LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

 

Turn on the news just about any day of the week and you can see various groups of people whom many Christians might view as their "enemies." A short list may include the following:

 

 

Rather than accept these individuals as those who are precious in the sight of God, there is all too often the tendency to look down upon them as "inferiors." Despite the plea of our Lord Jesus to love them, we instead hate them.

 

"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5:43-45)

 

THE PROBLEM WITH FEAR-DRIVEN THEOLOGY

 

Islamic fundamentalists would undoubtedly prefer first to convert the world through peaceful measures. However, if this method fails to have the desired outcome, it is then that they may be inclined to take a more violent approach. Christianity also seeks to peacefully convert the world by sharing the Love of Christ, but if that fails, they are then quick to play the "hell" card. So can you please tell me how Christian evangelistic methods are any different than the ones used by Islam? Both end up resorting to violence and threats; the main difference being that Islam resorts to physical violence, while Christianity, on the other hand, resorts to spiritual violence.   

 

A fear-driven theology, by its very nature, inhibits one's capacity to love. When evangelists convince someone that they must turn to Christ or face the grim eternal consequences, then all of the individual's attention becomes focused upon securing his or her survival. This type of self-motivated behavior only leads people further away from the love of God.  Where fear is encouraged, love subsides.

 

Some of the early church fathers, including Clement of Alexandria (150-220), Origen (185-254), and John Chrysostom (347-407), knew the concept of an eternal hell was not true, but taught it as though it were, believing it to be an effective means whereby sin could be deterred and converts won. Because he considered it a part of the Gnostic or esoteric knowledge which might not be well for the unenlightened to hear, lest it should result in the injury of the ignorant, Clement says: "As to the rest I am silent and praise the Lord." He "fears to set down in writing what he would not venture to read aloud." He thinks this knowledge not useful for all, and that the fear of hell may keep sinners from sin.

 

The historian Neander says that Chrysostom also believed in universal salvation, but felt the opposite doctrine was necessary to alarm the multitude. He must have also been one of those esoteric believers who found the doctrine of endless punishment necessary to the welfare of sinners, and on that account he had preached it:

 

"There is a good deceit such as many have been deceived by, which one ought not even to call a deceit at all," instancing that of Jacob, "which was not a deceit, but an economy." (Homil. vi. in Col. ii. 8)

 

It is obvious that Origen also believed this truth to be privileged information for a few and not expedient for the masses when he wrote the following:

 

"But the remarks which might be made on this topic are neither to be made to all, nor to be uttered on the present occasion; for it is not unattended with danger to commit to writing the explanation of such subjects, seeing the multitude need no further instruction than that which relates to the punishment of sinners; while to ascend beyond this is not expedient, for the sake of those who are with difficulty restrained, even by fear of eternal punishment, from plunging into any degree of wickedness, and into the flood of evils which result from sin." – Contra Celsus VI 26

 

According to The Dictionary of Christian Biography, Origen believed that "men must be treated as children, and the terrors of the judgment rather than the final restoration have to be brought before those who can be converted only by fears and threats." Origen then declares that sinners who are "incurable" are converted by the threat of punishment:

 

"As to the punishments threatened against the ungodly, these will come upon them after they have refused all remedies, and have been, as we may say, visited with an incurable malady of sinfulness. Such is our doctrine of punishment; and the inculcation of this doctrine turns many away from their sins." – Contra Celsus VIII 39,40

 

But if this is true, then even serving God and others become acts of selfishness. For years I served God not necessarily because I wanted to, but because I feared the consequences of not serving Him. Self-motivated, fear-induced behavior is a sign of immaturity, and shows that the individual has not yet been perfected in God's Love.

 

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (I John 4:18 - KJV)

 

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (II Timothy 1:7 - KJV)

 

Although wisdom, or knowledge begins with the fear of the LORD (Proverbs 1:7), transformation can only take place when God's perfect Love casts out this fear, assuring us that we'll never be abandoned or destroyed.

