CONCESSION
Topical Study
Rom. 12:19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.
Apostle Paul admonishes us that when we are being falsely accused by others, we should step back, endure it and wait for the Lord’s will to be done. We should not avenge ourselves because when the time comes, He will repay us.
Luke 18:7-8 7And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?
In this situation, how do we concede? Does it mean if a person concedes, he will suffer later on? We must clearly understand this because otherwise, no one will concede willingly.
1. When Should We Concede?
Concerning Fame And Fortune
In the Bible, Genesis 26:12 to 22 describes how Isaac received God’s blessing while living with the Philistines in Gerar.
When Isaac dwelt in Gerar, he became very prosperous because of God’s blessing. The Philistines envied him. They stopped up (closed) all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in Abraham's days, filled them with earth, and chased him away.
So, Isaac departed from there, pitched his tent in the Valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. When Isaac started digging the wells of water again, the herdsmen of Gerar quarrelled with Isaac’s herdsmen and said, “The water is ours!”
Isaac gave it to them and dug another well elsewhere. Unfortunately, the Philistines again challenged Isaac for the well without a reason. And again, Isaac moved away from there and dug another well.
In the end, there was no dispute over water rights again.
Isaac conceded every single time he faced a conflict of interest situation. He did not argue with others but instead chose to concede. As a result, God blessed him abundantly.
2Thess. 1:6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you,
As Christians living in today’s society with families and within the church, we must not emulate the lives of worldly people who seek fame and wealth, lest we risk hurting one another. On the contrary, we should follow the example of Isaac, who was willing to concede so that he would receive a blessing from God and live a fulfilling life.
To Avoid Harmful Words
Speech is crucial in our daily lives because it is the most convenient and effective mode of communication and interaction with others. Unfortunately, it also has its downside.
A small tongue can utter compassionate and beautiful words, but it can also be deceitful, agitating, and harmful.
Jas. 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
Although the tongue forms a small body part, it is the most difficult to control and restrain. There are many instances where quarrels, fights or even murders are caused by mistakes or misunderstandings just because of a slip of the tongue or a heated argument. As Christians, we must not retaliate like worldly people do, e.g. the phrase, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
1Pet. 2:22-23 22"Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth"; 23who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;
Isa. 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
Mark 15:3-5 3And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing. 4Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, "Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!" 5But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marvelled.
When the Lord Jesus Christ was captured, He was falsely accused and wounded.
Pilate was impressed when He did not say a word to defend Himself, even when He appeared before him.
Ps. 38:12-14 12Those also who seek my life lay snares for me; Those who seek my hurt speak of destruction, And plan deception all the day long. 13But I, like a deaf man, do not hear; And I am like a mute who does not open his mouth. 14Thus I am like a man who does not hear, And in whose mouth is no response.
Matt. 12:37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
The Lord committed Himself to the Lord who judges righteously.
He has left us with the best examples that we must learn from. We should learn to endure to the end, to live in harmony with others by conceding and avoiding strife caused by words. By doing so, God will justify us on the day of judgment.
To Endure Persecution (mentally)
Isa. 50:6 I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.
Being insulted for no reason can have a significant emotional impact on us. It is indeed extremely hard to take in, and this feeling is often out of our control. Hence, it is not easy to concede and endure the persecution quietly.
However, the Holy Spirit teaches us to endure the persecution and not retaliate.
Matt. 5:39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Matt. 26:50-52 50But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?" Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. 51And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 52But Jesus said to him, Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
Matt. 27:27-31 27Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. 28And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. 29When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 30Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. 31And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.
The Lord Jesus Christ Himself has also set an example for us. He endured all kinds of humiliation for our sake. Even when He was being crucified, He still showed His mercy and kindness, “Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots.” (Luke 23:34).
He conceded unconditionally, even at His death. Before the Lord Jesus Christ died, He prayed for the sinners and asked God to forgive them. This manifests His greatest love by loving sinners and enemies to the very end until His last breath.
Hence, when we are faced with even a small degree of persecution, shouldn’t we endure and pray for him?
Matt. 5:44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
Stephen is an admirable person because he imitated the Lord Jesus Christ closely by following His mindset. May the Lord Jesus Christ be gracious and guide us in following His footsteps and emulating His patience.
2. Why Do We Have to Concede?
To Save Ourselves And Others
Gal. 5:15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
When Jephthah returned from victory over the Ammonites, the men of Ephraim gathered and questioned him why they were not asked to participate in the battle with the Ammonites.
