Love Your Enemies and Lead Them To the Truth

Who is Jesus Christ? All authority on earth has been given to him. One of the things that I love about Jesus Christ ironically is that he makes demands of us. Demands that we inevitably fall short of achieving in total, but they are demands nonetheless. Where we fall short, we look to His abundant gracy and mercy. Yet our spiritual walk is not one of drudgery, but one born out of love for God, and our fellow man, and a desire to serve Him. The highest freedom is the freedom from the bondage of sin, which comes through faith in Jesus Christ, and His meritous sacrifice.

Anyway, in a world of sin, there is bound to be conflict and strife among people born out of resentment, personal grudges, jealousy, or just plain rudeness and selfish insensitivity. Christ himself bore a life of persecution, and yet he prayed and blessed those who persecuted him. It doesn't seem natural not to be angry at a bitter antagonist, but Christ commands us to show love for those who hurt us and wrong us. John Piper writes:

Jesus' demand that we love our enemies, be merciful, make peace, and forgive assumes that there are people who are hard to love. The demand is expressed in different ways because people are hard to love in different ways. Jesus calls some people our "enemies," which means they are against us. They want to see us fail. Love them, Jesus says (Matt. 5:44; Luke 6:27,35). Others may be our personal enemies in this way, but simply people whose character or personality or condition makes them unattractive or even repulsive. Be merciful to them, Jesus says (Matt. 5:7; 18:33; Luke 10:37). Don't base your treatment of them on what they atrract or deserve, but on mercy. Others may be our relatives or friends who have taken offense at something we have done—rightly or wrongly—and the relationship is cold or non-existent. Strive to be reconciled to them, Jesus says (Matt. 5:23-26). Others may or may not have anything against you, but you do against them. Forgive them, Jesus says (Matt. 6:14-15). Don't let laziness or pride or anger keep you from the humble work of forgiving, peacemaking, and reconciliation.

The Apostle Paul reminds us:

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly never be conceited. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave itto the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
—Romans 12:14-21

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