Love Your Enemy

As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.” -Excerpt from The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom

“I forgive you, brother!” I cried. “With all my heart.”

For a long moment we grasped each other’s hands. I had never known God’s love so intensely as I did then. But even so, I realized it was not my love. I had tried, and did not have the power. It was the power of the Holy Spirit.
-Excerpt from 7 Women: And The Secret Of Their Greatness by Eric Metaxas

“You have heard that it said” “But I tell you” You will hear these phrases used repeatedly by Jesus. He is saying, my teachings go beyond the Torah. My teachings touch not only the actions of a human being, but their hearts.

We will be in Matthew 5:21-48.

Last week we saw Jesus end his opening statements in the sermon on the mount, by declaring that if our righteousness does not surpass that of the pharisees, we will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Now, he is going to explain what he means by that.

Let’s begin with verses 21-22: “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”

In the ten commandments it said ‘You shall not murder,’ 6th commandment. But Jesus says, in truth, it goes further than this.

Anger with another person, prolonged can lead down an ugly path. He uses the word “Raca” which is an Aramaic term used for contempt for someone else. Particularly, when we view someone as unworthy/worthless. And he goes even further, “you fool!” calling someone a fool in biblical terms was very serious. To call someone a fool was to accuse them of being immoral.

Something as simple as anger can begin to lead to contempt. We begin to despise that person. And soon, we begin to view them as a fool, someone who is morally evil and backwards. And Jesus says, this is a pathway to destruction. Do not allow your heart to go down this road.

Next, 23-24: 23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

Just like last week, we see how Jesus gives us concrete actions that will help guide our own hearts toward the right. Jesus tells us, if we find that another person has something against us, we should take action as soon as possible to make it right.

It’s interesting too, it doesn’t say if we have something against someone else, but if someone else has something against us, we should try to make it right, if we can.

The result of such an action? Our heart is affected in a positive way. 

Next, 25-26: 25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Jesus continues on the topic of anger, and controlling our emotions. He reminds us, to settle matters quickly with our adversary. This certainly could refer to an actual legal situation. But, it’s also a great metaphor for a conflict with a friend or family member that begins to escalate. And Jesus tells us, it’s best if possible to resolve it. Sometimes a very small dispute can spiral out of control so quickly, and over time the relationship is ruined. But, if we pause when agitated, stop, and figure it out, we can make it right before it goes too far. He’s reminding us: Don’t let pride get in the way, these situations are too important. Choose to be the bigger person and make it right.

I’ve found being a Christian is essentially choosing over and over to be the bigger person in any given situation.

Next, Jesus is going to move on to the topic of lust and human sexuality.

Verses 27-28: 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

This is the 7th commandment in the 10 commandments. Again Jesus takes us to the heart. It’s not just about not having an affair. It’s goes further. If you even look at a woman lustfully, you’ve already broken that commandment.

Now, we’re Christians, yet many can attest to struggling with lust, or anger. Why? It’s because we’ve been given a new heart, but we still live in a fallen world. Our heart is redeemed, but still battles a fallen nature. So our hearts are undergoing a change from the Lord, from glory to glory. And the Lord wants us to cooperate in that process, by living the things Jesus is telling us.

Jesus goes on in the next two verses to explain the seriousness of sin. God takes sin very seriously, and we should too. Sin can affect our hearts in a profound way. But in the wrong direction! Jesus gives one of his strongest warnings in the entire New Testament here:

Verses 29-30: 29 “If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”

Guard your heart. By your choices, you can participate in guarding your heart. Or our hearts can become slowly corrupted by wrong choices. But do not be afraid! As always you have three powerful friends to help you in this journey: God your Father, Jesus Christ your savior, and the Holy Spirit within you.

If your eyes are leading you to lust, take action. Repent quickly. If your hand is causing you to stumble, take action, repent quickly. And by so doing, you will guard your heart.

Jesus is going to continue on the topic of sexuality, and now he’s going to speak particularly about marriage.

Verses 31-32: 31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Here we see that the law of Moses allowed a man to divorce a woman simply with a certificate of divorce, but, Jesus says the way of the heart is different. He says, divorce should be very rare, only in the case of sexual immorality, though other scriptures imply abandonment by an unbelieving spouse is also grounds for divorce (1st Cor 7:15). With these issues it’s always wise to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus is next going to get into community relations.

Verses 33-37: “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”

Let your “yes” be “yes” and let your “no” be “no.” This is heart integrity. There shouldn’t be a need for taking oaths, the integrity of a Christian should be so complete, that when we say something, we mean it, and we do it. And everyone simply expects that from us. Swearing oaths was a big thing in ancient times, and we still do it in court rooms today, but, God prefers our character be that we don’t need to swear anything, people simply know they can trust our word and our actions. This flows from a heart choice of integrity.

By series of decisions we build integrity, or we begin to lose integrity. But nothing is final, always come to Jesus, and he can fix anything in us, if we’ve lost integrity, Jesus can restore it, if we’ve developed sexual misconduct, Jesus can redeem it, if anger controls us, turn to Jesus, he will help us. Always, with all of this, remember the answer is to turn to Jesus, and ask Him to do a work in your heart, and then obey what Jesus speaks to you in the Holy Spirit.

