Matthew 5:44 says, “But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
I think the church has a big problem with this command. Let me explain what I mean.
I have heard that the army of God is the only army that shoots its own wounded. If this is a true statement and we can’t forgive and love each other, how can we ever love our enemies? Think about this, this is not a suggestion this is a command.
This seems to be easier said than understood and acted upon. If we are commanded to love our enemies how much more should we love the brethren, or brothers and sisters in Christ. Do you realize that believers are truly brothers and sisters in the Lord? We are brothers and sisters by a blood relationship, we believers are all covered by the blood of Jesus. Praise the Lord! But if we don’t love each other how can we possibly love our enemies?
What is love and how do we apply it? In the book of 1st John it says in chapter 3 verse 18, “My little children let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” What does this mean to you and me? It is saying talk is not proof that you love someone, no, anyone can say that they love you it doesn’t prove a thing. Love is an action word, it is proved by what you do. In this same chapter in the 14th verse it says, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.”
One of the ways you know that you are a believer is by the way you love. If you have the Holy Spirit in you, you have the power and the resources to truly love. If you don’t have the Holy Spirit living in you, you will never know how to truly love.
How do we know that God loves us? Because of what He did, He left Heaven, came down to earth in the form of His Son and gave His life a ransom for all who would believe in Him. Praise His name. He didn’t just say He loved us He proved it by what He did. His actions spoke much louder than words and so should ours. Even when He went back to Heaven He didn’t abandon us, no, He is still with us in the form of the Holy Spirit who dwells in every born–again believer.
So how can we show that we love not only the brethren but also our enemies?
Verse 17 in that same chapter says this, “But whoso hath this world’s goods and seeth his brother have need, and shuteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” I think this is pretty self-explanatory.
I want to share some other verses with you. In Mathew through 48 it says, “Ye have heard that it hath been said. Thou shalt love thy neighbor 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 that 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 the good and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. For if ye love them which love you what reward have ye, do not even the Publicans so do? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect.”
If you are having trouble loving your brothers and sisters in the Lord, I know you are having trouble loving your enemies. I am not saying this is an easy thing, no, sometimes it is very difficult but not impossible. Get on your knees before the Lord and tell Him you choose to forgive everyone who has hurt you in the church and out of the church, friend or enemy and ask Him to forgive them and to help you to love them. Pray that prayer as many times as it takes for you to truly love and forgive everyone, then go forth in victory praising God! It will take place because this is God’s purpose for each of us.
Have a great day and may God bless you.
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