How and Why We Should Love Our Enemies

Matthew 5:43-48

Introduction.

  1. Loving people can be difficult or it can be easy.

    1. Often depends on personalities.

    2. Can depend on actions and on severity of those actions.

    3. Usually it is a conscious choice.

  2. When it is a choice, it can become easier, but it is not necessarily a natural ease.

  3. To love (ἀγαπάω) is a choice.

    1. “to be full of good-will and exhibit the same”

    2. “to have a preference for”

    3. “wish well to”

    4. “regard the welfare of”

  1. One’s enemy are those who are

    1. “hated, odious, hateful”

    2. “hostile, hating, and opposing another”

  1. Here is what Jesus has to say on such issues: what, how, why?

Body.

  1. What is the Law’s command? (5:43).

    1. “You shall love your neighbor” (Lev. 19:18).

      1. The Israelites were told not to take vengeance or hold a grudge against the “children of your people.”

      2. Then that verse states that one is to love one’s neighbor as yourself.

      3. This suggests that one’s neighbor was one of his people—his nation.

      4. Jesus, however, defined one’s neighbor as anyone who has need, even the enemy of one’s people (Luke 10:29ff).

    2. “Hate your enemy.”

      1. The Law never mentions hatred of one’s enemies.

      2. This was falsely inferred by the Jewish rabbis.

      3. The Law, in fact, commands helping your enemies:

        1. With misplaced livestock (Exo. 23:4-5).

        2. When they are in need (Prov. 25:21-22).

      4. This was confirmed again by Jesus in the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

    3. Since the Law commands love, how should we love them?

  2. How should we love our enemies? (5:44).

    1. Love our enemies.

      1. This is the word “agape,” a sacrificial love.

      2. Our enemies include people who have wronged us, ridiculed us.

    2. Bless those who curse us.

      1. Our immediate reaction to cursing is to curse back.

      2. Earlier Jesus spoke concerning our speech.

      3. Let us go against our nature to speak well of those who have spoken evil of us.

      4. If we speak well of them, they may hear of it and reconsider their view of us.

    3. Do good to those who hate us.

      1. Moses and Solomon spoke about doing good for our enemies (ibid.).

      2. If we do good for them, they are even more likely to reconsider their enmity.

      3. This could turn them into our friends.

      4. We are more likely to better influence them for Christ.

    4. Pray for those who spitefully use us and persecute us.

      1. Spitefully using and persecuting could range from verbal abuse to execution.

      2. It is easy to hate those who do such things to us.

      3. If we pray for them, their well-being, their souls, we are less likely to hate them.

      4. Our attitude will change toward them, and perhaps theirs will toward you.

      5. It takes two to be enemies—do all that you can to be friends (Rom. 12:18).

      6. Do not let them continue to be an enemy because of you.

  3. Why should we love our enemies? (5:45-47).

    1. You will be a child of God (vs. 45).

      1. Children receive an inheritance—heaven.

      2. The ways of the father are typically the ways of the son.

      3. The Father brings material blessings to the deserving and the undeserving.

      4. Even so, we ought to be good to all.

    2. You will have a reward (vs. 46-47).

      1. Everybody is good to their friends—this is easy.

      2. Your reward is not great if your task was small.

      3. People with greater responsibility typically get paid more—job is more difficult.

      4. With us, our reward will not be as great if our responsibility were light.

      5. The tax-collectors (Gentiles, sinners) are even good to their friends.

      6. They are not all bad people.

      7. But if those who are hellbound do this, should we not do greater?

    3. You will be perfect.

      1. “Perfect” from τέλειος which means:

        1. complete

        2. mature, fully grown

        3. consummate human integrity and virtue.

      2. If you can figure out how to love your enemies, you will be like God.

        1. God urges us to be holy just as He is holy (1 Pet. 1:16).

        2. Paul urges us to imitate him as he imitates Christ (1 Cor. 11:1).

        3. The first lie Satan told was that disobedience to God would make us like God (Gen. 3:4-5).

        4. It is not disobedience, but love that will accomplish that goal!

        5. God sent His Son to die (an act of love) for mankind (His enemies).

        6. If He was willing to do this, can we love our enemies, too?

        7. A few of God’s enemies became His friends because of this act of love—us.

        8. I am grateful for this act—will we be so gracious to others?

Conclusion.

  1. Built right into Scripture is how to perform the commands it gives.

  2. This is no easy task.

    1. If someone harmed my wife or child(ren), I don’t know what I would do.

    2. I pray that I would do the right thing and love my enemy.

    3. But do these things even to your rivals at work or school.

    4. Write notes of encouragement, bake them something, and/or pray for them.

    5. Early Christians were killed by their enemies—they still prayed for them.

  3. The reward for accomplishing this difficult task is great: heaven itself.

  4. Here’s how you can start your journey to heaven …