Love your enemies

[Enoch111]

But, as I read the OT I don't really find anything much about loving enemies at all.

Looks like you failed to read Proverbs 25. It is right there in black and white:

21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.

 

[Helen]

Looks like you failed to read Proverbs 25. It is right there in black and white:

21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.

You are right obviously...I read your red and white.
But the OT overall, I don't see God requiring it of them...in fact the opposite..
"Destroy the enemies in the Land. "
Mainly because they represent sin in our lives...and this land of our soul must be plowed and the weeds taken out...while the NT is more about sowing into the soil and bring forth a good crop.

As I see it!

 

[Enoch111]

But the OT overall, I don't see God requiring it of them...in fact the opposite..
"Destroy the enemies in the Land. "

God was bringing divine judgment on the enemies of God and Israel when the Israelites were told to destroy their enemies. "Love your enemies" is a personal matter about your personal enemies.

 

[Dcopymope]

God was bringing divine judgment on the enemies of God and Israel when the Israelites were told to destroy their enemies. "Love your enemies" is a personal matter about your personal enemies.

What constitutes a "personal enemy"? Would Satan fit the description of a personal enemy?

 

[Marymog]

Interesting.

I am not even going to pretend that I have red this Thread...so I must do so...sometime...when I have checked through all the threads I haven't read yet this morning.

But, as I read the OT I don't really find anything much about loving enemies at all.

Thank you BG.

Read post #137

Mary

 

[Enoch111]

What constitutes a "personal enemy"? Would Satan fit the description of a personal enemy?

Absolutely. But he is the one enemy that Christians must resist and expose for the liar and deceiver that he is. There is no command to love our spirit enemies -- evil angels who are ruled by Satan. They are already destined for Hell -- the Lake of Fire.

 

[Boll Weevil]

Tell that to the money changers HE drove from the temple

Not sure what your point is. There is no mention of Jesus being physically violent to anyone in the temple situation. Scripture is silent regarding how He did what He did; therefore we can't conclude He was physical with them. There's another way of doing that: talking, reasoning with words. We can't assume, again scripture is silent, that Jesus used the whip on people. Obviously he could have used it on the animals.

 

[Boll Weevil]

To Enoch111 and Boll Weevil

Yall are asking questions that have been covered already in this thread. So, go back and reread and see if the answers are not there for you.

I have gone through and picked out some that I think will address what you ask . #26, 30, 36, 37, 50, 55, 57, 61, 63, 65, 71, 96, 103.

Take notes.

Stranger

I genuinely appreciate the time you took to list the post numbers for me to look at. I don't see many questions, if any, that I'm asking. I do see that anyone should be allowed to post their view of God's Word even though it may have already been expressed by someone else; however I appreciate your idea of brevity. I do understand where you're coming from. Yes, I don't want to "beat a dead horse"; yet this is a place for which the purpose is discussion. With that said I'll concede to your point.

 

[Mayflower]

Absolutely. But he is the one enemy that Christians must resist and expose for the liar and deceiver that he is. There is no command to love our spirit enemies -- evil angels who are ruled by Satan. They are already destined for Hell -- the Lake of Fire.

I have only been skimming this thread so far, but definitely want to read back. There are some awesome discussions here.

I remember being in first grade and I was telling all my classmates that Jesus wanted us to love the devil, but hate the sin. The teacher and everyone said I was all confused. I was adamant though. Lol.

But I do wonder if we are supposed to forgive Lucifer. Or feel sorry for him. If so, I have definitely failed in that area.

 

[Enoch111]

But I do wonder if we are supposed to forgive Lucifer. Or feel sorry for him. If so, I have definitely failed in that area.

You have been on the right track. We are not to worry about forgiving the Devil, but we are definitely told to resist the devil so that he flees from us. Even God will never forgive the Devil, but has prepared Hell (the Lake of Fire) for him and his evil angels.

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Rev 20:10)

 

[Stranger]

I genuinely appreciate the time you took to list the post numbers for me to look at. I don't see many questions, if any, that I'm asking. I do see that anyone should be allowed to post their view of God's Word even though it may have already been expressed by someone else; however I appreciate your idea of brevity. I do understand where you're coming from. Yes, I don't want to "beat a dead horse"; yet this is a place for which the purpose is discussion. With that said I'll concede to your point.

