There is no ethic that runs more against our human nature than the ethic of loving our enemies. Some critics of the Bible say that this is where Jesus went too far. There is no possible way for people to love those that hurt them. Christ is simply asking too much in vv. 38-48. The natural instinct of men is; if you are good to me, I will be good to you. Loving enemies goes against every natural instinct in us. It is asking more of us than we could ever do.
Is this true? Is Jesus asking too much? We do have ample testimony of Christians who did love their enemies. In Acts 7 Stephen prays for those stoning him, that God would forgive them. Many martyrs throughout history have prayed for their persecutors as they were being killed. Corrie Ten Boom showed mercy and concern for the Nazi prison guards who beat her and her sister. When the Auca Indians in Ecuador savagely killed missionary Jim Elliot, Jim's widow Elizabeth devoted her life to living among those same Indians, translating the Bible into their language.
This ethic of loving your enemies is radical; and yes, it rubs against every fiber in your being. Can you practice this radical love? Well, not only can you practice this type of love; you must practice this type of love. In our Lord's mind, this is not an option for Christians. To refuse to love your enemies is to reject the gospel; it is to reject Christ. Let us consider more closely our Lord's command to love our enemies.
As usual Jesus begins by contrasting his ethic with the ethic that governed OT Israel. In v. 38 Jesus quotes the Law of Moses; an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. In v. 43 the Lord summarizes the OT ethic towards enemy nations. In Israel you were to love your friends and hate your enemies.
In the Promised Land, justice was the governing principle toward enemies, not mercy. On a personal level, if someone hurt you, they were to be hurt the same way; an eye for an eye. The principle of justice applied on a national level also. The Israelites were forbidden to show mercy to the Canaanites. They were to destroy the Canaanite nations who were their enemies.
Why was Israel governed by a principle of justice toward enemies? Well, Canaan was a picture of heaven. What principle will govern God's relationship with his enemies when they stand before God in heaven? Justice.
When you stand before God on Judgment Day there will be no mercy, no second chances; it will be a time for justice. If Christ is not your sin-bearer, you will pay for your sins in judgment. The laws of Canaan concerning enemies reflected this principle of justice.
But something changed with the coming of Christ. We are not in Canaan anymore. We are in a time of mercy. God's justice is now held off until he returns. Until Christ returns the principle that governs our relationship with enemies is mercy, not justice.
This is reflected most clearly in Jesus' prayer on the cross for those who had crucified him; Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Jesus did not say, "remember Father, an eye for en eye; give me justice." He did not ask God to wipe out his enemies like the Israelites wiped out the Canaanites. Jesus inaugurated an age governed by mercy toward enemies.
Now Christ is not speaking here of a nation's civil laws, as if a court must let murderers go and give them a second chance. Jesus is speaking to his people, not to governments. The Lord is dealing with your relationships on a personal level.
This type of Christian love must go beyond the love instinctive to all men. Jesus says in vv. 46&47, if you only to good to those who treat you well, so what. Unbelievers naturally love this way. If you only desire good things to happen to people you like, so what; unbelievers love this way. Anybody can love those who love them; anybody can love those easy to love.
Some of you may have read the interview with Raghad and Rana, the daughters of Sadaam Hussein, where they affirmed that Sadaam was a very loving grandfather to his daughters and granddaughters. Even evil men can love those they feel love toward. So what. That is not Christian love.
Christian love goes beyond a love for those you are naturally inclined to love. Jesus calls you to do something that is not natural; to bless those who insult you; to desire good to those who hurt you; to give to those who do not deserve it. This is a love foreign to natural man. This is a love from the Spirit of God. This love only comes to those who have been born from above.
In vv. 39-41 our Lord gives some examples as to how this love is applied. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other cheek also. Jesus is not speaking literally in these examples. He is not suggesting that if you are hit you should ask to be hit again. And he is not suggesting you shouldn't protect yourself physically. To hit someone on the right cheek is to slap him with the back of your right hand. In other words, it is to give an insult. A slap with the hand refers to receiving an insult.
So how should a Christian respond to an insult? Naturally when someone insults you, you want to insult him back. But Jesus says, give him the other cheek; allow him to insult you again. Do not retaliate with an insult back. Allow him to speak evil about you and do not return evil with evil.
In the same way, if anyone forces you to go a mile, go two miles. Jesus was referring to the practice of the Roman soldiers who would force people to carry their loads. How should a Christian respond to such treatment? Should they pray God's curses on the Romans? Should they refuse because the Romans were God's enemies? No, Jesus says, go out of your way to help them, even if they force you. And surprise them; help them even more than they ask.
If a man sues you and asks for your inner tunic, give him your outer cloak also. According to the Mosaic Law, no one had a right to demand you give them your outer cloak, even if you owed him money. The outer cloak was necessary to stay warm. In other words, Jesus is saying; give up your rights to people who may not deserve it.
