Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19 ESV)
Vengeance
We no longer use the word, venge. Venge refers to punishment. But we do use a number of forms of the word. Re-venge is to extract punishment when we have been hurt. A-venge is to extract punishment when we have been unjustly punished. And venge-ance covers the whole arena of punishment.
God is not only the universe’s best expert on venge, but He holds all responsibility, authority, and duty to venge in His strong right arm. While the Trinity has passed on to us love, creativity, honor, humility, stewardship, and relationship… He has kept venging for Himself.
The Father sovereignly extracts and performs all venging, choosing to venge His Son instead of His other children.
The Son has risen to the throne, and bears and IS the sword of venging.
The Spirit directs our hearts to know that we deserve God’s venging, and also ensures our protection from true venging though union with Christ.
The almighty God retains, completes, and improves all the venge in the universe. Because of His love for His people.
God’s individual people do not need to do venge for Him. We do not need to ensure venge on His behalf. We do not need to make sure that all the venge that is sometimes so obviously needed all around us, because of us, on us, or especially due us is completed.
God has it in hand. God had it in hand. God will have it in hand.
So forgiveness can be grasped. God already has the venge taken care of. In a way, we have nothing to forgive.