The last ten verses are really going to round out this way of heart holiness that Jesus is explaining. He’s going to directly address how we deal with people who have hurt us, make us angry, and those we consider enemies.

Verses 38-39: 38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person.”

The old testament said, if you are attacked, you may retaliate. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. But Jesus says, do not resist an evil person.

If they speak poorly about you, don’t say to yourself, well I’m going to spread some rumors about them. Instead, take actions that are shockingly different then the way of the world. Pray for them. Set good boundaries, but refuse to hate them. Love them. It is radical act in a sinful world, and no one knows how to respond when they’ve spewed out hate and you’ve responded with love. 

Jesus continues, 39b: “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”

When Jesus was taken to the cross… When he was spit on, reviled, mocked, when nails were driven through his hands and feet, so much abuse was heaped upon him… it stopped there. Jesus did not return it to those who harmed him. He absorbed it. He took it upon himself. Hate, shame, rage, disdain, all ended. It did not boomerang back. It stopped. 

In middle-eastern culture, a slap was not a physical assault as much as it was an attack on the person’s honor. Jesus tells us: Don’t continue the cycle of hate. Let it end with you. And yes, you’ll look like you lost. But you actually won. Because hate and disdain was poured on you, and you refused to continue the cycle of hate, you ended it. That is holy love.

He continues, verse 40: “And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.”

Imagine, if someone takes something from you, and you offer them, without being ironic, your jacket too. This would speak to their greed, possibly change their life forever. But ultimately again, the act changes you. It changes your heart. By choosing a higher path, your heart begins to get used to choosing a higher path, and more and more, we choose the higher path naturally.

Does this mean we must always give someone something more if they steal from us? No, this is very situational, and must be led by the Holy Spirit. But the principle is clear: Don’t demand your rights, don’t retaliate. Love your enemy.

Next, verse 41: “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.”

Roman soldiers could compel civilians to carry supplies or belongings, and it was believed the rule was: Not beyond 1 mile. But Jesus says: Go the second mile.

It would’ve been so humiliating to be forced by foreign soldiers to carry their belongings, but Jesus flips the script, and says go a second mile with them. Suddenly a task forced on them, became an act of charity. And it shifts the entire spiritual environment.

Verse 42: “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”

Are we willing to help those in need? Poverty was very common at this time in Israel. There were many taxes from the Romans. And many felt they needed to protect what they had, instead of helping the poor. This is a great reminder that we ought to give generously to those in need, even if we risk our own financial safety.

In these last few verses, Jesus is going to get to the very heart of the matter. And he’s actually going to call it: “Being like your Father in heaven.”

So if you really want to go all in with God, which we all should, this is the way:

Verses 43-45: 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Jesus says, love your enemies. Not just your neighbors. Not just family or friends. But your actual enemies. And pray for those who persecute you. Is that possible? Or is this teaching too hard? I firmly believe, it is possible, and it’s not too hard.

There’s something many practice in recovery. If you have a resentment toward someone you’re instructed to pray for that person every night for two weeks, for God to guide them, favor them, and give them every good thing you want in life. What does this do? Over those two weeks, it changes your heart. And you begin to love that person.

Now, you should set firm boundaries with abusive people, but you can still forgive, love, and pray for them.

And we’re told by Jesus, if we do this, we’re being true sons and daughters of our Father in heaven. Because God does the same thing. He gives rain and food and safety to both those who love him and those who reject him. There are thousands of people in this city who reject and ignore God, yet they have air in their lungs, food, safety, jobs, and housing. God loves and cares for his enemies. Jesus wants us to do the same thing. By choosing this path in Christ, over and over, our hearts are placed in His hands, and he molds our hearts through these actions.

Jesus explains further: v.46-47: “46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?”

Anyone can love someone who loves them. But you are called to a higher way. The way of holy love.

Lastly, verse 48 says: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

This verse can feel intimidating, but see it in it’s context: The perfect way of love, to be like our Heavenly Father, is to love and pray for our enemies. To turn the other cheek. To go the extra mile. To refrain from lust. To keep our anger in check. And if we live out those things, we are indeed, living a way of life, where it can be said: They are perfect as their heavenly father is perfect.

This is the high calling. The holy path. It’s beautiful. It’s scary. It’s a bit intimidating. It’s exciting. It’s raw. It’s real. It gets into the nitty gritty of life. But when we look at it, we can all agree, it’s right. It’s really right.

Yet I think we look at it and think: “There’s just no way I can do that.” And we look down sadly, and want to give up.

But as we look down at the ground, something begins to spark in us, and it’s the Holy Spirit, whispering to our hearts: With Christ, anything is possible. 

Love. Your. enemy. Corrie Ten Boom learned this mystery through a single moment, seeking Jesus’ help. That then, must be the mystery of how to live the teaching of Jesus, in the moment of action, ask Him for help, and he will give the help, to complete the action. Her hand connected with the man who had tormented her in the concentration camp, and holy brotherly love was the result.