It is important to understand how the coming of Jesus was intended to impact the views of people previously under the Law of Moses. As believers who hold to the divine inspiration and relevance of all the Bible, it is vital to our understanding that the New Testament holds precedence over the Old. This is not to say the Old Testament is of lesser value or is in any way outdated. It is all the infallible Word of God and the context, with the help of the Holy Spirit to compare scripture with scripture, guides us into rightly dividing the word of truth with practical application.
Just this morning I was reading what David wrote in Psalm 139:19-22: "Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. 20 For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. 21 Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies." David viewed those who walked wickedly as enemies of God, despised them, and even desired their destruction. In seasons of self righteousness I have sadly done the same. To his credit the very next verses David humbly implored God to search his own heart and see if there be any wicked way in him so he could be led to life everlasting. But just because David hated bloodthirsty blasphemers would it be righteous for me to do so? King David was a ruler under Mosaic Law which governed him in his execution of justice. Jesus Christ, the KING OF KINGS, has the right to overrule those who came before Him and who could not comprehend the grace of the Gospel yet to be revealed. It was because of God's love for all the world--sinners deserving and destined for destruction--that Jesus came to seek and save the lost.
Jesus said to the amazement of His disciples who revered David in Matthew 5:43-48, "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, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." We are not made perfect through the hatred of others but by faith in God and are enabled by Him to love them as He does. God's love in no way tramples on divine justice for Jesus was crucified on Calvary as a substitute for sinners. Seeing God has graciously atoned for our sins, forgiven us, and imputed the righteousness of Christ to us by faith, we are to love others--even our enemies. God knows who His enemies are and will deal with them in His time and way, and we are to do righteously in loving them in the meantime.
It's natural to hate the haters, yet as we receive the grace and love of God and walk in it we will be hated for it. The apostle John wrote in 1 John 3:11-16: "For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous. 13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." David's love and hate seemed very much black and white, an "us and them" based upon works or affiliation. John threw a curveball in emphasising our call and responsibility to love the brethren: our fellow believers. We wouldn't hate other professing Christians, would we? Of course we would, and we have! We have loved others less because we knew them well, because we were close to them, because we had high expectations they did not rise to meet. We are often far more critical of people in our circle and forget to extend to others the patience and grace God has freely given to us.
Loving others means to speak the truth motivated by the love of God and others even when it is unpopular or hurts. And when we have chosen to exercise faith in God by loving others sacrificially we ought not to be shocked when we are hated by the world for it. Our call is to go far beyond "an eye for an eye" or even the Golden Rule (to do to others as we would have done to us) but to love one another like Jesus loves us. Loving strikes at our hearts and souls, continuing to refine us when our exterior seems clean and sanctified. We are finite in every respect but God's love is infinite. Love is of God and the only way we can begin to love like Him is when we are born of God through faith in Christ and know God as the Holy Spirit fills us. Brothers and sisters, let us love one another even when we are hated. As we have freely received let us freely give.
Just this morning I was reading what David wrote in Psalm 139:19-22: "Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. 20 For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. 21 Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies." David viewed those who walked wickedly as enemies of God, despised them, and even desired their destruction. In seasons of self righteousness I have sadly done the same. To his credit the very next verses David humbly implored God to search his own heart and see if there be any wicked way in him so he could be led to life everlasting. But just because David hated bloodthirsty blasphemers would it be righteous for me to do so? King David was a ruler under Mosaic Law which governed him in his execution of justice. Jesus Christ, the KING OF KINGS, has the right to overrule those who came before Him and who could not comprehend the grace of the Gospel yet to be revealed. It was because of God's love for all the world--sinners deserving and destined for destruction--that Jesus came to seek and save the lost.
Jesus said to the amazement of His disciples who revered David in Matthew 5:43-48, "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, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." We are not made perfect through the hatred of others but by faith in God and are enabled by Him to love them as He does. God's love in no way tramples on divine justice for Jesus was crucified on Calvary as a substitute for sinners. Seeing God has graciously atoned for our sins, forgiven us, and imputed the righteousness of Christ to us by faith, we are to love others--even our enemies. God knows who His enemies are and will deal with them in His time and way, and we are to do righteously in loving them in the meantime.
It's natural to hate the haters, yet as we receive the grace and love of God and walk in it we will be hated for it. The apostle John wrote in 1 John 3:11-16: "For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous. 13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." David's love and hate seemed very much black and white, an "us and them" based upon works or affiliation. John threw a curveball in emphasising our call and responsibility to love the brethren: our fellow believers. We wouldn't hate other professing Christians, would we? Of course we would, and we have! We have loved others less because we knew them well, because we were close to them, because we had high expectations they did not rise to meet. We are often far more critical of people in our circle and forget to extend to others the patience and grace God has freely given to us.
Loving others means to speak the truth motivated by the love of God and others even when it is unpopular or hurts. And when we have chosen to exercise faith in God by loving others sacrificially we ought not to be shocked when we are hated by the world for it. Our call is to go far beyond "an eye for an eye" or even the Golden Rule (to do to others as we would have done to us) but to love one another like Jesus loves us. Loving strikes at our hearts and souls, continuing to refine us when our exterior seems clean and sanctified. We are finite in every respect but God's love is infinite. Love is of God and the only way we can begin to love like Him is when we are born of God through faith in Christ and know God as the Holy Spirit fills us. Brothers and sisters, let us love one another even when we are hated. As we have freely received let us freely give.
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