Love Your Enemies — Part 1
Jesus’ command to “love your enemies” is not a suggestion. However, loving an enemy is impossible… for us.
Love Your Enemies
Where this command is found:
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 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; 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.
Matthew 5:43-45
It is hard to imagine that God loved us while we were His enemies! But it is this very truth that can motivate us to fulfill the command, Love Your Enemies. Without recognizing that we were the enemies of God, we will have little reason to love our enemies.
Why? Because we will always see ourselves as better than them. It is only when we recognize that our enemies have the same need for Christ as we do, that we will be able to humble ourselves and love them unconditionally with the same love that Christ has loved us.
The love of Jesus is exactly what our enemies need; demonstrated through those who have personally experienced it! It is the believer’s privilege to be a channel of the very love that has saved and redeemed them. It is this love that has the power to lead our enemies to Jesus and give them new life in Him!
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Episodes
Love Your Enemies — Part 2
Is there anyone in your life who you’ve given yourself an excuse to not love? When Jesus said, “love your enemies,” He didn’t give us an exception clause.
Love Your Enemies — Part 3
In order to love our enemies, we need a correct perspective of what love really is. So much of what we’ve understood love to be is actually selfish — but the love that comes from God is selfless!
Love Your Enemies — Part 4
Romans 12:21 says, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” This is what loving our enemies is doing - overcoming evil with good!
