Re:Verse reading–Matthew 5:17-48 (day seven)
“Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (vs 39) The Sermon on the Mount is not a new set of laws. Our new law is called “the Law of the Spirit” (Romans 8:2) By walking in the Spirit, we fulfill the Law. Vs 39 is an illustration of such a life. It describes a person who recognizes the power of non-retaliation. This person sees that love in response to anger “heaps coals on the head” of the aggressor (Romans 12:20). Jesus is not saying that a woman in an abusive relationship should always (or ever) stay and “turn the other cheek”. He is not speaking of war or law enforcement. The Lord is describing a person who, in the power of the Spirit, has discovered the power of love. The right question is “what does love look like. . .even for my enemies?”