Love Our Enemies

14. July 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Welcome back from the weekend.  Our text for today is: 

Matthew 5: 43 ”You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.  

When the Lord speaks of loving our enemies, the Greek word used here is the word “agapao.”  The word means “to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, and to love dearly.” (Strong’s Concordance)   It is an unconditional love.   It is the type of love that is not earned but exists from the pureness of our hearts.  Most of our “love” relationships exists because they have been nurtured, worked on, and the love is reciprocated.   This word “agapao” is the same word used in scriptures to refer to the love that God has for totally “undeserving” sinners.  Remember, for such we were.  This is the same type of love that moved God to act on our behalf and send his son Jesus to die for us.   We did not earn it.  We did not fall in love with God first and then God said, okay, you’ve earn my love, enter into my kingdom.  No, actually, the scriptures teach that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.   Romans 5:8 “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” (NIV)

Jesus teaches us that by showing such love to those that hate us we shall be recognized as the “children of God.”  The world will know that we are different; that there is something so unique about us.    You may ask how is it that we can develop such a love for our enemies, after all they are our enemies. 

The examples that we studied on last week showed Jesus giving us practical examples on how to start working on our hearts and attitudes toward people by “turning the other cheek”, “going the extra mile” , showing kindness towards people who have legitimately wronged us,  continuing to give though we have been abused,  not practicing revenge when we have been wronged, etc.   

One of the things that help me with my attitude towards my enemy is remembering how I use to be an enemy towards God.  In my earlier years, I was so sarcastic about the things of God though I was raised in a Christian home.  For a season, I even became an atheist and even attempted to try to prove that People weren’t really being faithful to God nor were they living the life they professed by constantly becoming a temptation for men that claimed they loved God.  

But God, He saw fit (OHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!) to include me in his love and his mercy and once an enemy of the faith; I have now become a “defender of the faith.”    If God can do it for me, then surely I can extend love towards my enemy. 

Paul’s testimony is similar.  The apostle Paul was an enemy to the Christian faith.  He persecuted and killed hundreds maybe even thousands of Christians whether by his physical hand or by his command.  We all know the outcome,  once an enemy to the faith and he became a phenomenal man of God and was used to write the majority of the New Testament. 

Who knows what people will become, only God.  Who knows what our enemies will one day become and it could be as a result of us showing kindness and goodness which will cause them to seek after the God that makes us behave with such compassion though they have wronged us.    You may even find that those same enemies, God may used to be a blessing in your life.  

There are so many unanswered questions about the future and what God will do and will not do,  but what I do know is that the word works.  THE WORD WORKS!!!!!    Obeying it leads to both success and happiness.    God’s WAY WORKS!!!!     Oh, I love the word.

Okay, back to our text.   Jesus teaches that only showing love when someone deserves it does not set us apart in this world for that is what the pagans do.   Jesus commands us that there is no reward or no reason to be excited about loving someone that loves you for that is the way of the world.   Jesus teaches a higher standard of loving, and giving, and behaving; and it is so powerful.  If followed, it will cause us to experience phenomenal levels of love, forgiveness, and mercy.  If we are only kind to friends and love ones, how are we different than the world?     

Jesus teaches that even God rains on the just as well as the unjust.  God brings blessings to both the saved and the unsaved so we should follow. 

The verse ends with a command from Jesus to “be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect.”    The Greek word for perfect is the word “teleios” it means “brought to its end, finished, wanting nothing necessary to completeness, consummate human integrity,  full grown, adult, of full age, mature. (Stong’s Concordance)

“Yes!!!  It is a tall order, but as Christians, we are to strive for perfection. 

See you tomorrow. 

God Bless.  Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily. 

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