Jesus Christ demonstrated His love for all humankind by dying on the cross for our sins. It is relevant to identify that He died for all, even for those who beat, spat and bruised Him, killing Him on that cross. Becoming a Christian never meant that we would naturally become pleasant people and begin to like everyone. People will still step on your toes; likewise, others will not like you because you may step on their toes in one way or another.
In the same way, not every individual has good intentions, as we Christians are taught to have. Even in John 15:18, Jesus said that the world will hate us, and if we are not careful, we may react negatively to such people. In such situations of mutual dislike, through Matthew 5:43-45, Jesus illustrates how he desires us to show love to our enemies.
‘You have heard that it was said …’
As an opening statement to His sermon, Jesus referred to those listening to the beliefs of their forefathers that they still uphold. “Ye have heard, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy” (Matthew 5:43). He says. Jesus, however, adds,
“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.”
Matthew 5:44 KJV
People sometimes act and think based on the beliefs they were brought up with without questioning them. In today’s world, social media has a significant influence on our lives, shaping our beliefs and, subsequently, our actions. X (formerly Twitter), for instance, has become a platform to spread hate and negativity. Therefore, Christians must desire to know and live by the truth and not be swayed by ignorant beliefs.
After referring to hating one’s enemies as a belief the Jews thought was right, Jesus points out the flaw in this thinking. The entire purpose of Christ’s coming and death on the cross was to free all of humanity, whether Jew or Gentile, whether friend or foe, from eternal damnation. He wanted Christians to see things through the same lens of love and forgiveness. In Matthew 5:43-45, he challenged them to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. As Christians, we should always endeavour, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to exhibit love and kindness towards others, even when it becomes difficult. That is what Christ did on the cross years ago, and that is how we express him today.
Do good to your enemies
Luke 6:35 admonishes us to do good, hoping for nothing. That means we do not need a person to be good to us before we show love to them. The verse further narrows down to showing love to your enemy even when all you receive is hate. Our enemies’ actions shouldn’t dictate how we react. Proverbs 25:21-22 says, “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for so you will heap coals of fire on his head.” By choosing to show kindness and love, even to those who have wronged us, we have the opportunity to not only surprise them but also to ignite a change of heart within them potentially.
Love the undeserving
From our actions, words and even thoughts, we can be very undeserving of the chance of life we get each day. However, Christ loved us even when we were still sinners. Romans 5:7-8 emphasises that Christ died for us while we were undeserving. Unlike in the past times in the Bible, where God could take life away to show His wrath, we have grace, even though we do not deserve it. Just as Christ showed us unconditional love and grace, we can strive to do the same for those around us. Nonetheless, when we extend love to those who don’t deserve it, it doesn’t mean we allow them to walk over us. It means responding with love, grace, and understanding, even when it is hard.
Be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect
Matthew 5:45 reminds us that, as Christians, we are called to strive for perfection, just as our heavenly Father is perfect. The perfection that Jesus spoke about in that passage is simply loving people unconditionally, just as the Father loves them. It’s about demonstrating a love that goes beyond expectations and what they have perhaps done in the past. That means loving our enemies (even while it may seem challenging to love others in this way) is possible with God’s help. By relying on the guidance of the Holy Spirit and seeking to align our hearts with the heart of the Father, we learn how to love unconditionally like Christ. In that way, you’ll learn not to respond to the insult or not retaliate to a negative comment made. Praying for strength and constantly relying on him in such situations will help one control oneself and instead spread love.
Loving our enemies is a significant aspect of being a Christian. Jesus set an example by loving even those who mistreated Him, emphasising the importance of extending love to everyone, regardless of their actions or intentions towards us. As Christians, we may encounter situations where people don’t treat us kindly or hold negative feelings towards us.
However, instead of reacting negatively, Jesus encourages us to respond with love, blessings, and prayers. By choosing to love our enemies, we express Christ, and it also allows us to break the cycle of hatred and create opportunities for reconciliation and healing. Loving our enemies doesn’t mean condoning their actions or overlooking injustice; instead, it’s about responding with love and compassion.
