It is written:
“18 Do the best you can to live in peace with everyone. 19 My friends, don’t try to punish anyone who does wrong to you. Wait for God to punish them with his anger. It is written: “I am the one who punishes; I will pay people back,” says the Lord. 20 But you should do this: “If you have enemies who are hungry, give them something to eat. If you have enemies who are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this you will make them feel ashamed.” 21 Don’t let evil defeat you, but defeat evil by doing good.” (Romans 12:19-21)
As part of the their initiation ceremony, Shriners talk about their desire to implement swift judgment on whom they believe to be criminals. According to The Mystic Shrine Initiation Ritual:
“Our mission to succor the distressed, relieve the oppressed, protect the innocent and punish the guilty, equalize station, establish harmony in all creeds, crush fanaticism and intolerance and perpetuate the welfare of mankind. Crime is running rife over the land; our laws are deemed inadequate for the emergency and we are exponents of a vigilance inquisition to promptly execute and punish the malefactor, the thief, the murderer, the despoiler of innocence and virtue, the violator of obligation and the desecration of Masonic vow. Our purpose is to strike terror to the heart of the criminal class by brining them speedily and without mercy to the block or to the bowstring of the Mystic Shrine. To arrest, judge, and execute within the hour, and thus take the law within our own grasp and summarily punish the malefactor. Blood for blood and life for life, and as four fleet-footed justice overtakes and punishes the evil-doer, aye, even in the heat of misdeed, it will be a lesson to those who remain and know not the fate of the departed.”
Do Christians have the right to take vengeance in their own hands?
No.
It is written:
“We know that God said, “I will punish people for the wrongs they do; I will repay them.” And he also said, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a terrible thing to face punishment from the living God.” (Hebrews 10:30-31).
The Christians in the first century suffered terribly. Yet God reminded them that it was not their right or their place to exact retribution. That is God’s place, not man’s. Indeed, this is one of the reasons that God instituted civil government (Romans 13:1-7).
When government fails, do Christians have the right to take the law into their own hands?
No, they do not.
To my friends involved in the Lodge and the Shriners: I implore you to turn to Jesus Christ and be saved. Turn away rom the Lodge, and turn to Him Who died for you, was buried, and arose from the dead on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-8). If you have never been saved, then repent and be baptized into Christ this hour (Acts 2:38). If you have been saved but have rejected Christ, turn back to Him in repentance and prayer (1 John 1:9; Acts 8:22; James 5;16).
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