Matthew 5: 43-48- Love Your Enemy

Read Matthew 5: 43-48-

We live in an ever-increasing polarized society. There are very few in the middle. Because of the dynamics of people largely living on opposite ends of the spectrum, it has given rise to varying degrees of hatred among people. It seems we have too many people living by the old saying, “If you are not for me, you are against me.”

Jesus changed the narrative on how we are to approach other people, especially those against us. Verses 44 and 45 say, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you maybe sons of your Father who is 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.” Jesus has given us the responsibility to be the peacemakers.  He expects to be the ones who take the extra effort to make sure relationships are positive in order for our testimony of the love of God stands true.

Does that mean we accept everything someone does who we do not feel is acceptable to God? No. It does mean we accept the person but not the sin. Sometimes that division will cause us to separate from those individuals because their continued behavior or life choices sit strongly against God’s principles.  We are not going to stay in associated with a known hitman. We are not going to stay in associated with someone who constantly steals. We are expected to continue to pray for those individuals and take them before God in prayer for the redemption of their soul.

There is another phrase we hear, love the sinner, hate the sin.  There is some truth in that however, those not in unison with God’s principles may not like that approach to them. We must work to balance being salt and light in this world and being seen as someone who is accepting of sinful behavior. Jesus was known for going to where many sinners were.  That did not mean He lived with them and made them close associates with Him.  This can be a complicated principle however, we are to work on ourselves and not harbor animosity against others and continue to work on being God’s positive light in the world.

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