Introduction. It would be a sign of great spiritual maturity if after reading each of the six common spiritual myths Jesus’ has pointed out in this section, we could conclude that we have risen above all of them. Although wrong, they seem very logical to the worldly minded and even to the spiritually minded until they hear what Jesus said. How many of these have we truly mastered?
| You Have Heard
| But I Say to You
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Jesus’ words concerning our enemies are a serious problem for multitudes even to this day. While it feels so natural and normal for human beings to love only those who love them since “even the Gentiles do the same”, as Jesus’ disciples, we must go above this easy and natural threshold if we would be “perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Since Jesus has asked us to love our enemies, He wants more than submission to a command. He wants us to truly love them and feel a desire to help them. Yet the thought of meekly accepting mistreatment and giving the same response as we do to those who love us feels a little strange. It makes us feel weak and inconsistent.
Since Jesus has asked us to love our enemies, He wants more than submission to a command. He wants us to truly love them and feel a desire to help them. Yet the thought of meekly accepting mistreatment and giving the same response as we do to those who love us feels a little strange. It makes us feel weak and inconsistent.
If we want to truly change our feelings and obey Jesus from the heart, we need to “seek those things that are above” because “the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy.” (Col. 3:1-2; Jas. 3:17). Until we have this wisdom, it will always “feel” more “normal” to respond in kind: “If they love me, I love them,” and “if they hate or mistreat me, I will hate or mistreat them.” We might force ourselves to do it as a result of the command, but it will not come naturally to us until we see these truths.
By definition an “enemy” hates us and actively works to harm us. An enemy will “curse”, “hate”, “spitefully use” and “persecute” us. Yet we must not allow this to infect our own heart. God wanted us to treat an enemy with the same care and concern we would those who love us. “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden, and you would refrain from helping it, you shall surely help him with it.” (Ex. 23:4-5).
Any time we have a chance to do something kind to someone who hates us we should see it as a great opportunity for reconciliation and not squander it due to our own weakness. We must overcome our “natural” feelings and replace them with the spiritual values Jesus revealed here. Being friendly to all, regardless of previous interactions or their own feelings toward us.
Jesus brought this wisdom from heaven when He came to die on the cross to reconcile as many as possible. We need to learn that lesson from Him. It is a perfection this world could never comprehend, but we must grow to fully understand. “For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.” (1Pet. 2:20). Just as Jesus did not allow their hostility and wickedness to impact what He needed to do for the salvation of all, we must not allow that same hatred and animosity to hinder any opportunity we might have to bring another soul to salvation.
The real essence of Jesus’ teaching here is simply: “Never give up hope for reconciliation!” When Christians can actually follow Jesus with the wisdom from above and truly treat their enemies and persecutors with the kindness and respect reserved for those who love us, there is a great power for reconciliation. God sought to use this power in the early days of the church to bring Israel to their senses. After crucifying Jesus, they became a mortal enemy of the church, but they were still beloved by God because of the promises and oaths to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: “Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Rom. 11:28-29).
When the Gentiles obeyed Jesus’ command to love their enemies and pray for them, there was a hope of provoking Israel to a jealousy that might bring salvation to them. God did not want the disciples of Jesus to respond with any hatred toward them, because He still hoped to save them and did not want them antagonized further away. This was the much bigger picture that explained the command to love our enemies. It is why Paul always prayed for those who spitefully used him: “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” (Rom. 10:1-3)
Because Paul understood the wisdom that comes from above it made perfect sense to him to pray like this. He did not have to force himself. It came natural. “inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” (Rom. 11:13-15)
God has not granted His children the right to be selective in their love and good-will. One of the marks of maturity in a disciple of Jesus is the ability to set aside personal feelings and focus only on the needs of others. It is not the memory of past treatment that should influence the godly, but the needs of the moment. This is the focus Jesus sets when He said, “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.” (Mt. 5:45).
