Let’s face it! We live in an enemy infested world. Nationally and internationally, we are fighting the enemies of our freedoms. Spiritually, we are fighting the enemies of our soul. All believers in Christ face three great enemies, the WORLD, the FLESH (our old human nature) and the DEVIL. The fundamental church has its enemies on the outside in the form of liberalism, modernism, socialism, secularism and compromising neo-evangelism. Also today the fundamental New Testament Church cannot escape the distasteful position of having ENEMIES from within. As we continue our study on how to treat one another in the family of God, let us examine from the Word of God "How to Treat Our ENEMIES.” Just how are you and I to TREAT those who oppose us, or who are unkind to us?

 

In the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5:43-48, our Lord spells out for us how we are to respond to our enemies:

 

 

Over the years, strained relationships have developed in Bible believing churches, including ours. They have developed among pastors, deacons, individual members and between groups within the ministry.

 

Because of strained relationships that can and do develop within the church, I believe this message may help us gain a new perspective and therefore begin to resolve some long-held grievances or issues.

 

I have to be honest with you, over my 43 years in the ministry there have been some people who could be called my enemies.

 

 

The ones over which I grieve the most are those I had the privilege to lead to Christ, to baptize and watch grow in the faith. Then through some bitterness or anger, or simply because they were caught in a web of someone else's attitude, they became an ENEMY of mine. Oh, how I long to see those who are estranged walk through the door of the church, so I can once again wrap my arms around them and love them as their pastor and preacher.

 

By nature, I am an easygoing person.

 

 

I hope you will not become my enemy. However, if you do, I will still be your friend. No, I do not enjoy having enemies. I know it is easier to thank God for my friends. Yet there is a treatment I must exercise toward my enemies. In this message let me share with youSeven principles on "How we ought to TREAT OUR ENEMIES within the family of God."

 

First: We are to LOVE those that hate us. Again in Matthew 5:43-44 we read, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies…” Our Lord certainly electrified the crowd standing around when He said, “Love your enemies.” Here He conveyed an unheard of concept to those who followed the Pharisees. They taught that it was the responsibility of a righteous man to love his neighbor.

 

In Leviticus 19:17-18 we read, “Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart; thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.” But the law said nothing about their responsibility to those who were outside the commonwealth of Israel. It appears they taught that godliness required one to love those who are loveable and near and dear to you, but one is justified in hating everyone else.

 

Now our Lord says, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor and love thy enemy also.”

 

 

Here Jesus defines our ENEMIES as those who curse us, hate us and exploit us selfishly. Remember at our Lord’s crucifixion, he left us a perfect example when He said "to love our enemies."

 

So what did our Lord do with all this hatful malice heaped against Him? Did He open His mouth from the cross and issue a curse against His enemies? Do you remember His first words? They were "FATHER, FORGIVE THEM; for they know not what they do." What a tremendous example of loving those who hated Him. In Ephesians 4:31-32 we read, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

 

Now since Christ’s love is an act of the will, and not simply an emotion, Jesus has the right to command us to LOVE OUR ENEMIES. Is there a way this is possible? YES, remember, God loves the wicked, but he does not love the wickedness of the wicked. Therefore,

 

Can we do good to our enemy even though he many have done evil to us? Yes, by rendering good for evil we might have an opportunity to win that man to Christ. Though we cannot avoid having enemies, we are to be no man's enemy.

 

To love a person who has abused, misused, and ill-treated us is the HIGHEST TEST OF TRUE CHRISTIANITY. It is not EASY, but by the grace of God it is POSSIBLE. Jesus said to the disciples in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another.” I believe this command is also for those in the family of God who in some way abused, misused, and ill-treated us.

 

Second: We are to BLESS those that curse us and do GOOD to those who do evil to us,Again in Matthew 5:44 we read, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you,” In other words, DEEDS, and ACTS of kindness should be showered upon those who hate us, abused us, misused us, and ill-treated us. It may be that such deeds and acts will have to be done anonymously. But we should never fight malice with malice. OUR WEAPONS ARE SPIRITUAL. We are to fight:

 

 

We are to BLESS those that curse us and do GOOD to those who do evil to us, in words, deeds and actions. The Apostle Paul amplifies this for us in Romans 12:14-21 where we read,

 

“Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. (15) Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. (16) Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. (17) Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. (18) If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. (19) Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. (20) Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. (21) Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

 

Verse 14 “Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not” is simply a re-statement of Matthew 5:44. The key idea in this passage is found in verse 19, Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” WE ARE TO LEAVE VENGEANCE IN THE HANDS OF GOD. Revenge is not sweet, yet you have either said it or thought it as I have,

 

 

My friend, it is NOT my job to seek to get even or to seek vengeance. And it is not your job either."VENGEANCE IS MINE, saith the Lord." It is God's business to see:

 

 

It is not my job to fight the battles against those who fight me. Never is one more like the Lord Jesus Christ than when he takes an attack WITHOUT RISING TO DEFEND OR AVENGE HIMSELF.

