Archives
Tag Cloud
Abandonment Abomination of Desolation Abortion Abraham’s Bosom Abuse Acceptance Accounting Activism Adoption Adultery Adversary Adversity Affection Affliction Afterlife Allegory Alliances Altar Ambition America Analogy Angel of the Lord Angels Anger Anointed One Anointing Antichrist Anxiety Apologetics Apostasy Apostles Armor Armor of God Arrest Ascension Ashamed Assembly Atonement Attitudes Authorities Authority Baal Babylon Bad Baptism Belief Believer Believers Benevolence Bethlehem Betrayal Bible Bitterness Blasphemy Blessing Blessings Blindness Boasting Body of Christ Boldness Bondage Book of Life Borders Born Again Borrowing Bottomless Pit Bride Bride of Christ Bridegroom Brokenness Brother Burden Caesar Calling Capital Punishment Care Cares Carnal Cast Away Casting Lots Caution Celebration Chaos Character Charity Childbirth Children Children of God Choices Chosen Christ Christian Life Christianity Christians Christmas Church Circumstances Citizenship Civil Disobedience Clay Cleansing Comfort Commands Commune Communion Community Comparison Compassion Complacency Complaining Conception Condemnation Conduct Confession Confidence Conflict Conformity Confrontation Confusion Connect Connection Conscience Consecration Consequences Contempt Contention Contentment Contrition Conversion Conviction Cornerstone Correction Cost Counsel Courage Covenant Coveting Creation Creator Crisis Cross Crowds Crowns Crucifixion Culture Curse Darkness David Davidic Covenant Day of the Lord Deacons Deaf Death Deceit Deception Decisions Defense Defilement Delegation Deliverance Demon Demon Possession Demons Denial Dependency Design Desire Desolation Desperation Destruction Devil Direction Disaster Discernment Disciple Disciples Discipleship Discipline Discontentment Discouragement Disease Disgrace Dishonesty Disputes Distraction Diversity Divine Divine Appointment Divinity Division Divorce Doctrine Dominion Donation Double Fulfillment Doubt Drought Drugs Duties Duty Earth Earthly Earthquakes Easter Edification Edom Education Elders Elect Elijah Elohim Emmaus Emotions Employment Encouragement End Times Endurance Enemies Enemy Environment Environmentalism Envy Equality Equipped Eternal Eternal Life Eternity Evangelism Everlasting Life Evil Evil Spirits Evolution Exaltation Exalted Example Exclusion Excuses Exorcism Expectations Eyes Failure Fairness Faith Faithful Faithful Servant Faithfulness Fall Away False Christs False Doctrine False Gods False Prophet False Prophets False Religion False Religions False Teachers False Teaching Family Famine Fasting Father Father God Father’s Day Fathers Favoritism Fear Fear of the Lord Feasts Feasts of the Lord Fellowship Female Fig Tree Fights Finances Fire First Coming First Resurrection Firstborn Flattery Flesh Flock Folly Foods Foolish Foolishness Foreigner Foreknown Forgiveness Fornication Forsaken Foundation Freedom Friends Friendship Fruit Fruit of the Spirit Fruitful Fruitfulness Fulfillment Function Future Gehenna Gentile Gentiles Gentle George Wood Gifts Giving Globalism Glorified Body Glory God God’s Will God’s Word Godliness Godly God's Will Good Good News Good Shepherd Good Works Goodness Gospel Gospels Government Grace Gratitude Great Commission Greatness Grief Grow Growth Guilt Hades Hardship Harvest Hate Hatred Healing Heart Heaven Heavenly Hedonism Hell Help Herod Hidden High Priest Holiness Holy Holy Spirit Home Homosexuality Honesty Honor Hope Hopelessness Hostility Human Frailty humanity Humility Husband Hypocrisy Hypocrite Hypocrites Identity Idolatry Ignorance Image Image of God Immanuel Immigration Immortality Impossibility Incarnation Individuals Indulgences Indwelling Infilling Inheritance Injustice Inner Battle Innocence Instruction Instructions Insults Integrity Intercession Intermediate State Interpretation Intervention Intoxication Israel Jerusalem Jesus Jewish Temple Jews John the Baptist Joy Judas Judge Judgment Judgment Day Judgments Justice Justification Justify Key Keys Kids Kindness King Kingdom Kingdom of God Kingdom of Heaven Kinsman Knowledge Labor Lake of Fire Lamp Last Days Law Law of Moses Law of the Lord Lawlessness Lawsuits Leader Leaders Leadership Leading Leftism Legal Legalism Leprosy Lies Life Life-Span Light Like-minded Listening Lonely Lord Lost