Romans 12: 19-21 says, "... Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord...if thine enemy hunger, feed him, if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12: 19-21).
The verse literally means that man should not repay evil with evil, that man should not live by 'an eye for an eye' ideal. One should offer love and peace to those who do harm. It serves no one to seek vengeance, for only God can issue a just vengeance. Therefore, by kindly acts, evil is overcome.
The meaning of this verse is similar to the adage, "two wrongs don't make a right." It is also echoing the commandment, "thou shalt not kill." (Exodus 20: 13). The Romans' passage clearly states that man must not seek vengeance himself but instead love and tend to one's enemy. Given this teaching, it is difficult to understand how Christian society can justify capital punishment or for that matter war. It makes one wonder if societies really could live by this passage, for that would mean totally ignoring the atrocities of the world, wouldn't it? Or does the passage have a deeper meaning? Perhaps rather than providing actual food and drink to one's enemy, the passage means that one should provide spiritual nourishment to the enemy. Or perhaps the passage is intended for the individual and not society as a whole.
How would a society deal with the invasion of another if not by defending itself against those that would do harm to its loved ones and neighbors? How can society within itself simply provide food, drink, and/or spiritual nourishment to someone who has committed horrendous acts such as mass murder? How could an individual not defend his family when faced with someone who intends deliberate harm? Could a father not shoot first with intent to kill someone who is about to kill his child or wife? And, should that father shoot to kill, does he loose grace with God? Has he broken a commandment? Has he forsaken the teachings of Jesus?
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