But I'm Telling You

[WalterandDebbie]

Thursday 1-19-23 5th. Day Of The Weekly Cycle, Tevet 26 5783 30th. Winter Day

Read: Matthew 5:43–48 | Bible in a Year: Genesis 46–48; Matthew 13:1–30

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But I tell you, love your enemies. Matthew 5:44

“I know what they’re saying. But I’m telling you . . .” As a boy, I heard my mother give that speech a thousand times. The context was always peer pressure. She was trying to teach me not to follow the herd. I’m not a boy any longer, but herd mentality’s still alive and kicking. A current example is this phrase: “Only surround yourself with positive people.” Now while that phrase may be commonly heard, the question we must ask is: “Is that Christlike?”

“But I’m telling you . . .” Jesus uses that lead-in a number of times in Matthew 5. He knows full well what the world is constantly telling us. But His desire is that we live differently. In this case, He says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (v. 44). Later in the New Testament, the apostle Paul uses that very word to describe guess who? That’s right: us—“while we were God’s enemies” (Romans 5:10). Far from some “do as I say, not as I do,” Jesus backed up His words with actions. He loved us, and gave His life for us.

What if Christ had only made room in His life for “positive people”? Where would that leave us? Thanks be to God that His love is no respecter of persons. For God so loved the world, and in His strength we are called to do likewise.

When’s the last time someone extended love to you when you weren’t “positive”? What’s a tangible way today that you can show love to an enemy?
Father, it’s tempting to surround myself with only those who love me. But that’s not living, at least not the kind of living You desire for me. Help me to love even my enemies.

INSIGHT​

The teaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) was a corrective to the teaching and practices of popular religion in His day. Thus, He repeatedly said, “You have heard that it was said . . . . But I tell you” (5:21–44). Of note is His command to “be perfect” (v. 48). As with the other commands, Christ calls His followers to a higher standard. However, the perfection that’s in view isn’t moral perfection (sinlessness).

The Greek word teleios (from telos,) translated “perfect,” means “completeness” or “maturity,” something arriving at an intended end. Jesus calls His followers to “relational” maturity—an indiscriminate, mature love like the love of the heavenly Father. It’s a love that’s undeterred by pedigree or label, the kind of love modeled by the Samaritan in the parable in Luke 10:25–37.

By John Blase|January 19th, 2023

Living Like Christ Matthew Five: 43-48

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44 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;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Love, Walter and Debbie

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[Aunty Jane]

We have lost so many wonderful teachings of Christ because we surround ourselves with the wrong people who have the wrong attitude and who can draw us away from our Christian course.

1 Cor 15:33 CEB
"Don’t be deceived, bad company corrupts good character."
Concise and to the point.....so how do we correlate these two scriptures? How can we love our enemies without keeping "bad company"?

First of all, how do we identify who our "enemies" are? Their speech and conduct would reflect that they are against God and his Christ, either through lack of interest, or outright hatred for them. Their lifestyle would also indicated that their moral values are lacking. They don't want religion dictating what they do or say. So these would first be enemies of God, which would make them our enemies as well. In what way are we then to show love to people who show no love to us? Jesus uses the word "agapaō" which Strongs tells us is to "to love (in a social or moral sense)....to be full of good-will and exhibit the same....to have a preference for, wish well to, regard the welfare of... those who may wish to cause us harm because we are are Christ's disciples.

So "agapaō" means to love in the sense of not allowing ourselves to hate those who might hate us....not wanting to retaliate, or cause harm to them even if they were to do harm to us.
Speaking kindly rather than replying in angry retorts. Agapaō is not the kind of love that has to have emotional attachment, but it stands alone like it did with Jesus who would have shown no animosity towards the men who flogged him at Pilate's command.....nor would he have despised the ones who drove the nails into his flesh at Calvary. Its a love that transcends all emotion and keeps the focus on Jehovah rather than on ourselves and our suffering.

As you said in quoting Matthew 5:44-48 we can demonstrate that we are children of God by how we conduct ourselves...
45 so that you will be acting as children of your Father who is in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both the evil and the good and sends rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Therefore, just as your heavenly Father is complete in showing love to everyone, so also you must be complete." (CEB)

So, its not just when the going is good, that we show our Christian personality, but most especially when things are not going well....when persecution is brought upon us unjustly.....that is when we show our true colors.

Just as Jesus' words were true of the people of his day, they are also true today....Jesus would also be saying to us....."you heard it was said....but I say to you......".....correcting those who do not want to be corrected often brings a barrage of defensiveness, sarcasm, or even abuse, but they will never be able to say to Jesus....."nobody told me."