Jephthah was furious because the men of Ephraim were cunning and were simply complainers. Consequently, Jephthah quarrelled with them, and this argument led to a battle. As a result, forty-two thousand Ephraimites were killed.
Jephthah lost his character due to his own behaviour. Who benefitted from this killing?
Is it not true that this instance benefited no one, but they both suffered losses and affected the close relationship of their own flesh and blood? Why, then, were they killing and destroying one another?
Obviously, this battle between Jephthah and the Ephraimites benefitted no one, but both sides suffered losses and tarnished the close relationship of their own flesh and blood. Why did they choose to destroy one another in bloodshed?
Why should Christians concede? We concede not only for our own good but also for the good of others.
For God To Answer Our Prayer
Matt. 5:23-24 23Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
In ancient times, burnt offerings were a form of worship like our prayers today. The Bible verses above tell us that if we have any conflicts or someone has something against us, we must first reconcile with him and then come and offer our burnt offering.
This is the manifestation of concession. The Lord said that by doing so, one’s prayer can be effective.
Once, the Lord Jesus Christ preached a sermon about forgiveness.
Matt. 18:21-22 21Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”
Seven is a complete number, while seventy times seven makes total forgiveness.
Matt. 18:35 So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.
At the end of the sermon, the Lord told them another parable to teach them how to forgive others from their hearts.
Matt. 6:14-15 14For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
In conclusion, those who do not show mercy to others will not receive mercy from our heavenly Father in return. We are also taught about forgiveness through the Lord Jesus Christ’s prayer: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
Therefore, if we wish for God to hear our prayers, we must take heed of God’s teaching mentioned above and truly manifest the doctrine of “concession”.
To Receive God’s Blessing
We should not treat concession as a form of suffering, a disadvantage, or even a sign of weakness. Instead, the truth is that people who concede will be blessed and emerge victorious before God.
Rom. 12:20-21 20Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
When Abram and Lot agreed to part ways, Abram gave Lot the choice to choose the land he wanted to settle. Lot did not hesitate and chose all the well-watered plain of the Jordan River.
Abram did not challenge Lot’s decision at all. He might seem like a fool in our eyes, but by conceding, God took good care of him. God immediately spoke to Abram and blessed him abundantly with tremendous rewards. Lot’s possessions could hardly be compared to what Abram was blessed with.
Ps. 103:6 The Lord executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed.
Matt. 6:4LP ….; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
Today, we must try our best to concede in everything through faith! Our Heavenly Father is watching over us and will not fail us.
3. How Do We Concede?
Make Peace With Others Through Love
Matt. 22:34-40 34But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and great commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' 40On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
The Bible verses above record a question raised by one of the Pharisees, a lawyer, to test the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
John 15:12,17 12This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
17These things I command you, that you love one another.
The Lord Jesus Christ has given us a new commandment to love one another as He loves us.
Rom. 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
Rom. 12:17-18 17Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
Col. 3:12-14 12Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
1Tim. 1:5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith.
Apostle Paul has also repeatedly urged believers not to be hypocritical or to repay evil for evil. By following the Lord Jesus Christ’s teaching, everyone should bear with and forgive one another.
Admonish One Another With Humility
Phil. 2:1-3 1Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2fulfil my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
Rom. 12:10-16 10Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honour giving preference to one another; 11not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing
steadfastly in prayer; 13distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. 14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
Before His departure, the Lord Jesus Christ said to His disciples, “In the world you will have tribulation.”
Today, we have to endure many adversities while living in this world. Therefore, all of us must be of the same mind toward one another, encourage and support one another in humility, and unite and uphold the faith to enter the kingdom of God.
1Thess. 5:14UP Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, ….
Gal. 6:1-5 1Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5For each one shall bear his own load.
Tit. 3:10-11 10Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, 11knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.
When we notice that a brother has been overtaken in trespass, we must be patient and work hard to persuade him to repent. When admonishing, we should be careful not to be tempted and never give in.
Conclusion
Heb. 10:34 for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.
The Bible verse above tells us that we will benefit greatly when conceding.
1Cor. 6:7-9UP 7Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? 8No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! 9Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? ….
Unrighteous people are those who are unwilling to be cheated or accept wrong, but rather, they cheat and do wrong to their brethren. The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God.
1Pet. 2:19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.
Rev. 22:12 And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
Hence, in our prayer to God, we should ask Him for His help so that we will love one another and concede to one another in our daily lives. This is because “But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!”
(The Holy Spirit Times – 10.08.1965)
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