To Live as a Christian

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God.
ROMANS 12:19
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To Live as a Christian
Where people do not want to tolerate nor forgive and forget, hatred and envy must certainly follow. They cause only quarrels and strife, so that we have no peace and rest among one another, but bite and scratch one another, and so make our lives oppressive and bitter. There is so much displeasure, strife, and war on earth, and this is all the fault of the vile evil of having no love among one another, but letting that vile hatred move us to wrath and personal revenge whenever anyone does anything against us. . .. Now, if you want to live as a Christian and have peace in the world, then you must strive not to make room, like others, for your own wrath and vengefulness, but to conquer and suppress the hatred through love, so that you can overlook and tolerate it, even if there is great injustice and pain. Then you will be an excellent man who can accomplish much good through gentleness and patience, calm and take away hostility and strife, and thus even improve and convert others.

From the Church Postil, sermon for the Sunday after Ascension on 1 Peter 4:7-11 (Luther's Works 77:301-2)
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