 

"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38,39)

 

Many godly men in the early church did not fulfill their commission to fully preach the pure gospel of Christ. They failed to heed Paul's words regarding this matter:

 

"Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation." (II Corinthians 5:18,19)

 

"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. These things command and teach." (I Timothy 4:9-11)

 

Although there is probably a minority within church leadership today that knows the truth of God's plan to save all men, they also will not teach these truths for many of the same reasons the early church fathers would not. But I am convinced that the vast majority of our pastors, teachers, and theologians today teach falsehoods out of ignorance. They have not been diligent in their search for truth.

 

"We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what they help distribute to the public; by which means a falsehood once received from a famed writer becomes traditional to posterity." – John Dryden (1631-1700) English Poet

 

The journey on the narrow road that leads to the life of the ages can only begin by coming to the realization that God loves us unconditionally. We must abandon this misconception that we are rejected because of our bad behavior or accepted because of our goodness. Only when we repent of these types of self-motivated beliefs and focus upon God's Love can His Love alter us. Only then can He transform hearts darkened by sin and soften hearts hardened by self-righteousness. 

 

Before I came to an understanding of God's plan to save all mankind, I found Jesus' commandment to "love our enemies" rather difficult to follow. It seemed as though I was always able to find fault with others for various things. In fact, my attitude was very similar to the Pharisee who was quick to thank God that he was not like the publican that was mentioned in Luke's gospel (see Luke 18:9-14). In my case I was thankful to God for not being like a certain Re-publican.

 

It is precisely attitudes like these that have led many people in the world today to believe that there is no way God could ever accept them because of all of the evil things they have done. And likewise, there are many who believe that because they belong to the right group, recited the right prayer of repentance and got baptized in the right manner, that somehow these acts of ‘righteousness' have earned them God's favor. Both groups are sadly mistaken.

 

"What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are under sin. As it is written:

 

There is none righteous, no, not one;

There is none who understands;

There is none who seeks after God.

They have all turned aside;

They have together become unprofitable;

There is none who does good, no, not one."

 

(Romans 3:9-13 - NKJV)

 

"We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment." (Isaiah 64:6 - RSV)

 

A theology of love is grounded in the realization that God loves our enemies as much as He loves us. And this is the irony of Jesus' commandment to love our enemies.     We are ALL being created in God's image. We are ALL precious in His sight. We are ALL children of God. Once we grasp this concept, we will see others in a brand new light. We will no longer see them as our enemies, but as our brothers and sisters, fellow heirs of God's grace.      

 

WHO IS THE ENEMY?

 

Since this article is concerned with the subject of loving one's enemies, it would be incumbent upon us to take a closer look at the Biblical definition of the word "enemy." All throughout the New Testament, according to Strong's Concordance, the Greek word used to represent the word "enemy" is echthros (G#2190), which means: an adversary (especially Satan). Let's take a look now at a few examples of how this word is used in the Scriptures:

 

1.      "Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, ‘If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.'" (Luke 19:41-44)

 

A devout Jew that was familiar with Daniel's prophecy (see Daniel 9:24-27) of the coming Messiah should have known that this was time of their visitation, the very day of Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Jesus wept over the city, for these truths were hidden from them. Therefore, Christ pronounces judgment upon the great city, and the certainty of its destruction. This prophecy was later fulfilled in stunning detail when Titus of Rome led an army to put down the Jewish revolt and destroyed the city (see Josephus: War of the Jews). In this instance, Rome is described as the ‘enemy.'

 

2.      "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's own enemies will be those of his own household." (Matthew 10:34-36)

 

Jesus Christ, otherwise known as the "Prince of Peace," says here that He did not come to bring peace during this present wicked age. As long as there are different religious viewpoints, and as long as there is an absence of the knowledge of truth, there will be disagreements that will lead to envy, hatred, hostility, and even wars between nations, as we have witnessed all throughout our history. In many cases, this will even lead to animosity between the members of one's own household. Those who are of the household of faith look forward to the peaceful reign of Christ which begins upon His return to judge the nations in righteousness (see Isaiah 25:6-9; 26:9).

 

In the next example our Lord Jesus, while explaining the parable of the tares of the field to his disciples, identifies who the real enemy, or adversary, is:

 

3.      "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age." (Matthew 13:37-40)

 

When Jesus spoke this parable to the masses, He wasn't talking about a simple farmer in Judea who was struggling to keep the weeds out of his crops. The simple fact that Jesus had to take time out to explain this parable to his disciples should be proof enough that nothing He said in it should be taken literally, yet this is exactly what orthodox Christianity does when it comes to God's judgment by fire. 

