July-September
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:43, 44).
This was a very powerful sermon and its requirements were above what the rabbis taught. The listeners likely wondered: “Why would He bring this issue at this time when we are tired of forcefully paying taxes to Caesar, tired of being under his cruel government?” God’s chosen people had expected an earth-shattering announcement. There was hope this would be a declaration of independence for Israel and that (according to their human perspective) Jesus would free them from the cruelty of the Romans. Yet Christ was actually about to declare something better—a heavenly kingdom free from hatred, enmity, confrontation, and conflict, governed with an everlasting love.
The Jews had been oppressed for years by Egyptians, then Assyrians, then Babylonians, and now the Romans. They loved their fellow Jews, but they felt free to hate everyone else, especially their political enemies.
In a way, who could really blame them? After centuries of oppression, it was as if hatred for enemies had become their version of patriotism. Hating one’s enemies came naturally to them, but this is not what God had called them to do. The truth is that God had instructed them to care for their enemies and help them. (See Exodus 23:4, 5.) Jesus also revealed the spirituality of the law with the profound command: “Love your enemies.”
An enemy or a foe is an individual or a group considered to be forcefully adverse or threatening. “Enemy” is a strong word, and tends to invoke anger, hatred, frustration, envy, jealousy, fear, distrust, and possibly grudging respect, if not outright violence or even war. The opposite is a friend or ally.
Adversaries can be classed in different categories:
Common enemy: These are not very dangerous because their mission is to gossip and tarnish your name without PHYSICAL impact. (See Lamentations 3:62, 63; Psalm 69:12.)
“Frenemies”: These were once your friends but have now turned out to be your foes. You were vulnerable with them, sharing your weakness, any immature plans you might have once had, and even personal secrets. All the times you were alone together are at their mercy—and now they’re belittling these things to bring you down. This even happened to Jesus, who was perfect and never did anything foolish or wrong. “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9).
Family enemy: Within the household hatred may emerge between you and your siblings, parents, aunts, or uncles. Remember Cain and Abel, Esau and Jacob, Rachel and Leah, Joseph and his brothers, and David and his brothers. (See Psalm 69:4, 8.)
Enemy of Destiny: Saul the king of Israel was mad at David—even a mere mention of that name would make him lose his appetite and cause him sleepless nights. This was only because he saw a future in David; he sensed that he was going to become the king. And the fact that Samuel anointed him angered him the most.
Joseph’s brothers wanted to kill him so they could prevent the fulfillment of his dream of ruling over them—which he finally did.
King Herod made a decree to kill all the male children of Israel in order to destroy Jesus, the future king. Yes, this war had begun in heaven, and Satan came down with all craftiness to try to establish it even in the church. As long as Satan lives, war will never end.
We are warned that when God brings His converted children into the church, Satan also brings his unconverted souls into the church—such become church members and are often even placed in positions of trust while seeking to destroy the very foundation of God’s church. In order to gain and keep these positions, they use every means at their disposal to achieve their agenda. Some Christians have allegedly been poisoned, beaten, and killed just because of a church election.
The enemy of destiny is quick to identify a talented person likely to become a leader. He then uses all means possible to block and destroy that person and push his way into becoming the leader instead.
Remember: People can only delay God’s plans, but they cannot stop them. The destiny of a person as planned by God will be accomplished.
Associate enemy: This kind of enemy appears when someone with whom you are associated is an enemy of someone else. Because you’re connected to that person, you may end up as an enemy by default, as with the Samaritans and the Jews. (See John 4:9.)
A sworn enemy: These enemies make an oath, vowing in a hot decision to fight or even kill you. They will never rest till they accomplish their goal, for example, Saul against David (2 Samuel 22:18) and the enemies of Paul (Acts 23:12).
When we read John 3:16, we can clearly understand the Father’s immense love for undeserving sinners. Actually, the Christian message revolves around this great principle. Christians are called to love God in a way that resets our heart and enables us to love others in an extraordinary, radical way higher than human nature. This extends to our enemies as well. There is a common saying to “keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”
Since we, by nature, are born in the bondage of sin, our heart, thoughts, and emotions are naturally governed by worldly principles, but when we receive Christ the new life begins. Things have now changed. The bondage of sinful thoughts has been replaced with freedom to love and forgive. (See Galatians 5:13–21).
