Is Reporting An Offender of Yours to Authority Revenge?
This is one tricky question because Christians are taught not to take revenge, however looking at the situation this is definitely not revenge. Revenge is basically described as, "To avenge one's self usually by retaliating in kind or degree." It is God who will do revenge, not us. However we have to realize that despite the fact that the Bible in both Old Testament and New Testament forbids revenge, however handing over an offender to authority is not only a right but a duty and the books of Leviticus, Numbers of Deuteronomy has made that very clear like handing over a murderer to the authorities. The Bible is clear that crime must not prevail and justice be upheld. Remember the parable of the unjust judge? Jesus was also stressing the point that if we are wronged while we are not to seek revenge but we can definitely seek the help of authorities.
Now let's just say a woman has caught her husband with another woman. If the woman decides to chase after her husband, yell at him in public and do acts of violence against her husband that is revenge and it completely lacks civility. On the other hand, if she decided to do this that is, she decides to gather evidence against her husband without any ill intention then she reports him over to the proper authorities, she is doing this not only on her own interest but also to protect others. Because for all she know, maybe that adulteress her husband is going with has also been flirting with other women's wives or her husband may also be stealing other people's wives.
By doing so, she does not only protect her children from any harm the third party may do but also, she may be protecting society and giving a lesson to philandering husbands about their affairs. She didn't "do it to him", no she enforced justice by not taking the law into her hands. However it can become revenge if she decided to press charges that weren't real. The same can go if you are into business and somebody cheated you, when you decide to report such people to the authorities you are not only protecting yourself but others from being cheated. As said, you have every right to report any wrong done against you to authorities but stick to the truth.
By doing so, she does not only protect her children from any harm the third party may do but also, she may be protecting society and giving a lesson to philandering husbands about their affairs. She didn't "do it to him", no she enforced justice by not taking the law into her hands. However it can become revenge if she decided to press charges that weren't real. The same can go if you are into business and somebody cheated you, when you decide to report such people to the authorities you are not only protecting yourself but others from being cheated. As said, you have every right to report any wrong done against you to authorities but stick to the truth.