Going the Extra Mile

Jesus' sermon on the mount in Matthew 5 gives some instructions about living as Kingdom citizens. Within this chapter, there are specific verses that talk about how citizens of God's Kingdom are to deal with and treat others. This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot will deal with questions that relate specifically to verses 38-42. Dr. Philpot tells us a questioner writes saying, that they know that being a Christian means they are called to love and care for other people. They also write that they find real joy to meet the needs of others, especially those within the church. Although they say, there are times when they feel like they are being taken advantage of, like when the person is perfectly capable of doing for themselves. There are yet other times when they want to fulfill a need, but the person in need insists on it being met in a particular way. The questioner asks, can they use their best judgment to respectfully say no, or should they just give in? Would this be to offend the other person and cause conflict? What exactly does the Bible mean when it says to give him your cloak or go with him two miles?