 

The "fire" of which Jesus is speaking is God's divine judgment that will burn away the wood, hay, and stubble for the purpose of saving the man (see I Corinthians 3:12-15), not tormenting him. The Greek word pur (Strong's #4442) is translated as "fire," and according to A Pocket Lexicon to the Greek New Testament, can mean:

 

"Either literally, metaphorically, and eschatologically (as an instrument of punishment in the conceptions of later Judaism, the fire of the Divine wrath which burns in Gehenna)."

 

(For more on this, be sure to read the article Hell: Biblical Truth or Pagan Myth?)

 

4.      "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:19,20)

 

Jesus is not referring to the literal handling of poisonous snakes and scorpions, a practice that many of us have heard about in some remote mountainous regions of West Appalachia. What Jesus is really referring to is the power that He has given to His witnesses (those who have the true testimony of Jesus Christ – Revelation 19:10) to expose false doctrine within the church. 

 

5.      "These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies." (Revelation 11:4,5)

 

Once again, we are not talking about a literal flame that goes forth from the mouths of these witnesses in order to burn up literal flesh and blood human beings. The "fire" (God is a consuming fire – Hebrews 12:29) is the Truth of the real gospel, which "cuts to the heart" and is able to pull down the strongholds (I saw Satan fall like lightning) that keep God's people in bondage.

 

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds." (II Corinthians 10:4)

 

Many of us have been taught that a Spirit-filled, born-again believer cannot be "possessed" by the devil. Those who wish to argue this point should take a closer look at Mark 1:21-28, where Jesus heals a man with an unclean spirit. And guess where Jesus found this man? Did He find him sitting half-drunk in the local pub? Was he getting a lap dance in the local brothel? No. Jesus found this apparently religious man sitting unnoticed, in the midst of the people in their synagogue! And if you take an honest look at today's church, there really isn't that much difference between the majority of the people in the churches as opposed to many self-seeking, worldly people. In fact, all one needs to do is watch the local news at night to see that there are many good church-going people who get caught up in the same types of vices as worldly people. Jesus said that we would know them by their fruits. The spiritual wickedness in high places does indeed extend well beyond the realm of government.

 

A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

 

"The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned." (I Corinthians 2:14)

 

The ones whom God has blessed with spiritual eyes to see spiritual things will always try to look a little deeper into God's Word in order to learn more profound truths.

 

"For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God." (I Corinthians 2:10)

 

What I am about to share with you is one of the more profound truths that God has recently revealed to me concerning the subject of "loving our enemies."

 

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12 – KJV)

 

According to this passage of Scripture, our real enemies are not defined in terms of flesh and blood. In other words, people, regardless of their race, creed, national, political or religious affiliation, are NOT our enemies. This is why we are commanded to love them in the same way that we love ourselves. Our REAL enemies are more accurately defined as principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places.

 

Now here's the shocker: The spiritual man must move to the point where he can learn to love even these! Let me repeat myself once again: The spiritual man WILL LEARN TO LOVE EVEN THESE ENEMIES! Now before you are convinced that I have really gone off my rocker this time, please bear with. I will assure you that my sole purpose for this article is to glorify God. But first, you must be able to see that ALL THINGS are working according to the big picture and plan of our sovereign LORD.

 

THE PROBLEM WITH DUALISM

 

Fundamental Christianity promotes what is commonly referred to as a "dualistic theology," which has its roots in Persian Zoroastrianism. In other words, God is opposed to Satan, and Satan is warring against God. According to R.C. Zaehner, who was for years regarded as one of the leading authorities on the ancient religion of Zoroaster, "God was so completely identified with goodness and righteousness that it became unthinkable that he could be even indirectly responsible for evil." The Scriptures, however, clearly teach otherwise [See Job 26:13; Isaiah 45:7; Amos 3:6].

