Love Your Enemy - Really?

Peter L. Meney | Added: Apr 08, 2025 | Category: Theology

As the Lord sat on the mountain side and delivered the lessons that would become known as the sermon on the mount I can only imagine a solemn, reflective demeanour settled upon His hearers. When He said, ‘love your enemies’, no doubt each of them pictured, in their mind’s eye, the ‘enemy’ they would find it hard, if not impossible, to love. When He said, ‘do good to them which hate you’, I feel sure each wondered how this was possible and marvelled what radical, sweeping teaching this was. The Jews were an occupied nation under Rome’s subjection. They had little love for their overlords who taxed and suppressed them. Their nationalistic fervour was for the restoration of David’s kingdom, the conquest of their foes  and death to their enemies. If that alone be taken into account, few present that day could say the Lord’s words had no relevance for them. In truth, we all find reasons to be partial in our dealing with one another, liking some and disliking others. It is not hard to hate those who hurt and exploit us and harm those we care for and feel protective towards. Even as believers we are subject to these natural passions & prejudices so that the Lord’s words confront us all with a standard of obedience and behaviour that is sadly contrary to our nature and but for grace, impossible to achieve. Yet it shows us what to aspire to and how we ought to seek to honour the Lord in our dealings with each other and the world. 

Now it is certain there are different kinds of love. There is the love & union we feel towards God and our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is a spiritual love, received and bestowed at a spiritual level. There are relationships of love for family and friends which comes with responsibilities. Yet the Lord would have us extend the natural provisions of love beyond those who are dear to us so as to include strangers, even enemies and those who despitefully use us. Paul suggests methods of fulfilling this calling, ways  to bless those who curse us, when he says in Romans 20, ‘If thine enemy hunger, feed him: if he thirst, give him drink’ implying kindness, care  and charitable, practical support is involved. But so, too, our hearts and minds should also be involved. The formal giving of the rich men who filled the temple treasury out of their great riches did not impress the Lord but the widow’s mite was given in faith and for the love of God, and this the Lord noticed.

As believers we should exercise thoughtfulness and inward feelings, too. Genuine affections and expressions of love for Christ’s sake. There may be a hatred of the actions and attitudes of a man yet an awareness of need and a sense of pity. A tenderness felt towards his person for the ravages sin has made upon his life. All men, even enemies, are to be loved with natural love, as men. Kindness, empathy, charity, general awareness and gentleness is not weakness or foolishness. Even if it were we are still instructed by the Lord Jesus to be loving and merciful even to those who deserve it least. 

By turning the other cheek we may feel we give opportunity for an enemy to hurt us a second time and yet this is what the Lord advocates. I am sure a part of this is the lesson of self-control, restraint, tolerance and moderation. Christ teaches patience in bearing injuries and insults as well as trials and temptations. We must always remember divine providence in all such circumstances. We believe all things work together for our good, who love the Lord, even harsh, bad and evil things contribute to that good end. We have been called according to God’s purpose of grace by Christ who is all-wise, loving and kind to His little ones. Let us never forget our Father which is in heaven knows what we have need of. 

As we read the history of the Old Testament often we see the Lord’s people afflicted by vicious and fierce heathen peoples yet the Lord reminds us they were tools in His hands to accomplish His purpose, and often, too, their oppression of the Jews was the reason God used to bring about judgment on them and their own demise. Mighty Egypt was humbled for exploiting Israel while the Assyrian empire broke itself on little Judah.

Furthermore, as those who trust in the sovereignty of God in all things it is unfitting for us to react with a loss of temper when things go wrong. What justification have we to act in a rage or seek personal revenge against enemies when things go wrong? Has not the Lord sent these trials? Rather, we should be ready to suffer more should that be what the Lord designs for us. This is not the way of the world but it is the way of grace.

The Lord calls His people to distinguish themselves from the normal, natural, predictable approach of those who give to get in a transactional way. It is natural to love them that love you, do good to receive good. Lend to be enriched in return. However, this is not the motivation that characterises those who have tasted the grace of God and felt the unconditional love of God in their own lives. A believer’s perspective is changed due to God’s free grace and mercy. It is transformed by the undeserved goodness we have received from the Lord, as well as the promises He gives of caring for us every moment, and protecting us in every situation. ‘Freely ye have received, freely give.’

In fact, the Lord’s own repeated phrase, ‘what thank have ye’ means what return of gratitude does this deserve? How does this show you to differ from others? What evidence of grace are you revealing by simply doing what any natural man would do? The Lord is telling His people there is an expectation of a altered way of living, changed values and practices, due to our conversion. You are different because you are Christ’s. You are transformed in your heart, your way of thinking, your motivation. Things are different for believers who are filled with the Spirit of Christ. So they are and so they act. 

This is an argument Paul uses, too. The duty of a believer is not to fulfil the law of God, as such, Christ has fulfilled that for us, our rule of life is to follow the example of our Saviour, emulate the principles He teaches and the way He lived. We live as He lived, serve as He served, to the praise of His name. Paul says in Romans 8:14,  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. We are members of a distinguished family. We are children of the Most High; princes of ‘a royal priesthood and a holy nation’, says Peter. The motivation of our lives is to honour and serve our Saviour in all our ways because, says the Lord ‘ye shall be the children of the Highest’: not merely in name but in likeness, being conformed to the image of Christ. ‘He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.’ 

Our last thought reinforces this theme: v. 36 says, Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Exercise your resemblance. Employ, apply, actuate your new-created likeness. Our good works are not justifying works but corroborating fruit. The fruit of the Spirit in the life of a believer and in the actions of a child of God.

The mercy of God has been our experience and this ought to motivate all our engagements with men and women. In our family, at work, in and out of the church, our social interactions, all our dealings one with another, should reflect the mercy of the Lord who has been good and merciful to us, even when we hated and despitefully treated Him. David says, in Psalm 145:8, 9 ‘The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.’

God’s mercy bestows natural gifts on the just and the unjust. Our mercy, too, should be directed to men and women on the basis of need, not eligibility. God’s mercy reached us when we were strangers. We should be willing to assist not only those who are friends but strangers, too.

God’s mercy has revealed to us the nature and character of our Redeemer and Friend. Let our kindness and care reveal our new nature and the transformed character of one who has tasted the grace and riches of God.

Most people know nothing of such spiritual blessings as we have experienced in this life. Many never will. They shall grow old and die without any thought of their eternal soul until it is too late. For most people their experience of happiness now, in this world, will be the only joy they will ever know. That is a sad and solemn thought and one that should encourage us if we can to bring a little light and happiness into the lives of those around us.

Please feel free to use and distribute content from New Focus but please make sure to include a credit to “New Focus https://go-newfocus.co.uk”