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“Ye have heard that
it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy.” As always, the false teachers had perverted and corrupted God’s message to His people. It was a twofold perversion – perversion by omission and perversion by addition. They omitted the phrase, “as thyself ” and they added “and hate thine enemy.” Their message was lifted from God’s Word and it contained something from God’s revealed truth, yet there was a great departure from true, divine revelation. Satan’s perversion of God’s revelation often contains a little truth which makes his deception believable and so damns the souls of multitudes who are ignorant of the truth.
Where could they have got
the idea of being commanded to hate their enemies? They confused God’s enemies, enemies of the nation, enemies of mankind and enemies of God’s Kingdom with personal enemies (2 Chronicles 19:1,2; 1 Kings 21:20; 2 Samuel 12:14; Psalms 37:20; 139:20-22; 2 Chronicles 20:29; Esther 3:8-10; Acts 13:8-10; Philippians 3:18,19; James 4:4). They did not want to live up to God’s standard of loving their enemies as themselves, so they gave in to confusion, perversion and false interpretation. It is always like that. All who are full of self-love and self-centredness will always get themselves into self-deception through false interpretation.
“But
I say unto you …” What an authority! The emphasis is not only on what is said but on Who said it. It was not just that His teaching was the standard of truth; He Himself was the standard of truth. God’s love sent Him to save the world; His love brought Him to redeem humanity. He was not just the Word personified, He was Love in person. He came, full of pure, divine, infinite love. His love overleaped all the boundaries of race, nationality, age, culture and tribe. He had all authority to say, faithfully and forcefully, “love your enemies.” What He commanded seems impossible for the natural man. It is contrary to human nature to love our enemies. The carnal nature in man does not normally wish or seek the best for those who do the worst to him. Christ’s command requires a great transformation of our heart and nature. Genuine love for our enemies is one of sure evidences of true conversion and salvation. Lack of love for our enemies is a great warning sign that our profession lacks heaven’s approval. “But I say unto you, Love your enemies.” This is the kind of love that seeks and works to meet another’s highest welfare. This love involves both our attitude and our action towards our enemies, all our enemies.
“Be ye therefore
perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” The word, therefore, connects this verse to the preceding verses on love. This is a call to perfection in love, not perfection in knowledge, wisdom or power. ‘Be ye therefore perfect in love, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect in love’. Impossible? How can a loving Lord and Saviour demand and command what He knows to be impossible and unattainable? Yet, we must be quick to say that this perfection and the full scope of Christian perfection commanded in the Scriptures is utterly impossible in man’s own power. Christ, who has commanded this perfection, also assured us, “with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). That which God demands, He provides the power to accomplish. The impossible becomes possible for those who trust in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Sanctifier, because He gives them enabling, abundant, sufficient grace. “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
Be blessed as you listen to this third message on Christ-like Love. I pray that the love of God will be perfected in our hearts in Jesus’ name.
-Charity
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