Matthew 5:44 NASB
But I say to you,
love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
Devotional
The interpretation of the law among the Jews had departed very far from the intention of God.
The commandment to charity had been interpreted as follows: “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.”
The neighbors would then only be those people from whom we have experienced good things or behave as friends towards us or our relatives.
But now the Lord Jesus demands to love the enemies.
That is the point of the commandment of charity.
Not only love those who love us, but love the enemies.
We will probably all agree with this explanation of the Lord Jesus.
But what about the practice?
In practice, it is often seen that the enemies are hated.
This is actually not surprising.
Man is by nature a hater of God and neighbor.
Discovering grace teaches to confess this.
By grace love is wrought in the heart to God and neighbor, even to enemies.
Can you already see something of that in your heart?
Twitter: @SchoemakerHarry
Website 1: https://devotionals.harryschoemaker.nl
Website 2: http://bijbelplaatjes.nl
About Author