Love Lowly Loyalty Lust Lusts Luxury Lying Magdalene Malachi Male Manipulation Marriage Martyr Martyrdom Martyrs Mary Master Materialism Maturity Meditation Men Mentoring Mercy Messiah Metaphor Millennium Mind Mind of Christ Minister Ministry Miracle Miracles Mission Missionary Missions Mocking Money Morality Mortal Mother’s Day Mothers Mother's Day Mt. Sinai Murder Mystery Nations Natural Natural Gifts Naturalism Nature Nazareth Near-Far Fulfillment Necessities Neglect Negligence New Birth New Covenant New Creation New Earth New Jerusalem New Man New Testament Oaths Obedience Obstacles Obstructions Offense Offenses Offering Old Covenant Old Man Old Nature Old Testament Omnipresence Omniscience One Mind Others Outcast Pagan Pain Palm Sunday Parable Parables Paradise Paranormal Parenting Passion Passover Path Patience Patriotism Peace Peer Pressure Pentecost People of God Perception Perfect Perfection Persecution Perseverance Persistence Personal Injury Personal Testimonies Perspective Perversion Perversity Pestilence Peter Petition Pharisees Philosophy Piety Pilate Plans Pleasure Politics Poor Pornography Position Possession Possessions Posture Power Praise Prayer Preach Preaching Preparation Presence Pretense Pride Principles Priority Prison Privilege Prodigal Promise Proof Prophecy Prophet Prophets Prosperity Protection Protestant Reformation Proverbs Providence Provision Pruning Punishment Purgatory Purity Purpose Purposes Questions Racism Ransom Rapture Readiness Reason Rebellion Rebuke Receiving Reconciliation Redeemer Redemption Refuge Regeneration Rejection Rejoicing Relationship Relationships Relativism Reliability Religion Remember Remnant Renewal Repentance Reputation Resolve Rest Restoration Resurrection Retribution Revelation Revenge Revival Reward Rich Riches Ridicule Righteous Righteousness Rights Riot Risk Ritual Rivalry Robbery Roman Catholic Church Rule Rulers Sabbath Sacred Sacrifice Saint Saints Salvation Sanctification Sanctuary Sarcasm Satan Satisfaction Savior Schemes Science Scoffers Scripture Seal Seasons Second Coming Secret Sedition Seed Seek Self Self Control Self-centered Self-Control Self-Denial Selfish Ambition Self-Preservation Self-Righteous Servant Servant-Leadership Servants Serve Service Serving Sexual Immorality Sexual Sin Sexuality Shame Share Sharing She’ol Shepherd Sickness Signs Signs and Wonders Silence Simplicity Sin Sincerity Sinful Nature Singing Singleness Sinner Sinners Slave Slavery Sober Socialism Society Sojourner Sojourners Son Son of God Son of Man Sons of God Sorcery Sorrow Soul Source Sovereignty Speech Spirit Spirit Baptism Spirit Beings Spirit Realm Spirits Spiritual Spiritual Adultery Spiritual Battle Spiritual Birth Spiritual Condition Spiritual Death Spiritual Gifts Spiritual Growth Spiritual Rulers Spiritual Warfare Stewardship Storms Strength Stress Strife Stumble Stumbling Block Subjection Submission Suffering Suicide Supernatural Supper Surrender Swear Symbols Syncretism Tabernacle Tags: Patience Taxes Teacher Teachers Teaching Teachings Tears Technology Temple Temptation Temptations Terminal Illness Test Testimony Testing Tests Textual Issues Thankfulness Thanksgiving The Beast The Curse The Day of The Lord The End The Faith The Fall The Grave The Great Tribulation The Holy Spirit The Lamb of God The Law The Law of Moses The Secret Place The Way The Word The World Theft Theology Thought Life Threats Throne Time Time of Visitation Times of the Gentiles Timing Tithing Tongues Tower of Babel Tradition Tragedies Tragedy Training Transfiguration Transformation Traps Treachery Treasure Tree Tree of Life Trial Trials Tribulation Trifles Trinity Triumphal Triumphal Entry Trouble Trust Trustworthy Truth Tyranny Unbelief Unbelievers Uncertainty Underground Church Understanding Unfaithfulness Ungrateful Unity Unpardonable Sin Utopia Value Vengeance Victory Vigilance Vindication Virtue Virtues Vision Visions Visiting Ministries Voice of God Volunteer War Warning Warnings Wars Watch Watching Water Baptism Water of Life Weakness Wealth Weary Wicked Wicked Plans Wickedness Widows Wife Will Wineskins Wisdom Witness Witnesses Witnessing Women Word Word of God Word of Knowledge Word of the Lord Work Works World World View Worry Worship Worth Worthy Wrath Yahweh Yeast YHWH Yoke Zion

