Verse by Verse

Today, we're gonna read and comment on instruction that Jesus gave to his disciples. In fact, it's a core teaching about a facet of Christianity that some people would think simply doesn't make sense. Notice what Christ taught his disciples in Luke chapter 6 verses 27 through 29. But I say to you who hear, love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you.

Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also, and from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Did you hear that? He actually said, love your enemies, do good to those that hate you, and actually pray for those that spitefully use you. Wow.

What a statement. Now to some people, such advice is foolishness, reasoning that it's unfair and unrealistic to expect a person to respond to an enemy this way. But the Bible actually shows us that these instructions by Christ from the Sermon on the Mount are actually essential if mankind is actually to survive. If we are to live in peace on this planet, this mindset of actually caring about those that are our adversaries is crucial. This describes the mind and thinking of Jesus Christ.

The example of Jesus and the word of God shows that the act of loving one's enemies, crazy as it sounds to some, involves developing a real concern for them and their well-being. Depending on what kind of enemy we're talking about, blessing one's enemies might mean looking for any good in them and not trashing them or throwing them under the bus. And for others, it might well mean letting go of the deep anger and hurt that one may have experienced at the hand of such an enemy. But this can also give us much to pray about for them, asking our heavenly father to help that person see their mistakes, to help them see the fruit of their errant thinking in ways, and to be merciful with them. But this instruction from Christ doesn't mean that we should approve of their hurtful actions or conduct or pretend they have done nothing wrong.

Much of what we've been talking about is actually called counterintuitive, which simply means it's not the way we human beings normally think. However, this is the way that Jesus Christ thinks. It is the way Jesus responded while being scoffed at, tortured, and even spat upon when he was arrested and crucified. The apostle Paul admonished the church in Philippians chapter 2. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself.

Let each of you look not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others. And then in verse 5 he said, let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. By now, it's obvious God's talking about a totally new way of thinking, a new way of thinking about others, a new way of thinking about ourselves, and a new way of thinking about the world and everyone in it. When we take a step back and strive to look at the world the way god sees it, we can better appreciate how and why this aspect of man's thinking needs to change. 2nd Peter 3 and verse 9 tells us that God desires that all humans would ultimately repent of their selfish ways, all of them.

That is God's sincere desire. But for that to happen, the malevolence, the hatred, the deep resentment that resides in the hearts of men must come to an end. Mankind will need a new heart. The prophet Ezekiel reveals that God will put a new heart in mankind, a heart of flesh, and put his spirit within those that repent of the selfishness that has characterized mankind from the beginning. What a wonderful day that will be.

It's no doubt true that most people today would say that loving our enemies, doing good to those that actually hate you, and turning our cheek in the face of accusation and criticism is simply an impossible expectation. And some of those same people would likely say that living in a future world of abundance, joy, and true peace under Jesus Christ is also an impossible dream. But my friends, god's plan is revealed in his word tells us that this change in the heart of man and a future world of living in peace is not only possible, but it's a sure thing.

Verse by Verse is a companion podcast to the daily bible verse blog, which you can find on the Life, Hope and Truth Learning Center. Check out the show notes for more.