"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? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Matthew 5:43-47
Jesus raises the bar of the spirit of the Law once again—and He raises it HIGH! Instead of merely loving our neighbors (and by default, hating our enemies), He tells us we are to love our enemies! Talk about counter-intuitive!
Jesus goes on to question just how loving it is to love those who love us. Even thieves (tax-collectors) and religious hypocrites do as much. If we would love as God loves (v.48), we must also love those who are our enemies.
Romans 5:10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
It is important to make a point of the fact that loving does not mean we agree with, endorse, or even or like what our enemies do. God loves us but He hates our sin. Likewise, contrary to modern delusions, disagreeing with what someone (and even hating ones destructive actions), does not mean we hate the people who do such things. For instance, we are not Islamiphobes for opposing Islamic terrorism. Neither are we homophobes or transphobes for agreeing with God that their actions are sinfully destructive. But we are to love these people. It is not a love of affirmation but of compassion. We must pray that God would grant sinners hearts of repentance (regardless of their sin).
And note from Jesus’ words about the fact that God gives both the sun and the rain even to those who hate Him. This encourages us to love in practical every-day ways.
We must give the lost the gospel, but we must also demonstrate God’s love toward them.
Next time: Brothers, neighbors, and enemies.