Love Your Enemies
July 6th 2011 18:21
This is a very misunderstood part of scripture. Many think that all people should love everyone, everywhere and never get upset at people who would do evil against you. Well, not only is that not using common sense, but it is not Biblically accurate.
Jesus said, (Matthew 5:43-46 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?”
In this, it is important to realize the scenarios; it is compared to love your enemies because if you only love those who love you what reward is there. So, let's take family and friends as those who love you. Now, we have all heard of tough love, this is what we exercise and what our loved ones exercise on us when we (or they) do something wrong. For instance our children, we love them. When they do wrong we correct them. Why? Because we love them. We teach them right from wrong. In this text, it makes that type of relation.
So, are we to just curse at the person when they do evil against us? No. We are to show them the same love that we show our loved ones. We are to expose the evil and teach them right from wrong. Sometimes it is a painful lesson, but it needs to be done to help them understand the love of God, that He doesn't want ANY to perish. The only way they can be saved is to learn the distinction between good and evil and make the right choice. You can't make someone choose the right path, but you can do your job which is to teach them.
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