Creator, Father, King #174

Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!

IMAGINE YOU ARE A Jew living in the first century AD.

From the time of Moses, your people have been taught, through Scripture, to be holy to the one true God by separating yourself from the surrounding nations. But you’ve also been taught by ungodly religious leaders to look down on anyone who is not a “true Israelite” in ethnicity or piety. As such, you’ve developed an unhealthy superiority complex.

You’ve also become angry and bitter. For six-hundred-plus years, your people have endured the harsh rule of foreign empires. You hate your current overlords, the Romans, and you dream about future Jewish independence.

Then a remarkable man named Jesus comes along, attracts huge crowds, and preaches an entirely new message:

You have heard the law that says, “Love your neighbor” and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.

Whoa! Mind blown!

What’s It Mean?

Jesus’ teaching was a radical new way of thinking for first-century Jews. The Old Testament never says, “Hate your enemy.” But it seems somewhere along the way, the Jewish religious leaders had begun grossly misinterpreting certain passages (perhaps like Psalm 5:4-5) to condone bigotry and condescension in the name of law-keeping.

Jesus refuted this terrible error and presented a simple point: if you only love your friends, that’s not particularly admirable. Even the wicked do that. But if you show love to someone whom you’re at odds with, then you’ve done something worthwhile.

But there’s a greater truth here: when you love your enemy, you put the gospel on display. Because that is what God did for you.

You were once dead in your sins and transgressions (Ephesians 2:1). In fact, Romans 5:10 says you were actually God’s enemy apart from Christ. That’s bad—real bad.

Yet God stretched out hands of reconciliation from heaven. This incredible act of grace came at a great price. Do you see the nail scars in those hands? You were the enemy, but he suffered the cost.

If God did this for you while you were his enemy, how much more will he do for you when you are his child? And if God loved you like this while you were his enemy, how much more should you love and pray for those who mistreat you?

Now What?

Are you at odds with anyone? Pray for reconciliation. Then pursue it humbly.

Did You Know?

“Friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God” (James 4:4).