Why do Christians love their enemies?

[brenton]

Re: Why do chrsitian love their enemies

Al Habeshi, I don't have my critical edition of the Greek New Testament here, but it is possible it was added.

Great thread. Beautiful, wonderful, honest questions. Brilliant really.

Not to replace or repeat what was said by Xians so far, but I believe that love is the central reality of Christian Theology, the foundation, the pillars, and the blood of the body of Christ, the Church. We are loved first even though we made ourselves enemies of God. In loving God in Jesus we begin to restore some of that humanity as God has provided. And the ultimate expression of every aspect of Christian ethics is love.
-we love, and so we turn the other cheek when we are beaten
-we love, and so we discipline our children
-we love, and so we lock up a criminal
-we love, and so we eat with someone with whom we disagree
-we love, and so we forgive our rapist, or our child's murderer
-we love, and so we reach out to other people in love

It is not easy, sometimes impossible, but that is what we are called to above else.

 

[Umar001]

Re: Why do chrsitian love their enemies

Al Habeshi, I don't have my critical edition of the Greek New Testament here, but it is possible it was added.

Great thread. Beautiful, wonderful, honest questions. Brilliant really.

Not to replace or repeat what was said by Xians so far, but I believe that love is the central reality of Christian Theology, the foundation, the pillars, and the blood of the body of Christ, the Church. We are loved first even though we made ourselves enemies of God. In loving God in Jesus we begin to restore some of that humanity as God has provided. And the ultimate expression of every aspect of Christian ethics is love.
-we love, and so we turn the other cheek when we are beaten
-we love, and so we discipline our children
-we love, and so we lock up a criminal
-we love, and so we eat with someone with whom we disagree
-we love, and so we forgive our rapist, or our child's murderer
-we love, and so we reach out to other people in love

It is not easy, sometimes impossible, but that is what we are called to above else.

Thank you,

There's going to be a fight between heaven and the other angels right? In the last days, is that going to involve turning the other cheek?

 

[brenton]

Re: Why do chrsitian love their enemies

Thank you,

There's going to be a fight between heaven and the other angels right? In the last days, is that going to involve turning the other cheek?

That's not how I read Revelation or any apocalypse, no, but you'll have to ask other Christians who believe that what they think about it.

 

[Umar001]

Re: Why do chrsitian love their enemies

That's not how I read Revelation or any apocalypse, no, but you'll have to ask other Christians who believe that what they think about it.

Okey dokes, so how do ya read it?

 

[JimMorrison]

Re: Why do chrsitian love their enemies

I don't understand why anyone would love their enemy. Can some Christians explain the wisdom behind this?

Isn't it asking too much of people to love their enemy, someone who they are naturally inclined to hate, for example, because they murdered their loved ones, are oppressive or something?

Wouldn't it just be enough to treat them with justice, with out having to love them?

I saw on the news a story about a Church with a big sign saying "Jesus loves Osama". What do you make of that? :?

because the only thing can change the world is Love.

 

[aamirsaab]

Re: Why do chrsitian love their enemies

because the only thing can change the world is Love.

I second that.

 

[JimMorrison]

Re: Why do chrsitian love their enemies

When you said Islam its Justice, we dont need justice if all people are... simply in pure love..

 

[thirdwatch512]

God made the world, and He loves all of us.. because He made us! and in return God expects us to love everyone else too.

christianity is a very very extremely peaceful religion. yes, there are christian terrorists (growing especially in indonesia) but they don't follow the Bible correctly..

فَمَعَ أَنَّنَا نَعِيشُ فِي الْجَسَدِ، فَإِنَّنَا لاَ نُحَارِبُ وَفْقاً لِلْجَسَدِ.

3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. - 2 corinthians 10:3

everyone should love everyone. and if we all did, we wouldn't have any enemies!

i ask those who think christianity is stupid for saying to love your enemies this - would you rather love someone, or hate them?

when we say love your enemies, we're not saying support their horrid actions that they might do.. we're just saying forgive them, and not to hate them. they are misguided and we should try and understand why they are how they are and to help them, not to kill them.

 

[Malaikah]

Re: Why do chrsitian love their enemies

When you said Islam its Justice, we dont need justice if all people are... simply in pure love..

That is very not true, especially if it means people will be acting out of emotions rather than justice.

because the only thing can change the world is Love.

I personally do not think so... love it self is just an emotion, and if not used in the proper way can make even more problems, if you want to change the world, you will need a lot more than that.

 

[Malaikah]

When we say love your enemies, we're not saying support their horrid actions that they might do.. we're just saying forgive them, and not to hate them. they are misguided and we should try and understand why they are how they are and to help them, not to kill them.

But the point I am trying to make is that forgiving someone does mean loving them, you can forgive someone who you do not like, you don't need to love the people who are truly against you.

And just because you hate someone for a legitimate reason (such as they committed a major crime against you and are not remorseful at all), that doesn't mean you have to treat them unjustly just because you hate them!

In fact the concept you mentioned there is very similar to how it is in Islam, but the reality not everyone can be helped, not everyone will listen, especially not those who are not ignorant and are just arrogant and continue in their crime over and over again!

And I ask again, what do Christians mean by love? How do you define it, officially?

 

[Keltoi]

But the point I am trying to make is that forgiving someone does mean loving them, you can forgive someone who you do not like, you don't need to love the people who are truly against you.

And just because you hate someone for a legitimate reason (such as they committed a major crime against you and are not remorseful at all), that doesn't mean you have to treat them unjustly just because you hate them!

