LOVE YOUR ENEMIES!

LOVE YOUR ENEMIES!

Matt 5:43-48

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

           The Act is unnatural. Jesus mentions the prevailing opinion that neighbors should be loved and enemies hated but immediately asks us to replace the natural with the unnatural. The rationale for this action is found in verse 44: “but I say.” You can’t become a Christian by being dissimilar to the world but the true Christian will gradually become very much unlike it. The acts of Jesus were unnatural because they were supernatural.

           The Objects are unworthy. This is more than dripping sweet flattery. It is genuine and heart felt love for those who do not deserve it and do not return it. Love is not always reciprocal; sometimes it is redemptive. The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend.

           Prayer is indispensible. I can’t change my enemy’s heart; only God can do that and so I pray that He does. I pray for a change in his disposition toward me. I pray that his anger may be restricted and his hatefulness diminished.

Our Lord shows us that a man may be our enemy in three different ways.

First, in his heart, by hatred!

Secondly, in his words by cursing or using direful imprecations (kataroomenous) against us!

Thirdly, in his actions, by continually harassing and abusing us.

He shows us also how we are to behave to those.

The hatred of the first we are to meet with love.

The cursing or evil words of the second, we are to meet with good words and blessings.

And the repeated injurious acts of the third, we are to meet with continual prayer to God for the man's salvation.

(Adam Clarke's Commentary.)

Dear Lord, these responses to the actions of my enemy is impossible without you. Please do a work of grace in my heart today. AMEN