Matthew 5:43,44
“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”. Who is an enemy? He is an unfriendly opponent, somebody who hates
and seeks to harm or cause trouble for somebody else. Our Lord and Saviour
commands, “Love your enemies.” An enemy is someone who fights
against another person in combat or battle. He is a hostile person who has a
plan or purpose to hurt or harm you. As true children of God, we are commanded
to love our enemies - all our enemies.
The context of this passage defines and describes the enemies who
we are to love. The enemies “curse”, they “hate”, “despise”
and “persecute” us. They are “evil” and “unjust” in their dealings with us. They do not love us,
neither will they even “salute” or greet us. Other scriptures also
describe the enemies we are commanded to love (Numbers 23:11; Job 16:9,10;
Psalms 17:8-10; 25:19; 41:5; 55:3; 56:2; 69:4; 102:4-8; 143:3,4; Micah 7:8;
Matthew 13:24-28). These negative attitudes and actions describe the enemy.
Yet, our Lord has commanded that His true disciples
reflect His love at all
times and in all situations. Whatever our enemies say or do against us, true
believers must respond with love.
1. SINCERE
LOVE FOR NEIGHBOURS AND ENEMIES
Matthew
5:43,44; Leviticus 19:17,18; Romans 12:9,10; 2 Corinthians 8:8; Mark 12:32-34;
Luke 10:25-37; Leviticus 19:34; Psalm 109:3-5; Luke 6:27,28,35; John 14:15.
“Thou
shalt love thy neighbour.” Actually, the Lord
commands, both in the Old and New Testaments, “Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself.” Whatever “thy neighbour” does or does not
do, “thou shalt love him as thyself.” And this love must be
sincere, not insincere or hypocritical. Our love for neighbours must be
practical, beneficial and profitable. “Open rebuke is better than secret
love” (Proverbs 27:5). Sincere
love is “unfeigned love” (1 Peter 1:22). “Let us not love
in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).
Our
understanding of sincere, scriptural love is as important as our definition and
identification of “neighbour”. “But he, willing to justify
himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?” (Luke 10:29). Many people so narrow down the
definition or description of the neighbour to exclude strangers, sinners and
enemies. True believers, citizens of the Kingdom of God, are to love everyone,
and love their enemies too. Our love for our enemies (our real, not just
imaginary enemies) must be sincere and scriptural, not superficial and
insincere.
2. SPECIFIED
LOVE FOR OUR ENEMIES
Matthew 5:43,44; Proverbs 25:21,22; Exodus 23:4,5;
1 Samuel 24:4-7,16-22; Romans 12:14,17-21; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; 1 Peter
2:21-23; 3:9-12; Galatians 6:9,10; Luke 6:27,28.
There
are heights and degrees of love, just like there are heights and degrees of
grace or faith. Concerning love, there is “greater love”, “great
love”, “love”(John 15:13; Ephesians 2:4; Romans 5:8). We
are to love God more than all men. Our love for Christ must be greater
than our love for father, mother, son, daughter, wife, husband or ourselves
(Matthew 10:37,38; Luke 14:26,27; John 21:15). Our love for wife, husband or
our children is more than our love for neighbours and enemies (Ephesians
5:25,31;Mark 7:27; 1 Timothy 5:4,8). We are commanded to love our enemies and
that love is specified, well defined and described by Christ.
“But
I say unto you, Love your enemies.” How are we to love our enemies? “Bless
them” when they curse you. The word bless here means to speak well of
or to; not to curse or slander. “Do good to them” though they
hate you. We are not to harbour any form of hatred in our hearts towards our
enemies. We do not love the character or approve the conduct of those who
curse, hate or injure us but we pity them and pray for their salvation.
3. SACRIFICIAL
LOVE IN EVANGELISING THE ENEMIES
Matthew 5:43,44; Romans 5:8-10; 9:1-3; 10:1-4; 1 Corinthians
9:16,19-22; Galatians 4:16-19; Colossians 1:21,22; Titus 3:3-7; 2 Corinthians
5:14-20.
“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.”
This is one of the most sublime precepts ever given to man. Yet, the natural
man counts it unreasonable and absurd. “The natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he
know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians
2:14). “Love your enemies.” Who can obey this command? None but
he who has the mind of Christ. This one precept is a sufficient proof that we
need a changed nature, a transformed heart, in order to follow Christ and obey
His Word.
“Love
your enemies.” How? “Bless them, do good to them, and pray for
them.” We cannot change the hearts and actions of our enemies; and
while their hearts are unchanged, they will continue to hate and harass us. God
alone can change hearts and transform lives; so, we must pray that He will save
and convert our enemies by His love and power.
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