God has always blessed those who were unworthy. How can we be any different? Just as He blessed us when we were unworthy, He expects us to be like Him. As long as there is any hope of reconciliation, God sends blessings even on those who do evil. Our own love and good deeds toward the undeserving can sometimes lead to a change in relationship. This is God’s desire. He wants all to come to repentance and so should we:
How could we not want to imitate God in this? It may be difficult, and it may even run counter to our natural feelings, but we have to ask ourselves where did such feelings come from? We know how God feels and how God acts. If we are His true children then we will act exactly as He does. If we are not following Him, then we are following the very people who are mistreating us.
Conclusion. Jesus presented a stark contrast. God’s people must choose to follow His lead, or the lead of the corrupt and wicked tax-gatherers and Gentiles who do not acknowledge or serve God. If we seek for the perfect holiness and sanctification of God, then we must act as He acts. He loves everyone and seeks to do good even to his enemies. So must we.
- "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 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, (Mt. 5:43-44)
By definition an “enemy” hates us and actively works to harm us. An enemy will “curse”, “hate”, “spitefully use” and “persecute” us. Yet we must not allow this to infect our own heart. God wanted us to treat an enemy with the same care and concern we would those who love us. “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden, and you would refrain from helping it, you shall surely help him with it.” (Ex. 23:4-5).
Any time we have a chance to do something kind to someone who hates us we should see it as a great opportunity for reconciliation and not squander it due to our own weakness. We must overcome our “natural” feelings and replace them with the spiritual values Jesus revealed here. Being friendly to all, regardless of previous interactions or their own feelings toward us.
Jesus brought this wisdom from heaven when He came to die on the cross to reconcile as many as possible. We need to learn that lesson from Him. It is a perfection this world could never comprehend, but we must grow to fully understand. “For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.” (1Pet. 2:20). Just as Jesus did not allow their hostility and wickedness to impact what He needed to do for the salvation of all, we must not allow that same hatred and animosity to hinder any opportunity we might have to bring another soul to salvation.
The real essence of Jesus’ teaching here is simply: “Never give up hope for reconciliation!” When Christians can actually follow Jesus with the wisdom from above and truly treat their enemies and persecutors with the kindness and respect reserved for those who love us, there is a great power for reconciliation. God sought to use this power in the early days of the church to bring Israel to their senses. After crucifying Jesus, they became a mortal enemy of the church, but they were still beloved by God because of the promises and oaths to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: “Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Rom. 11:28-29).
When the Gentiles obeyed Jesus’ command to love their enemies and pray for them, there was a hope of provoking Israel to a jealousy that might bring salvation to them. God did not want the disciples of Jesus to respond with any hatred toward them, because He still hoped to save them and did not want them antagonized further away. This was the much bigger picture that explained the command to love our enemies. It is why Paul always prayed for those who spitefully used him: “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” (Rom. 10:1-3)
Because Paul understood the wisdom that comes from above it made perfect sense to him to pray like this. He did not have to force himself. It came natural. “inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” (Rom. 11:13-15)
God has not granted His children the right to be selective in their love and good-will. One of the marks of maturity in a disciple of Jesus is the ability to set aside personal feelings and focus only on the needs of others. It is not the memory of past treatment that should influence the godly, but the needs of the moment. This is the focus Jesus sets when He said, “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.” (Mt. 5:45).
God has always blessed those who were unworthy. How can we be any different? Just as He blessed us when we were unworthy, He expects us to be like Him. As long as there is any hope of reconciliation, God sends blessings even on those who do evil. Our own love and good deeds toward the undeserving can sometimes lead to a change in relationship. This is God’s desire. He wants all to come to repentance and so should we:
- “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2Pet. 3:9)
- “and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation — as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,” (2Pet 3:15)
How could we not want to imitate God in this? It may be difficult, and it may even run counter to our natural feelings, but we have to ask ourselves where did such feelings come from? We know how God feels and how God acts. If we are His true children then we will act exactly as He does. If we are not following Him, then we are following the very people who are mistreating us.
- “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Conclusion. Jesus presented a stark contrast. God’s people must choose to follow His lead, or the lead of the corrupt and wicked tax-gatherers and Gentiles who do not acknowledge or serve God. If we seek for the perfect holiness and sanctification of God, then we must act as He acts. He loves everyone and seeks to do good even to his enemies. So must we.