Here is a passage of Scripture most Christians have not thoroughly considered
or understood.
Matthew 5:43-45
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.
According to how Christians I know use this Scripture, I don't think they are
fully aware of what Jesus is saying here. Christians I know have used this
passage of Scripture to teach and practice that God, or Christ, loves everyone
the same. But that is not what Jesus is saying at all. You may think I am wrong
about the following, but I believe the serious student of the Word of God will
give serious consideration to the following.
"You have heard it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate
thine enemy," is Christ bringing up a command of God to His Covenant people,
Israel. Here is the original command:
Leviticus 19:18
18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor
bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Here, it must be understood
what God is saying to Moses. The first thing to understand is that the
Scriptures (Word of God), is to and for the Covenant people, or in other words,
believers.
God gave His Word to a believer (in this case, Moses), in order that Moses
may give it to other believers (in this case, Israel). It is important to
understand who are "the children of thy people," and who
are "thy neighbor."
The "children of thy people" are identified as Israel. "thy
neighbor" are identified as a member of one of the other eleven tribes,
again Israel.
In the world there have always been two distinct groups of people. Under the
economy of the Old Testament there was Israel (Covenant), and Gentiles
(non-Covenant). In the New Covenant the two groups still remain, however they
consist of Covenant Jews and Gentiles, and non-Covenant Jews and
Gentiles. And both are distinct from each other. One group is saved, the other
group is not saved. Thus, God is instructing Covenant Israel to love their
Covenant brethren, or other believers.
Matthew 5:43-45
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.
Here, in Matthew 5:43-45,
Jesus is not changing the original Law, He is establishing the Law. It is
possible that brethren may not have love for brethren for various reasons,
whether it be sin, disobedience, ignorance of the Word (Law), and other vairable
options and circumstances. Brethren do have enemies within the camp.
But Jesus does not command and instruct His people to have love for those
outside the Covenant, those who are not saved. Jesus commands His people to not
give that which is holy unto the dogs (non-Covenant), neither cast our pearls
before swine, for they not having holiness nor love for you will trample them
under their feet and turn again to "break," "wreck," or
"divide" you (Matt. 7:6). And since love is one of the greatest pearls among our family
jewels in the house of God, it is to be shared among brethren only. Not even God casts His
Pearl, Jesus Christ, to swine.
So, if you say these passages of Scripture teach Jesus has changed the Law so
that you as a believer are to love the unsaved, those outside the Covenant you
share with God, then you are teaching a change in the Law of Moses. Jesus did
not change the Law in Leviticus 19:18 with His statements in Matthew 5:43-45,
He established the Law. And since He came to fulfill the Law, and He is in us,
we too, have fulfilled the Law. And as a matter of daily practice we can now
obey the Law through the work of Christ in us. Love "the children of thy
people" and "thy neighbor," (Covenant brethren), for in doing so, you, as with Christ
who obeyed the Law with perfection, will also be found in obedience to the
command of God as well. Do not change the Law. Do not teach Jesus changed the Law. Be
obedient. God through His Law is looking out for you.
or understood.
Matthew 5:43-45
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.
According to how Christians I know use this Scripture, I don't think they are
fully aware of what Jesus is saying here. Christians I know have used this
passage of Scripture to teach and practice that God, or Christ, loves everyone
the same. But that is not what Jesus is saying at all. You may think I am wrong
about the following, but I believe the serious student of the Word of God will
give serious consideration to the following.
"You have heard it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate
thine enemy," is Christ bringing up a command of God to His Covenant people,
Israel. Here is the original command:
Leviticus 19:18
18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor
bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Here, it must be understood
what God is saying to Moses. The first thing to understand is that the
Scriptures (Word of God), is to and for the Covenant people, or in other words,
believers.
God gave His Word to a believer (in this case, Moses), in order that Moses
may give it to other believers (in this case, Israel). It is important to
understand who are "the children of thy people," and who
are "thy neighbor."
The "children of thy people" are identified as Israel. "thy
neighbor" are identified as a member of one of the other eleven tribes,
again Israel.
In the world there have always been two distinct groups of people. Under the
economy of the Old Testament there was Israel (Covenant), and Gentiles
(non-Covenant). In the New Covenant the two groups still remain, however they
consist of Covenant Jews and Gentiles, and non-Covenant Jews and
Gentiles. And both are distinct from each other. One group is saved, the other
group is not saved. Thus, God is instructing Covenant Israel to love their
Covenant brethren, or other believers.
Matthew 5:43-45
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.
Here, in Matthew 5:43-45,
Jesus is not changing the original Law, He is establishing the Law. It is
possible that brethren may not have love for brethren for various reasons,
whether it be sin, disobedience, ignorance of the Word (Law), and other vairable
options and circumstances. Brethren do have enemies within the camp.
But Jesus does not command and instruct His people to have love for those
outside the Covenant, those who are not saved. Jesus commands His people to not
give that which is holy unto the dogs (non-Covenant), neither cast our pearls
before swine, for they not having holiness nor love for you will trample them
under their feet and turn again to "break," "wreck," or
"divide" you (Matt. 7:6). And since love is one of the greatest pearls among our family
jewels in the house of God, it is to be shared among brethren only. Not even God casts His
Pearl, Jesus Christ, to swine.
So, if you say these passages of Scripture teach Jesus has changed the Law so
that you as a believer are to love the unsaved, those outside the Covenant you
share with God, then you are teaching a change in the Law of Moses. Jesus did
not change the Law in Leviticus 19:18 with His statements in Matthew 5:43-45,
He established the Law. And since He came to fulfill the Law, and He is in us,
we too, have fulfilled the Law. And as a matter of daily practice we can now
obey the Law through the work of Christ in us. Love "the children of thy
people" and "thy neighbor," (Covenant brethren), for in doing so, you, as with Christ
who obeyed the Law with perfection, will also be found in obedience to the
command of God as well. Do not change the Law. Do not teach Jesus changed the Law. Be
obedient. God through His Law is looking out for you.