Love your enemies

But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who mistreat and persecute you, Matthew 5:44.

On the mountain, CHRIST taught the crowd what to do after the new birth. THE SON OF GOD teaches us to do good, not only to our friends, but also to enemies, persecutors and other adversaries. Love your enemies means: bear with their weakness, their ignorance, their inability to love, and show them that you are a Child of GOD who loves the good and the bad.

For Our Heavenly Father makes His Sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and HE makes it rain on the just and on the unjust, Matthew 5:45 reveals. Thus, the LORD makes no distinction between those who love Him and those who do not, wanting all to come to repentance. This is why we must love and pray for those who are hostile to us.

By healing the ear of Malchus, one of those who came to arrest him, in Luke 22:51, THE LORD JESUS showed us the GOOD Example to imitate. By applying HIMSELF what HE had previously prescribed about loving enemies to the people who came to HIM.

Our RIGHTEOUS FATHER exercises Vengeance and Retribution on everyone's actions, which is why THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD said to pray for those who mistreat you. This is why the Deacon Stephen, before falling asleep, cried out with a loud voice: LORD, do not impute this sin to them, relates Acts 7:60. For Stephen followed the example of his MASTER, who had given HIS LIFE as the SAVIOR of mankind.

In the Old Testament, the prophet Elisha ordered the king of Israel to give bread and water to his Syrian prisoners. The king of Israel served them a great meal, and they ate and drank; then he sent them away. And the troops of the Syrians returned no more to the territory of Israel, recounts 2 Kings 6:23. Indeed, this wise counsel of love broke the spiral of hatred and brought lasting peace to the land.

Insulted, we bless; persecuted, we endure; slandered, we speak kindly... such was the reaction of the Apostle Paul and his companions to the persecutors of their faith, according to 1 Corinthians 4:12-13. Even today, GOD's people, who face many enemies, must follow these examples of love to make a difference and triumph over the world.

Vengeance is Mine, Retribution is Mine, says the LORD. But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; for if you do so, you will heap coals of fire on his head, says Romans 12:19-20.
Beloved, there's a formidable weapon against the devil: it's love. Learn to do good to those who gang up against you.

May God bless you abundantly.

Pasteur Clémentine