Weekly Word

Entries in Enemies (1)

Tuesday
Feb182014

Love Your Enemies

The signature command of Christ has always been the command to love your enemies.  Historically it has been a huge stumbling block.  However, in the western world where we have had a culture based upon Christ’s teachings, it is often twisted to mean something other than what Christ intended.

We always need to approach God’s Word asking this question, “What is the master trying to teach me?”  Instead we often are asking, “What do I think this means.”  Now both questions involve me thinking.  But the first question is more to the point.  It reminds me that I may be missing what the Teacher is trying to teach.  In Luke 6:27-35, Jesus begins to deal with the hearts of those who are being attacked, mistreated, hated, and being taken advantage.  Do other teachings warn those who do the attacking, mistreating, hating, and taking advantage of others?  Yes, but here the master focuses on one side of this equation, the side of the one being injured.

A Call To Love Your Enemies

There is no way around these simple statements of Jesus.  At the end of the day, no matter how much we break down these issues, we are left with a command from Jesus to love our enemies.  This is contrary to man’s sinful nature.  In fact we are quite skilled at co-opting concepts like justice and equity in order to increase evil rather than make things better.  Let us also recognize that these words of Jesus are like a lovely song to our culture.  They sound beautiful and wonderful to us.  But, generally we have no clue what Jesus actually means.  Historically these words would cause people to shrink back as if you had pulled out a poisonous snake.  “What!  Forgive my enemies?  That would be crazy!”  Loving your enemies is the illogical response in this world.

Now in the first part of this Jesus focuses on the actions of love.  Love is not so much a feeling here as it is a choice to do good towards someone who is not doing good towards you.  Thus the command to love is not a command to have wonderful feelings towards another.  Rather, it is to do good things to those who are hating you.  Notice he does not tell us to ignore those who hate us.  That is about the extent of our ability to rise above the ugliness of hatred.  However, Jesus challenges us to pay back good things to those who do not deserve it.

In that sense there is a pattern of reversal in these statements.  If someone curses you then give them a blessing back.  No one wants to be cursed and neither do they feel good when they get cursed.  Under no circumstances are we tempted to bless them back.  Yet, Jesus calls us to give a real blessing rather than a fake, false one.  Those who spitefully use you may make you burn with anger.  However, pray for them.  Jesus is not asking us to pray silent prayers of doom and judgment upon them.  Neither are we to pray for them to have lots of money, success and fame.  We are praying for their eyes to be opened.  We are praying against the darkness that has blinded them to God’s Word and His Way.

