The idea behind love your enemies

[AfterThought]

Jesus said love your enemies
But I begin to think and read what could been on his mind at the time
But with the concept of that idea behind it
Meaning what could come from it by living like that how would it benefit me including people around me
The effects it had on Christians now and then
As I take a look at the big picture as a whole
For me I think more the modern saying
What goes around comes around
And I begin to link the two ideas together
Is what he had on his mind at the time
But this is mere speculation as I like to read into stuff like this
Show love receive love show hate receive hate
What do you think?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

We are simply to love our enemies in return now under the New Covenant. Jesus was making a change of the Old Law. The Old way said: "An eye for an eye;" But Jesus said, "Whosoever shall strike you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also." This is a part of being perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.

44 "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;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5:44-45).

"Therefore be perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48).

 

[Dave L]

Jesus said love your enemies
But I begin to think and read what could been on his mind at the time
But with the concept of that idea behind it
Meaning what could come from it by living like that how would it benefit me including people around me
The effects of had on Christians now and then
As I take a look at the big picture as a whole
For me I think more the modern saying
What goes around comes around
And I begin to link the two ideas together
Is what he had on his mind at the time
But this is mere speculation as I like to read into stuff like this
Show love receive love show hate receive hate
What do you think?

God's love is unconditional and so should ours be. Enemies we are prone to hate. But if we can love them instead, our love is more like God's love. It's easy to love ice cream and the people who provide it. But loving those who steal your portion is a challenge.

 

[disciple Clint]

Jesus said love your enemies
But I begin to think and read what could been on his mind at the time
But with the concept of that idea behind it
Meaning what could come from it by living like that how would it benefit me including people around me
The effects of had on Christians now and then
As I take a look at the big picture as a whole
For me I think more the modern saying
What goes around comes around
And I begin to link the two ideas together
Is what he had on his mind at the time
But this is mere speculation as I like to read into stuff like this
Show love receive love show hate receive hate
What do you think?

I think you may be missing mark by just a little. You seem to be saying don't do something to someone that you don't want them to do to you. You are perhaps a little more centered on the effect on you. Jesus is more centered on the effect on the other person. Jesus would have you treat others as you would like to be treated even when you know full well that they are not going to return that love. So love everyone regardless of what they do or how they react. Truly I think that this is by far the hardest thing that Jesus asked us to do. I struggle with it and fail time after time. Blessings

 

[dqhall]

Jesus said love your enemies
But I begin to think and read what could been on his mind at the time
But with the concept of that idea behind it
Meaning what could come from it by living like that how would it benefit me including people around me
The effects of had on Christians now and then
As I take a look at the big picture as a whole
For me I think more the modern saying
What goes around comes around
And I begin to link the two ideas together
Is what he had on his mind at the time
But this is mere speculation as I like to read into stuff like this
Show love receive love show hate receive hate
What do you think?

By the measure you give, so shall you receive. Luke 6:38

It is difficult to be kind to those who are cruel to you. It is legal. Makes a person less angry.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Yes, we are to love our enemies, which 'sticks in the craw' of many. But take heart, we don't have to like them in the bargain.

 

[Halbhh]

Jesus said love your enemies
But I begin to think and read what could been on his mind at the time
But with the concept of that idea behind it
Meaning what could come from it by living like that how would it benefit me including people around me
The effects it had on Christians now and then
As I take a look at the big picture as a whole
For me I think more the modern saying
What goes around comes around
And I begin to link the two ideas together
Is what he had on his mind at the time
But this is mere speculation as I like to read into stuff like this
Show love receive love show hate receive hate
What do you think?

I was very compelled when I was agnostic -- when I remembered Christ named "Love your neighbor as yourself" the 2nd greatest commandment, but had also said a seemingly less right thing -- had said "Love your enemy"; I was compelled to figure out why in the world He had said that.

Love your neighbor as yourself made sense -- it's a way to live a much more heart-wonderful life, and if everyone did it, we'd have much of the situation we might call heaven. This was my thinking way back then. But "Love your enemy"!? I could not understand why this wise man would say such a thing, and I had to find out.

I read, and the surrounding verses do help. Look and see (they help) --

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ h 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Love for Enemies

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor i and hate your enemy.’44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Matthew 5 NIV
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Already here we understand more, from the surrounding verses. That to only do what most people can achieve -- to love those who love us, to be friends with those who are friendly -- He is saying that is not enough. Won't work. Not sufficient.

