Note to Readers
I know this piece may push against the way some of you were raised — and the way I was raised too. Many of my friends and family hold forgiveness as a sacred virtue, and I respect that deeply. This essay isn’t meant to dismiss forgiveness as a personal or spiritual practice. If forgiveness brings you peace, hold on to it.
But forgiveness alone won’t solve the problems tearing at our country. Crime, corruption, and deceit don’t shrink when excused — they spread. That’s why I argue here that forgiveness and accountability must go hand in hand. Forgive if you must, but never abandon justice.
That’s the spirit in which I invite you to read this essay: not as a rejection of forgiveness, but as an argument for pairing it with justice.
Forgive, or Fight Back? The Real Story Behind “Love Your Enemies”
By Jim Reynolds | www.reynolds.com
We’ve all heard the line: “forgive your enemies.” It sounds virtuous — even noble. But let’s be honest: some enemies are liars, cheats, and predators. Why would you forgive people who laugh at your mercy and come back for more?
The answer only makes sense if you put yourself back in the world where those words were first spoken.
Back Then: Forgiveness as Survival
First-century Judea was a tinderbox of vendettas. Insults, slights, and injuries demanded revenge. Families feuded. Tribes collapsed under endless cycles of payback.
And looming above it all was the Roman Empire — ruthless, overwhelming, armed to the teeth. Rome had the legions, the prisons, the crucifixions. Christians had none of it. They were a tiny, outnumbered minority without political power, legal protection, or military strength.
In that world, open retaliation wasn’t just risky — it was suicidal. To fight back was to invite annihilation.
So when Jesus said “forgive your enemies,” it wasn’t abstract morality. It was a survival strategy. Forgiveness cut the fuse on self-destruction and gave a fragile movement a chance to live long enough to grow.
Bob: “Back then, forgiveness was body armor. Today, it’s just a participation trophy for evil.”
Later On: Forgiveness as Control
Fast forward a few centuries. Once Christianity became an institution, forgiveness took on another role: keeping order.
Rulers and clergy liked forgiveness because it discouraged rebellion. Tell people to forgive their oppressors and they’ll endure almost anything quietly. “Turn the other cheek” wasn’t just spiritual counsel — it was social control.
Bob: “Funny thing about forgiveness: rulers love it when the sheep forgive the wolves.”
Now: Forgiveness as Weakness
But today? The conditions are nothing like the ancient world.
We don’t live under Rome. We’re not a scattered sect hiding in caves. Conservatives in America are half the country — not powerless, not unarmed, not voiceless.
And in this world, forgiveness as a blanket rule isn’t survival. It’s surrender. Evil unpunished doesn’t shrink — it metastasizes. Every unchallenged lie, every unpunished fraud, every deceit allowed to slide is an engraved invitation for more of the same.
Forgiveness may free your spirit. But as a public ethic, it gives predators a green light.
Bob: “Forgiveness without consequences isn’t noble — it’s a coupon for repeat offenders.”
The Modern Rule
That’s why we must be careful about simply applying ancient commands to modern conditions. The words made sense then — they saved lives. But to follow them blindly now risks disaster.
The modern rule is simple:
Forgive when it frees you from bitterness.
Retaliate when it protects everyone else.
Justice today isn’t vengeance — it’s deterrence. If you don’t impose consequences, you guarantee repetition.
Bob: “You don’t have to hate your enemies. Just make sure they remember the bill.”
Closer
Forgiveness had its place in a world where Christians were outnumbered, outgunned, and one misstep from obliteration. But we don’t live in that world anymore. Our enemies aren’t legions with swords; they’re liars with platforms, bureaucrats with pens, and frauds with megaphones. If deceit, dishonesty, and chicanery go unpunished, they will not repent — they will repeat.
That’s not morality. That’s survival.
Bob’s final word: “Evil doesn’t fear forgiveness. Evil fears payback with interest.”
Wise words! Completing agree.