What Is Meant By Loving Our Enemies? |
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Matthew 5:43-48 directs us to love our "neighbor" and our "enemy." The study notes in the Spirit-Filled Life Bible of which Pastor Hayford served as General Editor, say: "The word 'enemy' does not suit any limited, convenient meaning, as though merely referring to those whom we may not particularly like. The command to love our enemies means much more than simply changing our feelings about people with whom we do not get along. Rather, 'enemy' (Greek echthros) means 'adversary or foe' and refers to those whose actions and words manifest hatred for you: the in-law who will not speak to you, the associate who tried to get you fired. We are called to love those filled with animosity toward us. Jesus leaves no room for speculation in this passage, commanding love for those who hate, despise, and persecute us. Such love is only possible through the power of Jesus Christ, who Himself loved in that way and now seeks vessels through whom to love again the hate-filled who assail Him as they oppose you. Just as God indiscriminately sends rain and sunshine upon the just and unjust alike, so Jesus' disciples must be indiscriminate in their extension of love to friend and enemy. "The emphasis in the command to be perfect (vs. 48) is not on a flawless moral nature, but on an all-inclusive love that seeks the good of all. Instead of following the example of sinners who love only those who love them, we are to be like the Father in also loving those who do not love us." Luke 6:27, 28 tell us again to "love your enemies." But this time it says to "do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you." The study notes read: "The essence of the Christian life is love... This love is manifested by responding to personal insult and injustice, not with retaliation or even passive endurance, but with positive and aggressive acts of goodness designed to redeem the offenders." I Thessalonians 3:12, 13 says, "And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you. So that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints." We are not instructed to love the world or the things of the world (I John 2:15), but we are instructed to love the people. Father God empowers us to love like this, we cannot do it in ourselves. But by showing this kind of godly love, the world will see we are like Him (not them), and desire to have what we have (I John 3:1-3). We are also given some clear directives of the outworking of love in I John 3:16-23; Philippians 2:4-8; James 2:15, 16. In I John 4:7-12, again we are instructed to "love one another" showing that the groundwork for this is God because "God is love." The study notes here read: "For the third time John stresses love as a test of the Christian life. Here he traces love to its source in the nature of God as revealed at the Cross. Christians show that they are God's children by manifesting sacrificial attitudes and actions like His." |
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Resources: 1) "People Of The Kingdom" pok 2) "Renewing Our Table Blessing" rtb 3) "Compelled To Seek God" #03363 4) Study Guide: A Study Of First Corinthians sgc 5.) The Spirit-Filled Life Bible |
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