I’m having a really hard time with someone in my life right now, and I know there’s a verse about loving your enemies, but I can’t remember where it is.
I want to read it in context and pray through it, because honestly, I’m struggling to live that out.
If anyone can point me to the passage and share how they’ve applied it when it’s tough, I’d really appreciate it.
Love Your Enemies
Mat 5:43 'Ye heard that it was said: Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and shalt hate thine enemy;
Mat 5:44 but I—I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those cursing you, do good to those hating you, and pray for those accusing you falsely, and persecuting you,
Mat 5:45 that ye may be sons of your Father in the heavens, because His sun He doth cause to rise on evil and good, and He doth send rain on righteous and unrighteous.
Mat 5:46 'For, if ye may love those loving you, what reward have ye? do not also the tax-gatherers the same?
Mat 5:47 and if ye may salute your brethren only, what do ye abundant? do not also the tax-gatherers so?
Mat 5:48 ye shall therefore be perfect, as your Father who is in the heavens is perfect.
Cross reference this with the Pauline epistles.
However…
bless them . . . hate you. This clause is omitted by all the critical Greek texts.
J.
Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 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;
In context Jesus was telling those of Israel what they could expect in the kingdom once it was established on earth,
This is complicated because we often see the word “love” and think this means we should feel affection or some other emotion. The bible defines this love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. (the KJV uses charity, but it is the same Greek word, agape)
Today the application of these verses might be to not hate, but with forbearance set boundary so that if the malefactor cannot take responsibility for his actions, he can at least be contained.
That’s an excellent point.
Oh, I found this when I went to search it myself:
Compliments For An Enemy - Why did David say that Saul and Jonathan were “beloved and pleasant in their lives”? (2Sa 1:23). We can understand why he would say this of Jonathan, his good friend. But why say this of King Saul, who had brought him so much sorrow?
There were good things David could say of Jonathan that he could not say of Saul. Yet, instead of pointing out Saul’s faults and failures, he commended what was good in him: his courage, his military victories, and his prosperous kingdom (2Sa 1:21, 22, 23, 24).
David’s graciousness causes me to wonder: How often have I brooded over and judged the flaws of my opponents? How often have I been offended when others have found good in those who have harmed me? How much do I dwell on the bad I see in someone rather than the good that God and others can see?
The Bible says that we need to leave judgment in the Lord’s hands, for when Jesus returns He will “reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God” (1Co 4:5).
Do we focus only on the traits that make our enemies so unlikeable? Accentuating the positive qualities of those who trouble us is a good way to deal with resentment, and to transform our hatred into love (Mt 5:44). — David H. Roper (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)
We’re told to love our enemies
Who in this life we face,
For showing love that’s not deserved
Reveals to them God’s grace. —Bosch
It’s hard to hate someone when you’re complimenting him.
J.
Question: Where in the Bible does it say to love your enemy?
Jesus answered this question Himself, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, 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 which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven” ~Matthew 5:43-45. He also said, “But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you” ~Luke 6:27-28. Paul echoed this truth: “Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not” ~Romans 12:14, and “If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink… Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” ~Romans 12:20-21.
This love never means approving what is evil, nor does it mean refusing to confront sin. God never calls His people to truce with the truth for the sake of peace. Real love is always on the side of truth, yet seeks to show mercy, forgiveness, and goodness toward others as God has shown to us because “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” ~Romans 5:8. The same Lord who commands us to love our enemies also says, “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” ~Ephesians 5:11. So this love never remains silent in the face of sin; it speaks truth in humility and grace, seeking repentance and restoration, not revenge. To love your enemy means you refuse to repay evil for evil, but you also refuse to say evil is good. This is a love rooted in obedience, not emotion, a love that points to the heart of God who is both merciful and holy.
Some of the replies in the thread wander far away from this balance by including human theories, outside writings, or personal observations not found in Scripture. But we do not need to wander; the Bible is clear and sufficient. The command to love our enemies is not cultural, optional, or symbolic. It is the call of every believer to reflect the very nature of Christ Himself.
I once had an occasion to pray for someone I was angry with. My prayer was just words. I was following Jesus’ instructions in Luke 6:28. “bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you” So I prayed for them because I was supposed to and nothing else. I didn’t really mean anything I was saying.
About half way through that prayer, my heart began to change and when I was finished I was praying with intensity and full intention. That was God’s doing and not mine. I think the best thing we can do for ourselves and those we don’t feel love, is to pray for them. It may not change our heart right away, but God is faithful and He will do it.