Love Your Enemy

When was the last time you prayed for your enemies?

I ask because we can sing about God’s amazing love to us and yet refuse to extend that love to others. We are quick to say amen when we hear about Christ loving His enemies while holding bitterness against ours.  

When we refuse to love our enemies, we reveal the part of our heart that has not been fully shaped by the gospel yet. 

Loving our enemies can be one of the most convicting commands in Scripture because Romans 5 reminds us that Christ died for us while we were still sinners—or in other words, while we were still His enemies. God blessed us, forgave us, and reconciled us to Himself. We were rebels against Him and His kingdom. Yet God gave His only Son to bear the wrath we deserved. Jesus willingly suffered mockery, torture, and even death for His enemies. And on the cross He prayed, “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34).

We can, and should say amen to these beautiful truths. But it should not stop there. True Christian love is shown not only by how we love those who love us, but by how we love those who have wronged us. We have all sinned against Christ an infinite number of times; yet He has never withheld His love from us, and He never will. The love we have received from Christ we are called to show to others, which includes our enemies.

So here is my exhortation: love your enemies and do not repay evil for evil. 

• When they gossip about you, speak well of them.

• When their speech is filled with hate, let yours be seasoned with grace.

• When they curse you, bless them.

• When they hope for your harm, pray for their healing.

• When they wrong you, do good to them.

Christian, love them as Christ has loved you. And as you do so, know that you are bearing witness to the gospel.