It is often said among Christians “ that they should love their enemies and pray for them”. Many Christians do make this statement without caring to know what it actually means. Many Christians believe this statement is a call to “stupidity” or “foolishness”.
Matthew 5:54
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.
Now, before we go further, we need to understand what “LOVE” means, then also why do we love.
Using God’s standard definition for the word “love”. It simply can be summarized as “ensuring that people do the right things at all time”. It means correcting people who are not doing the right thing to do the right thing.
Prob 3:12
12. because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.
Hebrew 12:5-6
5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words (corrective words) God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the LORD ‘s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. 6 For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
These verses point out that discipline is an evidence of the Lord’s love. If He did not love us, He would not discipline us.
Now, correction or discipline is usually a though hurtful experience. Even in our society, the freedom of criminals are usually denied of them by putting them in a confined space called “prison” or “correction centre”.
As a parent, when you fail to correct your children when they do wrong things, you actually “hate” and not “love” them. Even in marriage, love is far beyond SEX or KISSING. Sex or kissing does not entirely keep a marriage, but doing the right things (correct things which is the real love) COMPLETELY secures it.
Haven used God’s standard of definition of what love is as pointed out in the scriptures,what then does it mean to love your enemy? Does it mean we should allow criminals have a filled day harming us without any resistance from us (Christians) NO! Why didn’t Jesus show his love to criminals by allowing criminals to kill him when his time to die (as planned by heaven) as not come?
Jesus understands the true meaning of love so he wouldn’t confuse stupidity with love. Jesus wouldn’t allow anyone to physically abuse him. Who dares that? Christians need to know this truth that executing justice and loving your enemies are not mutually exclusive.
1 Corinthians 13:6-7
6 It (talking about love) does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
We can see here, that justice is a form of correctional medium through which people can be corrected to do the right thing. Therefore, “loving your enemies” as a Christian is not a call to stupidity or foolishness, it is a call to correcting them so that they can depart from their evil ways.