 

*NOTE: Zoroastrians do not believe in a place of everlasting punishment. According to Zaehner: "God does not condemn his creatures to eternal torment for sins, however terrible, committed in time. These are punished, and punished severely, in a temporal Hell over which Ahriman (Satan) and his demons preside; but no good God could mete out eternal punishment to his creatures, no matter how grave their sins, for this would be contrary both to his goodness and to his justice. To suppose otherwise is to attribute qualities to God which properly belong to the Devil; and for the Zoroastrian this is the crassest blasphemy." – R.C. Zaehner Teachings of the Magi

 

As long as one holds to the church's dualistic system of belief, my previous comment concerning the act of loving these spirits will seem preposterous. For instead of being able to see the truth that it is God Himself who sends these "ministering spirits" to instruct, correct, or discipline us, people will see these spirits acting in opposition to God, rather than for Him [See II Chronicles 18:18-22; Job 1:6-12].

 

It is precisely this type of false belief that has encouraged many heretical teachings in the church today, for instance, the "health and wealth" gospel. The common teaching says that if things aren't going well for you in the terms of good health and financial blessings, then something must be amiss in your walk with God. Perhaps there is some "secret sin" in your life of which you need to repent. Maybe you're not "tithing" to the church the required 10%, or maybe you're not stepping out in your faith with a generous "seed" gift. Surely God wants to bless you, but unless you do what His church requires of you, His hands are tied. I wonder what today's church would tell the apostle Paul upon learning of all the suffering that he was enduring (see II Corinthians 11:23-28)? Perhaps he wasn't tithing the required 10%.

 

But Paul, unlike most Christians today, recognized God's hand upon his own life in allowing these ‘spirits' to buffet him:

 

"And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. [This ‘thorn' (whatever it may have been) in Paul's flesh was for the purpose of keeping him humbled] Concerning this thing I pleaded with the LORD three times that it might depart from me. [God's disciplinary measures toward us will not always be pleasant (Hebrews 12:11)] And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. [Paul had to learn to ‘die daily' – for Christ could not ‘increase' in his life unless he ‘decreased' (see John 3:30)]  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (II Corinthians 12:7-10)

 

Paul came to the point where he could take pleasure in his suffering for the sake of Christ, knowing that his reward would be great in heaven (see Luke 6:20-23). Peter reiterates this righteous attitude in his first epistle:

 

"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified." (I Peter 4:12-14)

 

James also testifies of these truths:

 

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:2-4)

 

And the author of the book of Hebrews adds the following:

 

If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?" (Hebrews 12:7-9)

 

"God's discipline is too often mistaken for His indignation. The presence of trials and distresses are not a proof of sin and God's anger, but may be the tokens of His love. Job's friends tried to convince him that his calamities came as the penalty of his own misdeeds. Job himself thought that God was his enemy and had conspired against him. All were wrong, for the blessed result of a closer knowledge of his Maker fully vindicated God for all the afflictions He had brought upon him. Job had heard of Him, but after his trial he could say that he had seen Him – a more intimate acquaintance." – A.E. Knoch, Concordant Commentary on the New Testament

 

Most of us are only concerned with the here and now. We have our eyes set upon earthly things. When things don't always go the way we want them to, we have the tendency to blame God. We fail to remember that it is God Himself who causes it to rain upon both the just as well as the unjust. As a result, we are unable to see the presence of God's hand in our disheartening circumstances, and are unaware that these are but part of the process by which He is bringing us into the larger and nearer place He has prepared for us. From our limited perspective, many things occur that we won't understand until God's glory is revealed. But there is great peace in having the faith that everything is going according to God's wonderful plan.

 

In this ethnically and racially divided society in which we live, my greatest remaining challenge will be to treat each and every person as a beloved child of God. It is only in remembering that His wonderful grace, which is in the process of transforming me, is also at work in every other person. The triumph of Love will not be complete until every last person has been redeemed. A chosen few will experience redemption during this life, while most will experience it after death; but make no mistake about it – Love WILL triumph! For God IS Love, and LOVE NEVER FAILS!

 

"And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away." (Revelation 21:3,4 – ASV)

 

"Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth! Sing about the glory of his name! Tell the world how glorious he is. Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds! Your enemies cringe before your mighty power. Everything on earth will worship you; they will sing your praises, shouting your name in glorious songs.'" (Psalm 66:1-4 – NLT)