Lessons from the King: Loving Your Enemies

 

In his book After You Believe, N.T. Wright shares this thought: “When you’re suddenly put to the test and don’t have time to think about how you’re coming across, your real nature will come out. That’s why character needs to go all the way through: Whatever fills you will spill out.” (p. 28).

This idea captures the heart of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:38-48. In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches that there is more than just surface-level obedience—beyond simply avoiding evil. He calls us to live with radical grace and love that reveals the heart of God. Loving our enemies isn’t just an ideal; it’s the evidence of a transformed heart, a life shaped by the character of the King.

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The Call to Grace Over Retaliation

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person.” (Matthew 5:38-39)

The law of retribution—“an eye for an eye”—was meant to prevent personal revenge and promote justice. However, Jesus introduces a new way: the way of grace. Instead of seeking vengeance, He calls us to respond with patience, generosity, and love.

Consider His examples:

• Turning the other cheek (v. 39) – In the ancient world, a slap was an insult more than a physical assault. Kingdom citizens are called to absorb the insult rather than retaliate.

• Giving beyond what is required (v. 40) – The poor had little, yet Jesus tells them to give even their cloak if sued. This radical generosity defies worldly wisdom.

• Going the extra mile (v. 41) – Under Roman law, Jews were required to carry a soldier’s pack for one mile. Jesus challenges them to double it—choosing service over resentment.

• Giving generously (v. 42) – Even in hardship, we are to be open-handed, trusting God’s provision.

Paul echoes this in Romans 12:14-21, urging believers to overcome evil with good. True justice isn’t found in revenge, but in reflecting the goodness of God in a broken world.

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The Call to Love Over Hate

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:43-44)

The Pharisees had twisted the law’s command to love their neighbors into permission to hate their enemies. But Jesus reveals the true intent of God’s heart: love is not limited by borders, race, or even morality. God sends rain on both the righteous and the wicked. His love extends to all—and ours must too.

What does loving an enemy look like?

• Love actively (v. 44) – Show kindness to those who oppose you.

• Pray for them (v. 44) – Intercede for those who mistreat you, asking for God’s mercy on their lives.

• Reflect God’s character (v. 45) – As God’s children, we are called to mirror His indiscriminate grace.

This isn’t easy. It’s much simpler to ignore those who hurt us, to justify our distance by saying we don’t “hate” them. But love calls for more. It requires interaction, kindness, and a willingness to extend mercy even when it isn’t deserved.

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The Call to Christlike Perfection

“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)

Jesus isn’t calling us to sinless perfection, but to completeness—to a maturity that reflects God’s character. True righteousness isn’t about checking the right religious boxes. It’s about a heart transformed by God’s love.

So where do we start?

• Trust God for justice – We don’t have to seek revenge; we can trust Him to make things right.

• Overcome evil with good – Through generosity, kindness, and forgiveness, we push back the darkness.

• Love even when it’s hard – Because that’s what God has done for us.

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The Challenge

This week, take a step toward radical grace:

• Show compassion—make a meal for someone, volunteer, or donate to a charity.

• Pray for someone who has wronged you.

Loving our enemies isn’t just about them—it’s about us. It’s about becoming the kind of people who reflect the heart of God. And when we do, we don’t just avoid sin—we become the light of the world.

May we be a people who overcome evil with good, not because it’s easy, but because it’s who we are in Christ.

Encountering God: The Foundation of Christian Identity and Community

 “As Christians we assert that religious experience — an encounter with the divine — is foundational to our self-identity. According to the biblical tradition, the goal of the human-divine encounter is the establishment of a community of people who stand in covenant with God.”

Stanley Grenz, Theology for the Community of God (p. 7)

Created for Community

God created human beings to be relational and social. This is why the very first thing God declares as "not good" in Creation is the loneliness of man. Adam had a relationship with God and spent time with animals, yet a key part of his life was missing: a relationship with another human. The creation of Eve was not just about marriage; it was about ensuring the presence of people throughout history. You and I were created for community.