He's saying something like we have to be peace makers it would seem (I thought back then) -- to not strike back, not get revenge.

But He's saying more....

He's saying not merely to refrain from revenge.

He's saying to actively love them.

I felt this was just....a day when He was too optimistic. It was unlikely to work.

I tested "Love your neighbor as yourself" by gathering up my courage (it took 104% of what I had, I was trembling), and knocked on the stranger's door next door, and met them, with a true attitude of making friends. I was sweating, trembling. I had to test it. Test.

The result was astounding. I went from having an ordinary amount of love, mostly from family, to having 20 or 30 times the love in my life. I soon met the closest friend of my life. My life was radically altered onto a new path. All this while I was still agnostic.

But "love your enemy" ?

C'mon man. No way!

It might work a little while, as long as I was the one making it work, until I stopped.

Boy was I wrong.

When I finally tested it, with a person who had slighted and disparaged me for years (again taking about 104% of my ability, and leaving me breathless and trembling)...doing it, talking to him that way, for just 1 minute, and then escaping....

I was shocked and astounded what happened then.

A real enemy became a real friend who honestly loved me, and that was after I stopped trying and was almost doing zero more. He persisted and became a true and real friend.

It was flooring. Impossible result, to my mind. But that's the reality of it, I found out.

You can imagine what this did to me. I began to wonder what other impossible seeming things Jesus said were true.

 

[com7fy8]

I was shocked and astounded what happened then.

A real enemy became a real friend who honestly loved me, and that was after I stopped trying and was almost doing zero more. He persisted and became a true and real friend.

It was flooring. Impossible result, to my mind. But that's the reality of it, I found out.

You can imagine what this did to me. I began to wonder what other impossible seeming things Jesus said were true.

Wow! That's quite something.

Years ago, I was not sure what I should do, about Jesus. I decided He is the best I know about so I was going to do things He said, even though I was not sure about Him. Among other things, I understood He says to sell what we have and give to the poor but not to let our left hand know what our right hand is doing. How would I give money to poor people without my hands knowing what the other hands were doing? I got bills of different sizes and rolled them up inside ink pens so I could give them out without knowing how much I was giving to each person.

I passed a black woman at night and called out, "Can I give you an ink pen?" Ok. So, I gave it to her and got away a distance, then called to let her know a "food coupon" was wrapped around the refill of the pen; I would do that so she would have less chance of identifying me, since Jesus said not to do things to be seen. She said thank you and God bless you. And I thought > maybe she is a real Jesus lady who has power to bless me, and I need it. So, I was encouraged.

Then, during the day, I saw a senior black man by the road. I talked with him, then offered him a pen; but he looked like he needed more; so I gave him a few. Then, when leaving, I said check out the food coupons in the pens. He said he would. This was in an area where there was a culture of discrimination.

A police officer stopped his cruiser and confronted me, saying he saw me give something to the man. If I told him what I did, then he would know I was giving to the poor and I understood that was to be in secret. But it came to me how we need to confess Jesus before men. So, I told him, and he said you gave to someone like that? I said Jesus says for us to love any and all people, and so I have no choice but to love him. Plus, I think I also said, I am military and under oath to uphold the United States Constitution which guarantees that we are equal with all people. I added this, knowing the officer probably had taken an oath to uphold the Constitution and could full well know he was not keeping the word of his oath.

"Well, I can't stop you," he said.

But I went easy on him, simply being quiet. And I was encouraged that I had confessed Jesus before men, by saying Jesus expects us to love any and all people.

The woman and man honored me and were kind to me and talked with me, while I was in a mess and did not know who and how I needed to be and what to do about Jesus. But the officer did not know how to love > he was missing out on so much. But, I admit I despised him; I did not have compassion for him like now I understand that Jesus would have me care about him; we can pray for him now. Jesus suffered and died like He did, on the cross, with hope for any evil person, at all.

He has hope for evil people to become adopted to become His own brothers and sisters who are like Him. This is included in why Jesus has us love any person, at all > with God, we have power to help any person become adopted to share in our Jesus family and become more and more like Jesus. God is proving Himself in us, by doing this in us, so now we know He is able to change any human to become family with God and to become like Jesus is pleasing to God and loving any and all people.

Love "hopes all things" (in 1 Corinthians 13:7).