Love your enemies scripture1/26/2024 I can trust in the Father to help me with this. But fortunately, I do not have to do it in my own strength. And one that is likely unattainable in myself. But, given the context here, I can be like him in loving the people I encounter, including my enemies. How can I be as perfect as God? In the way we normally use that word, I cannot. If you are like me, your immediate reaction to this is to wonder. Just like our heavenly Father is perfect. We are to love those who are not like us. Jesus calls on us to not be like the people in this world. Just like the Father sends sun and rain to the unrighteous, I can also seek their welfare. For acting toward them in a way that benefits them. But, I can show a level of love for my enemies, and others in the world, by expressing and demonstrating concern for their well being. A love that I do not believe I am expected to have for everyone. That love will be different than what I have for my family or for other believers within the body of Christ. I believe this also tells me something about the love I am to have for my enemies. This world and what it contains is an ongoing act of love from God to us. And it does not matter what kind of person you are. All that we need to live in this world is provided to us by the Father. And the rain falls on the righteous and unrighteous alike. Jesus says that the sun rises on good and bad alike. But he does make provision even for those who are his enemies. This is not the love he has for those who have accepted his offer of salvation and come into his family. The Sun and the RainĪfter Jesus talks about us being children of the Father, he describes what kind of love the Father has for the world. And I suspect that as long as I live in the tent of this flesh, I will continue to struggle in this area. So, if I refuse to love my enemies, it should be a warning to me that I am not a child of God. But he does tell us that, as a child of God, it is something that we will do. I do not believe that Jesus is specifying a requirement for salvation here. Why? So that we can be children of our Father in heaven. Rather, he explicitly tells us this is something we should do. Others give lip service to it, but ignore it in actual practice.īut Jesus is not offering this as a suggestion. It is so contrary to our human nature, that many just dismiss it out of hand. And that has to be one of the more challenging things that Jesus taught. Jesus tells us that rather than hating our enemies, we should love them and pray for them. But Jesus, as he so often does, turns conventional wisdom on its head. And one could support it from the Old Testament ( Lev. It is, after all, what comes naturally to us. That’s a sentiment that is easy to get behind. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. The Seven Churches of Revelation Studies.
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