Fighting Fire With Fire

Aim: To be Christ's ''warrior-peacemakers'' in this world.

Doctrine: In our fallen world, just and unjust ''fire-fights'' are common. Righteous ones (involving the saints) must be sanctioned by God; unrighteous ones (foisted on the saints) must be patiently endured by Christ's church.

Exegesis: Why fighting fire with fire is virtually unavoidable: because it is God's will to defeat His enemies (vv. 1-5); because God's foes do not want to be overthrown (v. 6); because God's justice must be satisfied (vv. 7-8).

Further application: How we Christians are to view fighting fire with fire: we are to seek to live peaceably with everyone, except when the glory of Christ is threatened.

Key verse: v. 7 ''Samson said to them, 'Since you would do a thing like this, I will surely take revenge on you, and after that I will cease.'''