Saturday, 02 April 2011
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Who is Our Enemy?
Atheists. Agnostics. Secular. Humanists. Buddhists. Hindus. Muslims. Taoists. Jews. Mormons. Jehovah's Witnesses. Scientologists. Satanists. Luciferians. Pagans. Baha'i. Spiritualists. Shinto. Rastafarians. Soldiers. Pacifists. Democrats. Republicans. Liberals. Conservatives. Capitalists. Socialists. Communists. Anarchists. Libertarians. Homosexuals. Bisexuals. Transexuals. Fornicators. Drunks. Pedophiles. Murderers. Gamblers. Adulterers. Idolaters. Thieves. Liars. The Rich. The Poor. Everything and anything in between that I haven't mentioned.None of these are our enemies. These are all our friends. They are our neighbors. They are our family. It is not only our duty, but our joy to minister to these people, and love them whether they "deserve" it or not. We are all loved and served by One who's love we do not deserve. We are called to show this same unconditional love to everyone. Chances are, if you are a human being, you are or have been one of the labels listed above. And Christ loves you no less because of. Now that you've become a Christian, he loves you no more either. He can't. That's the beauty of agape. Our God loves us, even when we are Godless -- and we are Godless often.
We are Christians. We love. We bless. We forgive. We serve. We shine bright. We show Christ. And if some people don't want to know our God, that's ok, because it isn't us who brings someone to know God. God does that work within a person's heart. He is revealing himself to others constantly, wooing them with his unfathomable love, calling them home.
But -- don't we sometimes have the tendency to brush some of these people off? Sweep them off to the side? Neglect them? Judge them? Persecute them? Show them no mercy? No forgiveness? No compassion?
Weren't we once sinners?
Haven't we been Godless?
Aren't we Godless at times?These are not our enemies. They're casualties. They are POW's. And God is doing a work within them -- and the best way he can do that, is through you, Christian. You are put here to bless others, no matter how much they curse you. You are here to help others, no matter how much they harm you. You are here to forgive others, no matter what wrong they did to you. Because the one we follow did this for us -- because we are guilty, and he still loves us.
Is it easier to cast people off as our enemies and hopeless than it is to accept them and love them regardless of who they are? How do you reach out to those who some might consider your enemies?
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- From: jmallory@xanga
- Name: Jimmy
- Location: Dayton, Ohio, United States
- About Me: Jesus is alive and working in me. I'm just trying to manifest his glory.
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Comments (8)
Our only true enemy is ourself as a part of society. The more we do to prevent from being what we hate (Hate rude people? Take extra caution to not be one, etc.) the closer we come to making society better.
Jimmy,
You can love people all you want and that isn't wrong but there are some people in this world that you couldn't get to behave if you paid them.
Your article asks the question, "Who is Our Enemy?" The Bible has examples and tells us who our enemies are:
Philippians 3:17 ¶ Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
Philippians 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the _enemies_ of the cross of Christ:
Philippians 3:19 Whose end [is] destruction, whose God [is their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
The Bible also says that men love (agape) darkness:
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved (agapaō) darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Jesus does tell us to love our enemies but He doesn't say they aren't our enemies.
Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind [is] enmity (hatred) against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
And because of their hatred, it is directed towards people who go by Jesus' title. We're they're enemy even though we will love them.
Jude 1:3 ¶ Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort [you] that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
What does the word "contend" mean? Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words says:
signifies "to contend about a thing, as a combatant" (epi, "upon or about," intensive, agon, "a contest"), "to contend earnestly," Jud 1:3. The word "earnestly" is added to convey the intensive force of the preposition.
When love takes sides and you love your non-Christian brother who knocks on the door and tries to convert your Christian brother to Mormonism or another doctrine, love ceases to be love when it doesn't protect.
James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it] not, to him it is sin.
You know it is right to tell your Christian brother they're wrong but if you refuse to do it then it is sin.
