your fingers here and turn to Matthew 1`3 with me, and you will notice that Jesus tells them the reason these people are not given the ability to understand.

MATTHEW 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. (Now, it is just that simple. Some are ordained to understand while others are not ordained to understand. And there is a reason behind this.) 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and should understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. (Then notice how he compares those others to us) 16 But blessed [are] your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous [men] have desired to see [those things] which ye see, and have not seen [them]; and to hear [those things] which ye hear, and have not heard [them].

Now, what do you suppose it is that keeps these people from seeing, and hearing and thus understanding? Jesus already told us in John 8:37, he said, “because my word hath no place in you” . These people have no place for the Word. Then if they have no room, or place ford that means they could not receive it if they wanted to receive it. The Word of Life was not spoken for them. The Third pull is not for the unbelieving World. It is directed to them as Jesus words were directed towards these unbelieving serpent seed, and it was not for them. He said the third pull was preached to the totally lost. And that is what Jesus is doing here. He is preaching to the totally lost, but notice there is nothing in them to receive it and believe it.)

Jesus went on to identify just what source these men are from. And he does this by identifying the characteristics of that source and showing them how they aqre manifesting the same identifiable characteristics. 44 Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell [you] the truth, ye believe me not. (Then he puts out a challenge tot hem He says, which of you can identify me with any of these identifiable characteristics that I explained to you? And they couldn’t do it.) 46 ¶ Which of you convinceth me (or can convict me) of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?(Then jesus lays out for them the difference between God seed and serpent seed.) 47 He that is of God heareth God's words: (Now, that is the evidence of being from God right there. Even The apostle Jon says it in a more clear manner in 1 John chapter 4.

I JOHN 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. (And Jesus continues in John chapter 8 by saying, ye therefore hear [them] not, because ye are not of God. 48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?

Notice they then begin calling him a devil, and trying to identify him with the devil as gtheir only means of defense.

I JOHN 3:11 ¶ For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 Not as Cain, [who] was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. (So John tells us here that the slaying of Abel was just one more attribute exposing the serpent life in Cain. Then he goes on to tell us that all the serpent seed throughout all the world will have the same attributes and will hate you. And he tells us not to marvel or wonder why.) 13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. 14 ¶ We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.

Now, we come to the point in Scripture where Jesus tells us that what we do identifies our Father and He tells us that we should do as our Father would do.

MATTHEW 5:43 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more [than others]? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect,(that word perfect comes from the Greek word teleios {tel'-i-os} and means of full age, finished; wanting nothing necessary to completeness; perfect; that which is perfect: of men, full grown, adult, of full age, and means to be mature and complete in your character) even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect (or fully complete in His character).

Now, why are we commanded to not recompense evil for evil? Because it reflects bad upon our Father. MATTHEW 7:12 ¶ Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

You see the evil does not come from the outside, and our responses are not to come as a reflection of the evil that comes to us from the outside, but our responses, and our actions are to be a reflection of what we are on the inside. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. It’s what is on the inside that counts.

MARK 7:1 ¶ Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. 2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash [their] hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 And [when they come] from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, [as] the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. 5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? 6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from me. 7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men. 8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, [as] the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. 10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: 11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, [It is] Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; [he shall be free]. 12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; 13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Now, we could take an entire series on this statement right here. He is speaking of how the people take their own traditions over the word of God, and by preferring their own traditions, they set the word of God aside and it become useless to them. Jesus said any man that loves father or brother, sister or mother more than me is not worthy of my Kingdom, and yet men will take their own flesh and blood above the Word of God every time, unless they are elect.

14 And when he had called all the people [unto him], he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one [of you], and understand: 15 There is nothing(Now this word is all inclusive, there is no thing, nothing, nada, and that means that there is not one thing that can defile) from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. (Its what is already in their that defiles the man.)16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. 18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, [it] cannot defile him; 19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? 20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. 24 ¶ And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know [it]: but he could not be hid.

Now we catch the same leson told here in MATTHEW 15:1 ¶ Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 2Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? (I guess today we could say the same word exchanges are taking place. They say why are you people so hard, and we can say, why are you so hard against the Word of Truth? ) 4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to [his] father or [his] mother, [It is] a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 6 And honour not his father or his mother, [he shall be free]. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 7 [Ye] hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with [their] lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men. 10 ¶ And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: 11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. 12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? 13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. 15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. 16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? 17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are [the things] which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. 21 ¶ Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

We receive the New Birth to bring forth a change in the inner man. Our inner man is being renewed daily while the outer man is perishing. The change of the body begins with a change of the inner man first and then the outer will one day reflect a body change because the inner man has already been changed.

As brother Vayle has always said, “I am not afraid to pick up any book to study it to see why these people believe as they do, because I know that greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.”

We do not repay evil for evil because we know the source behind the evil is not from God. Brother Branham said, EXPLAINING HEALING AND JAIRUS 54-0216 E-37 What you are here is a reflection of what you are somewhere else. "Those who He called, He justifies." Is that right? "Those who He justified, He has glorified." Already in the Presence of the Father, we have a glorified body. Whew! Wasn't that deep? All right. We'll find out whether it's right or not. "If this earthly tabernacle be dissolved, we have one already waiting." Is that right? That's right. So right now, and what we are there, is a reflection. Here, what we are here, is a reflection of what we are somewhere else. So if your deeds are evil, you know where it comes from. You know where your other body's a waiting.

That’s why when someone does evil to you, we are to bless and curse not. Because if the evil comes from within and not from without, then how could you do evil when it is not in your nature to do so. How can light reflect darkness? It can’t. Then the only thing left to do is to walk away from evil, and thus separate yourself from any more opportunity for it to afflict you.

Let’s just bow our heads in prayer.

Dear loving Father, we have looked into these words f the Apostle Paul, which we believe them to be Your Words, and we have found them to be good words, full of life and health, and we would ask that you might quicken these words to us that the life of that word might abound in our own lives, that we might be reflectors of your great goodness and kindness and mercy. Grant it to us Father, to live out our lives as a reflection of your great Love to us, and may we as your Son Jesus be a reflector of your will for we ask it in the Name you gave your Oldest Son, Jesus, Your name which is also given to the whole host of heaven, we thank you in Jesus Name, Amen!