When Jesus speaks of being struck on the cheek, he is not bringing up the issue of self defense.  Rather, he is bringing up the issue of being publically dishonored and humiliated.  This can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for most.  Yet, Jesus asks us to turn the other cheek.  In other words, instead of attacking back, or walling ourselves off from them, we remain vulnerable and open to further dishonor.  Why?  The only way they can be saved from such actions is if they run into someone who is different.  When we keep the avenue of communication and relationship open then there is hope for the lost.  But if we shut down these things out of protection or hatred, the person is also being shut off from the Truth.

The last area is when someone takes advantage of us.  In one of the contexts it is clearly between you and a neighbor.  But it is not as clear in others.  It might not just be someone borrowing and not bringing it back.  It might be outright theft, or a soldier abusing their power in order to cease our property.  In each case we do not like it when others take advantage of us.  That is my property.  You have offended me.  Historically people have learned that they might need to just let it go and hide their resentment in order to survive.  But the resentment and hate continues to burn like a fire within them.  Jesus is calling us to something greater than merely surviving dark times.  He is calling believers to be a brilliant light in the midst of such darkness.  If I lose anything for the sake of Christ I can let it go because I know that He will make it right.  Also, God is my supplier.  If someone takes from me knowingly or absent mindedly, I do not need to fret.  God will supply my needs.  He knows if someone has taken from me and will take care of me.  This kind of trust is indicative of a follower of Jesus.

A Call To The Heart Of God

Now in verses 31-35, Jesus begins to probe deeper under the surface than our outward responses.  He is challenging us to understand and embrace the heart of God.  In other words, He is challenging us to be God’s children and learn to embrace His heart.  This begins with a form of the Golden Rule.  Do unto others what you would want them to do unto you.  Now this is not asking what I would want done to me if I had wronged someone else.  We are to simply ask, what would I really want them to do to me?  That is what I will do to them.  The Golden Rule ignores what others have done and focuses simply on what you would want done to you.

This kind of reasoning is begging the question, “What is different about you?”  So what if you were hurt and hated.  Are you also a hurtful and hate-filled person?  You feel that you are righteous because they started it.  But has righteousness poured out of you or vile hatred?  Even sinners love those who love them.  Are you not doing the same thing they are?  Somehow you have reasoned that you are better than them.  But if you truly want to be better then give them something good.  If we operate out of the same motivations of fear, envy, and anger then we are no better than them.  We are not really on God’s side.

In verse 35 there is a present and future tense situation.  We are to do in the present for the sake of a better future.  We too often do things in the present in order to change the present.  “If I punch him back then he will fear me.”  However, this brings us both to a future when we will give an account to God and be found to have fallen short of God’s righteousness.  Following these commands of Jesus may not change your circumstances and it may not stop evil people from continuing to do evil things.  But, you will be rewarded greatly by your Father.  However, if we shrink back from these things there is no reward and the question remains, “Is He really my Father?”  Am I a son of the Most High God?  Don’t be deceived, God cannot be mocked.  There is a day of judgment coming for the wicked who do such things and for those who respond wickedly.  But, God is presently being kind to the wicked.  He has currently left open the door of grace for those who will repent and turn to Jesus.  Thus we too, as his disciples and followers, need to be kind to the wicked.  This keeps the door open for their salvation, yet, does not ensure it.  But Judgment Day is coming.  Don’t let God’s grace or any Grace his followers may show make you think He has called it off.  Ephesians 5:5-7 says, “For this you know that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.  Therefore do not be partakers with them.”

Also in Romans 2:5-6 it says, “In accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who ‘will render to each one according to his deeds,’”

The spirit of this age is lying to both secularists and Christians.  Both promote a feeling of love and an action of love that rejects Jesus as the Truth.  Both believe that it no longer matters what we do as long as we just love each other.  This is not the message of Jesus.  The message of Jesus is to repent of wickedness and give those who do you wrong good back.  The message of Jesus is that Judgment day is coming and if you want to avoid it you had better put your faith in Him and repent of your own wicked ways.

Love Your Enemies Audio