James 4:4 says that friendship with the world is hatred with God.
And really the world says it is sloppy agape and we show that we have no sense when we approve of them being evil.
I had a neighbor who was bullied when he left his house. About 30+ years ago he was bullied and he punched the bully in the nose. They became the best of friends because it is when you stick up for what is right and wrong is when you show that you have some self respect and values and that someone else can value you. It is when you approve of evil that other people believe you are evil and they might love you for that but that isn't the way.
1 Thessalonians 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
You can't turn towards God unless you turn from something. Belief and repentance are the same thing. You can't turn towards God unless you turn away from the old and sometimes that requires loving like you are and other times people are dense and need to be told they are wrong because of pride.
Chuck
So very true!!!!
@Chuckt -" I had a neighbor who was bullied when he left his house. About 30+ years ago he was bullied and he punched the bully in the nose. They became the best of friends because it is when you stick up for what is right and wrong is when you show that you have some self respect and values and that someone else can value you. It is when you approve of evil that other people believe you are evil and they might love you for that but that isn't the way."
So what your saying is: (Jesus is wrong), If someone strikes me on the left cheek, instead of turning to them also my right cheek (as Jesus Suggested) I should Strike them back and show them that they are wrong and deserve to be struck.
If I do as Jesus suggested and turn the other cheek and forgive my attacker, I am showing approval and they will think me Evil.
Sorry Jesus, I cant follow you any more. You are a liar, I will follow @Chuckt From now on.
@JesusDeciple - No. I think I made it clear that we are to love others.
However, if I participate in any one of four things, I get considered unloving and the writer lumps anyone doing any one of these four things with being evil because he wrote: "Neglect them? Judge them? Persecute them? Show them no mercy? No forgiveness? No compassion?"
John 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Anyone who is used by the Holy Spirit to reprove the world of sin, righteousness, and of judgment is wrong because we're not showing love.
Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove (expose) [them].
Anyone reproving or exposing evil is considered judging. Can't do that in the eyes of the unbiblical church.
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof (reproof means expose), for *correction*, for instruction in righteousness:
We can't reprove, expose or correct with instruction.
Jude 1:3 ¶ Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort [you] that ye should earnestly contend (fight) for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
We're not allowed to fight for the faith. Don't claim to be following Jesus because he isn't the Jesus that wrote the Bible.
There is actually a fifth and sixth and seventh thing I could mention but they divide the church because they are following feelings instead of the Bible.
@JesusDeciple -
"So what your saying is: (Jesus is wrong), If someone strikes me on the left cheek, instead of turning to them also my right cheek (as Jesus Suggested) I should Strike them back and show them that they are wrong and deserve to be struck."
I never suggested that. I said he could love all he wants and that isn't wrong. I don't want to see violence but would you cry over the soul who goes to hell because someone thought it wasn't loving to warn them?
" We do not believe pacifism (or nonresistance) is the essential
point of Christ's teaching in Matthew 5:38-42. Nor do we believe
Christ was teaching to "turn the other cheek" in virtually all
circumstances. Even Christ did not literally turn the other cheek
when smitten by a member of the Sanhedrin (John 18:22-23)."
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/crj0167a.txt
I studied this and Jesus' actions did a lot for victim's rights. I know other pastors who hold this view.
Very good content because it quotes the Bible.
@Chuckt - Hi..
You referred to Jesus statement that we shall love our enemies.Allow me to expound somewhat on this.Jesus is our great exemplar to follow i think we will all will agree to that.And when we consider carefully his dealings with people we can see that the concept of Love have many facets.
Did Jesus love his enemies ? If you have read your bible you know that he spoke out very hard against the Pharisee`s on many occasions here is but one example Luk 11:39-43.On another occasion he told them that the Devil was there father..John 8:44
Now this did not mean though that he hated them.They where welcome in the Cristian congregation if they repented and where willing to follow his lead.