(Matthew 5:39 KJV) But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.It is seems clear and is followed by other verses that expand on the principle. I can see how this kind of attitude is what makes Christians different from the world. We are supposed to have an attitude of forgiveness and non-retaliation. The first is required; the second, proscribed. This makes it possible for people of many opinions to live together in peace. When I was rear-ended on the freeway the other day I did not jump out cussing and start swinging. It might be the way many people react, but it is not the Christian way.
I get it. I apply it every day but three things complicate the application for me.
First, there are other verses which need to be considered. When you read and apply the Bible there are very few verses that stand in isolation. Each verse is to be considered as a part of the whole. Rarely do verses stand alone. Other verses tend to move “turning the other cheek” towards a principle rather than a law.
To be continued...
homo unius libri
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Comments are welcome. Feel free to agree or disagree but keep it clean, courteous and short. I heard some shorthand on a podcast: TLDR, Too long, didn't read.