We have been bought by the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:19), and any believer who takes the name of Christ is fully His property (Galatians 2:20). When we surrender to Him, anything done to us is done to Christ.
“When the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart, it transforms the life. Sinful thoughts are put away, evil deeds are renounced; love, humility, and peace take the place of anger, envy, and strife.”—Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, p. 760.
When Jesus said, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44), He was referring to the enemies who hate you because you differ in religious beliefs. We have heard of many Christians being persecuted by Muslims, and even Christians turning against fellow Christians because they come from different churches, or oppression from family members due a disagreement in their beliefs.
Have you ever had someone who wronged you to willingly, humbly come and tell you, “Please, I know I wronged you; I did a very bad thing to you; I am the one who was responsible for your parents’ death. . . . I just don’t know what came over me . . . but I am the cause of your suffering. . . . Please find a place in your heart to forgive me!”
What would you do, dear brother/sister?
This indeed is a very tough step for normal human beings. It is bitter gall to swallow. Only the heart filled with the spirit of Christ will find it possible to forgive. (See Colossians 3:12–16.)
Jesus bids us pray: “Forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us” (Luke 11:4). “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12).
When we are wrong, we need to be forgiven but in order for us to be forgiven, we also need to forgive; it is a give-and-take condition. We should forgive because we are also forgiven. “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14, 15).
What is forgiveness? How do we understand the word “forgive”?
These famous quotes from unknown poets are familiar to most of us:
“All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12). “Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth” (Proverbs 24:17). “If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink. For thus shalt thou heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee” (Proverbs 25:21).
“Who is strong? He who converts an enemy into a friend.”—The Jewish Encyclopaedia (1906).
The members of the early church took time to reconcile with one another, confess, and make amends to the wrongs done to each other. Then their hearts were made ready to receive the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:14.)
Likewise, we today are looking forward to the outpouring of the latter rain. But unconfessed sins will hinder us from receiving that promise.
So what should we do? What if the person who wronged me doesn’t care? We are told:
“If there have been difficulties brethren and sisters—if envy, malice, bitterness, evil surmisings, have existed, confess these sins, not in a general way, but go to your brethren and sisters personally. Be definite. If you have committed one wrong and they twenty, confess that one as though you were the chief offender. Take them by the hand, let your heart soften under the influence of the Spirit of God, and say, ‘Will you forgive me? I have not felt right toward you. I want to make right every wrong, that naught may stand registered against me in the books of heaven. I must have a clean record.’ Who, think you, would withstand such a movement as this?”—The Review and Herald, December 16, 1884. [Emphasis added.]
You may have pushed some people out of the church by promoting yourself. Please confess. Some have attained and maintained positions of trust in various workplaces and schools, or even earned promotions just by stepping on other people’s back. Some have created job opportunities for their friends and relatives by setting traps for fellow employees. The victims lose their jobs and the plotters bring in that relative, that friend or acquaintance to fill that position. Those wronged have suffered and even lost their life. But, “the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head” (Obadiah 1:15).
The Spirit of Prophecy offers a strong admonition, yet shedding a ray of hope: “You could at least have made efforts to correct your acts of injustice to your fellow men. You cannot make every case right, for some whom you have injured have gone into their graves, and the account stands registered against you. In these cases the best you can do is to bring a trespass offering to the altar of the Lord, and He will accept and pardon you. But where you can, you should make reparation to the wronged ones.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 339.
While we still have time, let’s grab that opportunity and genuinely reconcile with these persons right away, so that God can forgive us.
Whatever the form or type of enemy we have, they deserve our love. On the cross, our Saviour prayed, “Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Stephen, at the point of death, also prayed, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge” (Acts 7:60). People will do bad things to us because they don’t understand what they’re doing. Satan has blinded their eyes or they are acting in ignorance. They need our prayers and love.