Love Your Enemies
This morning I covered Luke 6:27-36 with our men. It is a marvelous passage for a reality check. Do we really obey the Lord Jesus? Well, do we love our enemies and do good to those who hate us? Jesus' command here is probably the most difficult of all for us to obey, but it is very important. We discussed why it was so important for us to love our enemies. What do you think?
The real reason is laid out in this passage. It is not speculation. It is straight from God's Word. We must love our enemies, because of the character of God. God is love. Luke 6:35 plainly tells us that God is kind to the unthankful and evil. Why is that? It is because God loves the whole world, everyone. He is merciful and loving toward all people. He is not the cruel Judge that Satan wants us to think He is. He is there for each of us, if we will simply listen to Him and love Him back. Even if we don't, He still loves us.
Therefore, since we are to be like God, we must love our enemies, too. It shows His character to the world. We are His hands and feet now. We are to show people the same love Jesus had when He died on the Cross to save us. He gave us the greatest gift, eternal life, when we could not give Him anything in return. That is the same kind of love, Jesus wants us to have for all people. Then, people will see Jesus in us, and He will know that we truly love Him, since we love Him enough to obey Him. What an impression it would make on this world, if Christians would show love to those who hate them, just like Jesus. It is only possible in the power of the Holy Spirit, but it would prove the reality of Jesus to this world. That is another reason Jesus commands us to love our enemies.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 48-49 and Hebrews 7.
The real reason is laid out in this passage. It is not speculation. It is straight from God's Word. We must love our enemies, because of the character of God. God is love. Luke 6:35 plainly tells us that God is kind to the unthankful and evil. Why is that? It is because God loves the whole world, everyone. He is merciful and loving toward all people. He is not the cruel Judge that Satan wants us to think He is. He is there for each of us, if we will simply listen to Him and love Him back. Even if we don't, He still loves us.
Therefore, since we are to be like God, we must love our enemies, too. It shows His character to the world. We are His hands and feet now. We are to show people the same love Jesus had when He died on the Cross to save us. He gave us the greatest gift, eternal life, when we could not give Him anything in return. That is the same kind of love, Jesus wants us to have for all people. Then, people will see Jesus in us, and He will know that we truly love Him, since we love Him enough to obey Him. What an impression it would make on this world, if Christians would show love to those who hate them, just like Jesus. It is only possible in the power of the Holy Spirit, but it would prove the reality of Jesus to this world. That is another reason Jesus commands us to love our enemies.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 48-49 and Hebrews 7.