Love Your Enemies
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. Matthew 5:44
While we were yet unloving and ungodly in character, "hateful, and hating one another," our heavenly Father had mercy om us. "After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercies He saved us" ( Titus 3:3-5). His love received, will make us, in like manner, kind and tender, not merely toward those who please us, but to the most faulty and erring and sinful.
The children of God are those who are partakers of His nature. It is not earthly rank, nor birth, nor nationality, nor religious privilege, which proves that we are members of the family of God; it is love, a love that embraces all humanity. Even sinners whose hearts are not utterly closed to God's Spirit, will respond to kindness; while they may give hate for hate, they will also give love for love. But it is only the Spirit of God that gives love for hatred. To be kind to the unthankful and to the evil, to do good hoping for nothing again, is the insignia of the royalty of heaven, the sure token by which the children of the Highest reveal their high estate. (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 75)
Reflection: There's too much evil surmising and back biting in the world today, even within our own families and churches. If we would be like Christ, we will learn to love the sinner but hate the sin.
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. Matthew 5:44
While we were yet unloving and ungodly in character, "hateful, and hating one another," our heavenly Father had mercy om us. "After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercies He saved us" ( Titus 3:3-5). His love received, will make us, in like manner, kind and tender, not merely toward those who please us, but to the most faulty and erring and sinful.
The children of God are those who are partakers of His nature. It is not earthly rank, nor birth, nor nationality, nor religious privilege, which proves that we are members of the family of God; it is love, a love that embraces all humanity. Even sinners whose hearts are not utterly closed to God's Spirit, will respond to kindness; while they may give hate for hate, they will also give love for love. But it is only the Spirit of God that gives love for hatred. To be kind to the unthankful and to the evil, to do good hoping for nothing again, is the insignia of the royalty of heaven, the sure token by which the children of the Highest reveal their high estate. (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 75)
Reflection: There's too much evil surmising and back biting in the world today, even within our own families and churches. If we would be like Christ, we will learn to love the sinner but hate the sin.
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