A Relational God

The Bible teaches us that God is a relational God. He is not a distant deity who takes no interest in His creation. Rather, He is active and present in the world He has made. This means we are able, on some level, to experience God in our lives. One way we encounter Him is through nature. As Psalm 19:1-6 and Romans 1:20 affirm, when we stand in awe of creation, it is our spirit recognizing the reality of God.

Since we are spiritual beings, we will have moments when the Holy Spirit touches our hearts and minds. Consider the two disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:32 (NLT):
They said to each other, "Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?"
After encountering Jesus, their hearts burned within them. Our own encounters with God can stir a similar response.

Testing Spiritual Experiences

A word of caution: Not every "burning heart" moment is an experience from God. While we should expect divine encounters, we must also remember the biblical warning to test the spirits (1 John 4:1). People are often led astray when they assume every spiritual experience is from God without measuring it against Scripture. The Bible remains our ultimate standard for discerning truth.

Two Purposes of Divine Encounters

According to Stanley Grenz, there are two primary reasons why God gives us these "burning heart" moments:

1. To Guide Our Self-Identity
   We need divine guidance to understand who we are and why we were created. Our search for truth and purpose is only complete when we allow God to direct us. True self-discovery happens in the light of His revelation.

2. To Form a Covenant People
   We don’t follow Jesus alone. God’s purpose in sending Jesus was not simply to save us from our individual sins but to form us into His people. The Church is built on the foundation of the prophets and apostles (Ephesians 2:20) and is meant to reflect God’s character in the world.

A Question for Reflection

What divine encounter has significantly transformed your life?

Grenz reminds us that these encounters are foundational to our identity as God’s people, and we should expect them. They are not necessarily mystical experiences but moments where God grabs our attention and transforms our lives. Whether through reading Scripture, singing worship songs, hiking a trail, or even watching a movie, God reveals important truths that shape our hearts and guide our lives.

Sharing the Blessing

These divine encounters are not for us alone; they are also for the benefit of God’s people. Since we are created for community, when God blesses us with truth, insight, or transformation, we are to use those blessings to strengthen the Church. We are called to share what God has given us to edify His people.

Conclusion: Transformed for a Purpose

In the end, our encounters with God are not isolated moments meant only for personal inspiration—they are meant to shape us and draw us deeper into community with His people. From the very beginning, God designed us to be relational, and His work in our lives always has a communal purpose. When we experience God—whether through Scripture, worship, nature, or the quiet stirrings of the Holy Spirit—He is not only revealing more of Himself to us but also shaping us into the kind of people who reflect His love and truth in the world.

As we journey in faith, may we remain open to these divine encounters, always testing them against Scripture and seeking God’s wisdom in how they shape our identity and calling. And most importantly, may we use what God teaches us not just for our own growth but to encourage, strengthen, and build up the Church.

So let’s return to the question: What divine encounter has significantly transformed your life?

Whatever it may be, may you embrace it as part of God’s greater plan—not just for you, but for His people. Let us be faithful stewards of what He reveals, sharing His love, wisdom, and grace with those around us so that together, we may stand as a covenant people, reflecting His glory in the world.

Theology and Our Relationship with God

"Hence, the reality of faith itself — our commitment to the God revealed in Christ — calls forth theological reflection." — Stanley Grenz, Theology for the Community of God (p. 1)

As a parent of school-aged children, I frequently confront the reality that, while assisting them with their homework, I struggle to remember what they are learning. More often than I’d like to admit, I find myself turning to Google in search of the correct answers.

This experience illustrates a crucial truth: our knowledge of the world is limited. It is constrained by what we have learned, what we can recall, and the information available to us. There is no one person who possesses comprehensive knowledge about everything. Indeed, even specialists in a given field have gaps in their understanding. These gaps encourage us to engage in deeper inquiry and study.

This is true for the most important of all areas of inquiry: God.

The Need for Theological Reflection

Too often, because our contemporary culture emphasizes the “relationship” aspect of God, we feel like the study of God makes that relationship all about intellectual knowledge. We figure that because it is like a relationship, we will learn what we need along the way, through our experience. Unfortunately, this reality has contributed to the American Church not fully understanding who God is and how He expects us to live.

