“The Lord helps those who help themselves.”
“Cleanliness is next to godliness.”
“Love is God.”
“Thou shall be nice.”
Here are four sentences that are not in the Bible. Go to Bible Gateway or a Bible app and search for the word “nice.”
It’s not there.
The so-called 11th Commandment isn’t a command. We’re mixing it up with kindness and living at peace.
Defining the terms.
Niceness/Nice
1: pleasing, agreeable; delightful
2: amiably pleasant; kind
Kind
1: of a good or benevolent nature or disposition, as a person
Dictionary.com
When kindness is talked about in scripture, it mainly talks about benevolence-expressing goodwill, desiring to help others and charity.
It’s all Greek to me.
The Greek word for kindness is chrēstotēs-meaning goodness, kindness, gentleness, beneficence, and virtue. As my friend and much smarter Bible nerd friend Brian warned me, context matters.
If necessary, you can be kind without being nice. That, however, isn’t an excuse to be a jerk.
“We have to live at peace.”
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18
This is sandwiched between two hard verses for me.
“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Romans 12:16-21
If possible, live in peace. What does that mean?
Roman society then was filled with Caesar worship, temple prostitutes, polytheism, and idols everywhere.
These are all things the first-century Christians had to avoid. Since they weren’t participating, they were considered a threat to the city and empire.
How?
By angering the patron gods. These Christians stopped worshiping other gods, didn’t kill unwanted children, and even took in babies left to die. They stayed faithful to one spouse and worshiped a guy Rome killed.
Spoiler alert, he didn’t stay dead.
Today that would be worshiping at the altar of political parties or ideologies, porn, and whatever you place above Jesus (even doing good).
When the culture pushed them to conform, the Christians didn’t nicely capitulate to spare feelings.
They kindly stood their ground for the faith. Evil wasn’t repaid for evil.
Does this mean you have to roll over like a cowed dog?
No.
Jesus, when slapped, demanded an accounting.
“Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”
When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.
“If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?”
John 18:21-23
Paul used his rights as a Roman citizen at least three times.
“But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.”
The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed.”
Acts 16:37-38
“As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?” Acts 22:25
“Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
Acts 25:10-11
Don’t be a jerk, but you can and should push back on culture. The prophets did. Admittedly, it didn’t end well for them.
“Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter.”
Isaiah 5:20
Jesus warned us.
“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Matthew 10:21-22
Stand firm.
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14
A Ronin's Journey 