In fact the concept you mentioned there is very similar to how it is in Islam, but the reality not everyone can be helped, not everyone will listen, especially not those who are not ignorant and are just arrogant and continue in their crime over and over again!

And I ask again, what do Christians mean by love? How do you define it, officially?

Sort of tricky to define love. However, if one is referring to pure love, then I think of a selfless emotion. Treating others as you would have yourself be treated.

 

[thirdwatch512]

malaikah - i think we all know what the Bible means by love. there's no reason for me to define it.

the Bible says to love everyone. and we should.. because we are ALL Gods children.

and sometimes people do deserve to get punished - but in a loving way. not in a way of hate. we should punish people out of love, not out of hate.

 

[Malaikah]

thirdwatch512,

Well, I do not know. Love itself is of different types. I would love my parents the way I love my friends, or the way I would love my husband, for example.

So what does it mean to love ones enemy?

People should be punished for justice, and for the better of society. Love and hate shouldn't have much to do with it (not in a court case anyway).

 

[glo]

thirdwatch512,

Well, I do not know. Love itself is of different types. I would love my parents the way I love my friends, or the way I would love my husband, for example.

So what does it mean to love ones enemy?

People should be punished for justice, and for the better of society. Love and hate shouldn't have much to do with it (not in a court case anyway).

Greetings, Malaikah

Because it is so late at night, allow me to copy and paste an article on love, according to the Biblical sense. I hope it will answer your question:

Question: "What is agape love?"

Answer: The Greek word "agape" is often translated "love" in the New Testament. How is "agape love" different from other types of love? The essence of agape love is self-sacrifice. Unlike our English word “love,” agape is not used in the Bible to refer to romantic or sexual love. Nor does it refer to close friendship or brotherly love, for which philia is used. Nor does agape mean charity, a term which the King James translators carried over from the Latin. Agape love is unique and is distinguished by its nature and character.

Agape is love which is of and from God, whose very nature is love itself. The Apostle John affirms this in 1 John 4:18: “God is love.” God does not merely love; He is love itself. Everything God does flows from His love. But it is important to remember that God’s love is not a sappy, sentimental love such as we often hear portrayed. God loves because that is His nature and the expression of His being. He loves the unlovable and the unlovely (us!), not because we deserve to be loved, but because it is His nature to do so, and He must be true to His nature and character. God’s love is displayed most clearly at the Cross, where Christ died for the unworthy creatures who were “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), not because we did anything to deserve it, “but God commends His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The object of agape love never does anything to merit His love. We are the undeserving recipients upon whom He lavishes that love. His love was demonstrated when He sent His Son into the world to “seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10), and to provide eternal life to those He sought and saved. He paid the ultimate sacrifice for those He loves.


In the same way, we are to love others sacrificially. Jesus gave the parable of the Good Samaritan as an example of sacrifice for the sake of others, even for those who may care nothing at all for us, or even hate us, as the Jews did the Samaritans. Sacrificial love is not based on a feeling, but a determined act of the will, a joyful resolve to put the welfare of others above our own. But this type of love does not come naturally to humans. Because of our fallen nature, we are incapable of producing such a love. If we are to love as God loves, that love – that agape – can only come from its true Source. This is the love which “has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us” when we became His children (Romans 5:5). Because that love is now in our hearts, we can obey Jesus who said, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. As I have loved you, you should also love one another” (John 13:34). This new commandment involves loving one another as He loved us – sacrificially – even to the point of death. But again, it is clear that only God can generate within us the kind of self-sacrificing love which is the proof that we are His children. “By this we have known the love of God, because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers” (1 John 3:16). Because of God’s love toward us, we are now able to love one another.

Peace

 

[Muslim Woman]

Salaam/peace;

...... sometimes people do deserve to get punished - but in a loving way. ......QUOTE]


how can we punish a child killer or a rapist in a loving way ?

 

[Skillganon]

how can we punish a child killer or a rapist in a loving way ?

This is suppose to be a witty remark:

Send flowers to his grave, and maybe a goodbye card if one is feeling charitable.

 

[Muslim Woman]

Salaam/peace;

This is suppose to be a witty remark:

Send flowers to his grave, and maybe a goodbye card if one is feeling charitable.

u mean before or after ?

 

[JimMorrison]

malaikah - i think we all know what the Bible means by love. there's no reason for me to define it.

the Bible says to love everyone. and we should.. because we are ALL Gods children.

and sometimes people do deserve to get punished - but in a loving way. not in a way of hate. we should punish people out of love, not out of hate.

Yeah!

 

[Eric H]

Greetings and peace be with you Malaikah;

People should be punished for justice, and for the better of society.

Are people in the position to judge others and punish them in the same way that God would?

Love and hate shouldn't have much to do with it (not in a court case anyway).

It is said that God loves each and every one of us despite all our sins. If God can love us in this way, should we also strive to love and forgive others in the same way that God loves us?

In the spirit of searching for God's love and mercy,

Eric

 

[Malaikah]

Are people in the position to judge others and punish them in the same way that God would?

No- we can hardly create anything equivalent to the fire of hell. But we have to try. That is what courts and laws are for, for justice.

It is said that God loves each and every one of us despite all our sins. If God can love us in this way, should we also strive to love and forgive others in the same way that God loves us?

But that isn't what Muslims believe. God doesn't love every single one of us- He only loves who believe in Him and do good deeds. He loves us because we earn it.

Us being His creation isn't enough to qualify us to be loved by Him, we have to earn His love... Just being a creation isn't enough, God isn't obliged to love everything He creates...