In a typical interpersonal relationship, we come to know another person through shared experiences. These moments reveal their character and provide us ample opportunities to engage in conversation and ask questions. However, our relationship with God operates differently. The experiences we have with Him must be interpreted through the lens of Scripture. The Bible serves as our primary source for understanding both who God is and His will for the world. Part of nurturing our relationship with God involves dedicating time to study and meditate on the Bible, which helps us in truly knowing Him.

We Are All Theologians

Many of us do not identify as theologians. For much of my life, I viewed myself simply as a Bible student, with the academic discipline of theology seeming distant and inaccessible. We often perceive theology through an academic lens, characterized by complex terminology and intricate ideas. This perception can lead to the conclusion that theology is irrelevant to our relationship with God.

It is true that theology can feel out of reach and not practical to following Jesus, but that is not all theology is. At its core, the work of theology is the work of thinking well about God. Understanding that God is the Creator is the work of theology. Knowing that God is Trinity is also the work of theology. As we think through what the Bible says about God, we are engaged in the task of theology.

Since theology is thinking well about God, then we engage in theology whenever we ponder His nature, His works, or His will for our lives. It is important for us to remember that theology is not merely an academic pursuit for scholars in seminaries; it is a necessary discipline for every believer who desires to grow in their faith. To follow Jesus faithfully requires that we take time to deepen our understanding of God through study, reflection, and application.

The Foundation of Theology

The foundation for theology is always Scripture. While it is true that nature reflects the glory of God, it is Scripture alone that provides us with the information that we need to truly understand who God is. Reading, studying, and meditating on the Bible are important parts of theology; they provide the correct input we need to think well about God. Without a solid grounding in Scripture, our thoughts about God can easily be shaped by cultural assumptions, personal experiences, or misconceptions rather than by biblical truth.

Yet, theology is not merely an individual endeavor. The Church, both historically and presently, plays a crucial role in shaping our understanding of God. Throughout history, faithful believers have wrestled with Scripture, created doctrines, and provided insights that help us think rightly about God. Engaging with the teachings of the Church helps guard against error and deepens our understanding by connecting us with the wisdom of the faithful people who have gone before us.

Theology Leads to Transformation

The goal of theology is not merely learning more information but fostering a deeper love for God and maturing our faith. Jesus taught that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). Loving God with our mind implies engaging in the work of theology—seeking to know Him rightly so that we may worship Him more fully and live in obedience to His will.

When we neglect theology, we risk distorting our understanding of God and living according to a false perception of Him. A faith that is not grounded in truth is susceptible to error, doubt, and instability. However, when we commit ourselves to theological reflection, we equip ourselves with the knowledge necessary to discern truth and to stand firm in our faith.

Ultimately, theology is a pursuit that leads to transformation. As we grow in our knowledge of God, our hearts are strengthened in commitment, our lives better reflect the character of Jesus, and our purpose aligns with God’s heart. Theology is not just about thinking well; it is also about living well. It is about knowing God so that we might love Him more deeply and follow Him more faithfully.

Sunday Prayer: Produce the Fruit

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who works within us to make us more like Jesus. Lord, my great desire is to bear the fruit that comes from being guided by the Spirit. Fill my heart with love, that I may love others as You have loved me. Let joy overflow in my life, even in trials, so that I may be a witness of Your goodness. Grant me perfect peace, calming the storms within me and helping me trust in Your will.

Teach me patience, Lord, in every situation and with every person, just as You are patient with me. May kindness and goodness flow from my words and actions, reflecting Your heart to the world. Strengthen my faithfulness, that I may walk in obedience and remain strong in my commitment to You.

Father, help me to be gentle in my responses, showing grace as You have shown grace to me. And give me self-control, that I may resist temptation and choose to live a life of holiness that reflects Your character in the world.

I surrender to the Holy Spirit’s work in my life. Shape me, mold me, and let my life bear fruit that glorifies You. In Jesus’ name, I pray.

Amen.