Pay attention. The 'answers' to the questions you are asking have been addressed already.

Stranger

 

[Mayflower]

You have been on the right track. We are not to worry about forgiving the Devil, but we are definitely told to resist the devil so that he flees from us. Even God will never forgive the Devil, but has prepared Hell (the Lake of Fire) for him and his evil angels.

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Rev 20:10)

Okay I have got the fleeing from him down pretty good. Those who really hate mean people should really be hating the devil, because he is the deceiver.

I really don't see myself as having any enemies. But the terrorists from 9/11...who persecute Christians...they seem so filled with hatred. These would be considered personal enemies. Unless someone reaches them for Christ, they will be destined for Hell.

 

[Mayflower]

Pay attention. The 'answers' to the questions you are asking have been addressed already.

Stranger

It is sort of a book though. Is there a table of contents?

 

[Philip James]

You have been on the right track. We are not to worry about forgiving the Devil, but we are definitely told to resist the devil so that he flees from us. Even God will never forgive the Devil, but has prepared Hell (the Lake of Fire) for him and his evil angels.

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Rev 20:10)

I fine way to resist the devil is to tell him that even he can be forgivin if he but bows to the man Jesus.
He never will so he always runs..

Pax!

 

[Stranger]

It is sort of a book though. Is there a table of contents?

No, you just have to read through them. If you do read through them, take notes, and ask questions if you have them.

Stranger

 

[Stranger]

Okay I have got the fleeing from him down pretty good. Those who really hate mean people should really be hating the devil, because he is the deceiver.

I really don't see myself as having any enemies. But the terrorists from 9/11...who persecute Christians...they seem so filled with hatred. These would be considered personal enemies. Unless someone reaches them for Christ, they will be destined for Hell.

Understand, as a born-again believer, you have enemies.

Stranger

 

[Nancy]

They were made into an example.

Also consider we were once enemies of God ourselves. We are to show grace to our enemies as they too may come to faith in Jesus. Then they would cease to be God's enemy.
But the invisible powers that drive people to be enemies will remain God's enemy. It is like we are a territory that is fought over and conquered by the Lord's army. Why destroy a territory when you can conquer it instead? (Ephesians 6:12) The real enemy is not to be loved.

Since God was just establishing the Israeli Nation, He would make a sure path for it so, if those opposed to God Almighty are there, they could NEVER hinder Gods plan or path for His Chosen. JMHO

 

[Nancy]

Israel was used as an instrument of God's wrath and justice against those in the promised land. Also God was making His Name great amongst the nations, amongst all the inhabitants who had forgotten their Creator and whored after demons who were no gods at all.

Speaking to Abraham concerning Israel God said:
Genesis 15:16
In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure."

Moses speaking to Israel before they went in to posses the land concerning the sin of the inhabitants said:
Deuteronomy 18
9 When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.
11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

Concerning the Lord's Namesake:
Deuteronomy 28
The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.
8The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.
9The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him. 10Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you.


Now concerning Christ's commission to love your enemy, it is clear and explicit...

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Is God not gracious and long-suffering? Is God not both just and merciful? We must remember we are the creature subject to God, not the other way around. If it is that God calls us to bring about justice, like police officers or other civil servants, we are called within God's providence and sovereignty. Yet within this we are continually called to love our enemy, just as God loved us as while we were enemies of His, He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sakes.

Atheists are enemies of God, even hostile to God, yet I continually pray they turn from their unbelief. Jews and Muslims are enemies of the cross, yet I pray they see the truth that is in Christ. Buddhists teach a doctrine contrary to that of Jesus, Hindus worship the demonic, and still I pray the light of the gospel releases them from their bondage. The Way is not the way of the world, it is holy.

Good post..

 

[Boll Weevil]

Pay attention. The 'answers' to the questions you are asking have been addressed already.

Stranger

You misunderstood. I'm saying I am not asking questions; yet you are saying I am. I haven't looked at the posts that you posted yet; though I will.

 

[Stranger]

You misunderstood. I'm saying I am not asking questions; yet you are saying I am. I haven't looked at the posts that you posted yet; though I will.

Well, take your post #123. You said you didn't think we have a complete answer to my question. And you said you didn't understand God's nature found in the Old Testament compared to His nature in the New Testament.

These may not be in question form but they are things that have been covered.

Stranger