Matthew 5:43 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 become sons of your Father who is in the heavens, because He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust. (46) For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? (47) And if you greet only your brothers, what better thing are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? (48) You therefore shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.
[Part 2 of 2] "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy'" (v. 43). This is how men under the law react. If one is a neighbor, they react with love. If one is an enemy, they react with hate. "But I say to you, Love your enemies" (v. 44). The Christian reaction is different. Even if a person is your enemy, you still need to love him. "And pray for those who persecute you." They may persecute you, but your reaction must be to pray for them. "So that you may become sons of your Father who is in the heavens, because He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust" (v.45). This is God's reaction. God sends rain on the just as well as on the unjust. The sun shines on the good ones and on the evil ones. God does not react in an evil way toward men. Following this it says, "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?" (v. 46). If others love you, your natural reaction is to love them. But what reward do you receive? If this is all that a Christian can do, he is the same as the [sinners] . Such a reaction is too cheap and easy. "If you greet only your brothers, what better thing are you doing?" (v. 47). Or you may greet a person when you have nothing against him but turn away from him when there is something against him. If you do this, how are you different from the Gentiles? Such conduct is too low. "You therefore shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect" (v. 48). This means that we should react as God reacts.
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Watchman Nee, Messages for Building Up New Believers, pp.365-366. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA. Please visit us at www.emanna.com. Send comments to: [email protected].
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