Maybe you have set apart a portion of your Sunday evening to relax at home. But then someone calls and needs your help. The person who calls never does anything for you. What do you do? Jesus says, give up your rights; go help that person, even if that person takes advantage of you and doesn't do anything in response.
We have a neighbor who does not like children; he lectures my children if they even touch his grass. Our natural reaction as parents was to join the other neighbors who criticize him behind his back. Instead Cheryl baked him cookies. No, it didn't change his attitude, but it was the kind of thing Jesus called us to do.
You may have a boss at work that does not treat you fairly. Your co-workers will insult him behind his back. But God calls you not to join their insults. Instead, speak well of those who mistreat you; pray for them.
Why are we called to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us? Jesus answers that question in vv. 45-48. Through the work of Christ we have been made God's children, and children are to reflect their father. God redeemed us so that we would reflect God's character, and God is kind to his enemies.
God's providence reveals his kindness towards those who hate him. Men blasphemy God name every day; yet he sends sunshine and rain on the wicked. If God were operating by the principle of justice, he would stop the sunshine and only send tornadoes and earthquakes. But he is kind to those who hate him, so you are to be kind to those who hate you.
Jesus Christ did not come down from the cross to exact vengeance on his enemies. He knew that we were entering a time of mercy; his prayer for mercy on his enemies reflected the attitude of his Father in heaven. When you do good to your enemies you reflect the attitude of your Father in heaven.
How important is this ethic of loving your enemies? V. 45; love your enemies that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. Mercy toward your enemies is so fundamental that without it you cannot claim to be a Christian. A Christian by definition is merciful.
This doesn¿t mean you will not struggle with bitter feelings toward certain people. But if your only response to those who hate you is pure hatred back at them, how can you claim to be a Christian? A true Christian confesses bitter feelings to God, and endeavors, however imperfectly, not to pay back evil with evil.
The Lord sums up this section in v. 48 with the words, "you must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." Our word "perfect" in the English is much narrower than the Greek word. In v. 48 the word perfect means "righteous." You shall be righteous as God is righteous. In this case, you must be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful.
The only question left to ask is, how can we practice this love which is so against our nature? How can we desire good for people whom we naturally have such bad feelings towards?
The answer, as you are expecting, is the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are to operate out of the mercy we have received through the gospel.
You see there is a problem with wanting justice for others; there is a problem with desiring that those who hurt you receive a similar response. The problem is that we apply the principle of justice to everyone but ourselves. Rarely do we say to others, if I hurt you, hurt me back the same way. No, when we have a bad day and are rude to someone, we do not want them to be rude to us; we want them to overlook our bad mood; we want forgiveness.
I have yet heard a Christian pray, Lord, when I sin against you, give me what I deserve for that sin. No, we naturally ask for mercy. We desire justice for others who do evil, but we never apply that same principle to ourselves.
You will want the best for your enemies when you become convinced that you are a sinner only deserving God's justice, but God had mercy on you in Christ. If you are not thankful for God's mercy to you, if you are not convinced of your own unworthiness, then you will have no mercy for others.
When someone insults you or treats you poorly, remember the mercy God showed you, and respond in kind.
The more bitter the hurt from others the more difficult this type of love is to practice. It will help to begin to look at people from God's perspective. If you are the center of your universe, then you will respond to people based upon one principle — how does that person treat me. If you are at the center of your universe, you will only see two kinds of people in the world, those who have treated you well, and thus worthy of your love, and those who have treated you poorly, thus worthy of your hate. But that is how unbelievers look at people.
The Lord calls you to look at people from his perspective. Take yourself out of the center of the universe; God is the center of the universe. He is merciful to all sinners. He sees all unbelievers the same. Instead of asking, what do I think of that person, and respond according to that; ask, what does God think of that person? Does my prayer for that person match Jesus¿ prayer for his enemies on the cross?
Remember, there will come a time when the principle of justice will be applied. Nobody will get away with anything. But until Judgment Day we live in a time of mercy. God is saving the worst of sinners; that is his heart. That is to be our hearts toward our enemies, that God would save them.
Why did the martyrs pray for their persecutors? Why did Corrie Ten Boom offer help to her Nazi captors? Why did Elizabeth Elliot seek the salvation of those who murdered her husband? They loved their enemies for the same reason you are to be kind to those who hurt you. Because God has showed you eternal mercy in the gospel, though you deserved only strict justice. If you have received mercy, show mercy.
Think of someone right now you really do not like. Think of someone who makes your life difficult. It may be someone at work, or a relative, or even someone at church. Whatever person is in your mind, endeavor to show kindness to him and not speak evil of him. Endeavor to pray for God's mercy to be shown that person.
As you seek the good of those who hurt you, you prove yourself children of your heavenly Father who is kind to his enemies. As you are kind to unkind people you live out a love that cannot be found in this world; you demonstrate that you have the very Spirit of Christ in you. And your reward for your kindness will be great in heaven.