“Stop right there, preacher. Are you saying that we are to act and react against our HUMAN NATURE AND NEVER AVENGE OURSELVES?" According to verse 19, there is no way around it.

 

Pastor,

 

Someone said, "By now you should know that oftentimes common sense is not spiritual sense. That is our problem. We put our common sense to work where we ought to apply our heart to God's supernatural way, which makes perfect common sense because it is His way. He wants us to learn the value of substituting His way for our way."

 

In verse 19, notice the phrase, "give place unto wrath." The idea here is to "STAND BACK AND LET MAN'S WRATH WORK." If evil rushes towards us, we are TO LOVE THE EVILDOER AND STAND BACK WHILE HE STRIKES OUT IN BLIND SELFISHNESS.

 

Remember the little chant you said as a child, "Sticks and stones may break my _______ (bones), but _____ (names) will never hurt me.” Listen, our enemy make hurt us outwardly, but he cannot hurt us in the CITADEL of the heart where Jesus Christ holds us.

 

Vindication may not come until the Judgment seat of Christ for a Christian who has become my enemy, but it will be made manifest in the present of the universe.

 

Now in verse 20-21 we are instructed on how to act, “Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” The principle by which a Christian is to love is that of OVERFLOWING LOVE which will ultimately be OVERCOMING LOVE. We are to return kindness for unkindness. IF YOU ARE THE VICTIM OF SELFISHNESS OR UNKINDNESS, YOU MUST STAND IN CHRIST AND LOVE THE EVILDOERS IN RETURN.

 

Third: We are to PRAY for those who despitefully use us. Once again, returning to Matthew 5:43-44 we read, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. (44) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you…” Now the word "despiteful" means to unintentionally harm someone. So what are we to do about being used or harmed by accident? PRAY FOR THEM.

 

Someone said, "When we pray for our enemies, we find it easier to love them. It takes the POISON out of our attitude." Oh, how I have had to do this over the years with those who have called themselves my enemies.

 

 

So what are we to do to our enemy? We are to LOVE those that hate us. We are to BLESS those that curse us. We are to do GOOD to those who do evil to us. We are to PRAY for those who despitefully use us.

Fourth: We are not to go to court with a Christian Brother or Sister.This was obviously a problem in the church at Corinth, for in I Corinthians 6:1-8 we read,

 

 

Our churches and Christian schools are plagued by people who at the drop of a hat are easily offended and will think nothing of going to court against another Christian. Yet the text tells us:

 

 

Fifth: When our enemy strikes out, do not look at the criticism as being personal. Turning to Psalms 119:165 we read, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” Here is a verse I would encourage you to underline in your Bible, to memorize, and certainly to practice. O' I am sure you have heard it said:

 

 

This reference is saying "Don't have a wounded spirit." If you love the Word of God how much is there that will offend you? NOTHING SHOULD OFFEND YOU. This verse teaches us the more time you spend in the Word of God the more you take from the Word of God. The more you take and apply to your life, THE MORE YOU CAN HAVE VICTORY OVER ANY ENEMY.

 

Here is a little exercise that will help you as it has me over the years. Look at your enemy as BROKEN RATHER THAN BAD.

 

 

It has been said, “Behind every smile there is a broken heart. Behind the hardness of a heart there is a broken heart which made it hard.” People with hard, broken hearts are not bad; they are just broken. We must stop to ask ourselves: “If that person hurts, and they have hurt me, then why would I turn around and hurt them some more?"

Perhaps the most difficult step towards Christian maturity occurs when the Christian learns to LOVE those who HATE him, PRAY for those who despitefully use him, BLESS those who curse him and do GOOD to those who do evil to him.

 

Sixth: If our critics have not been privileged to learn what we know, don’t hold that against them. We are so constructed that:

 

 

Not everyone is at the same level as you or I in our knowledge of life or the circumstances of life. Not everyone is at the same level as you or I in our knowledge of Biblical truth or Biblical practice. No one criticizes a baby because he cannot ride a bike or a child because he does not know trigonometry. THEN WHY SHOULD WE HAVE OUR FEELINGS HURT BY THOSE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN PRIVILEGED TO LEARN WHAT YOU AND I ARE PRIVILEGED TO KNOW.

 

I must give leeway to those who are my critics, lest I become like them. Nobody needs my wounded spirit to turn into vengeance against them. I know from experience that God can give victory over a wounded spirit, or hurt feelings.

 

 

 

Seventh: As we go through life, we would do well to practice saying these words over and over again: "I am sorry, please forgive me. I am sorry, please forgive me." Then just as often, learn to say these words: “No problem, I forgive you, I forgive you."

 

 

Through this message, may God encourage you to avoid retaliation against those who offend you, or those who are unkind to you? Isn’t it time that we stop tearing down the positions of others in order to elevate our own positions within this ministry? Isn’t it time for us to take responsibility for our attitudes and reactions towards all of God’s people?

 

Let me close with a poem entitled "Could we not love Each Other?"

 

 

Are you thinking of someone who perhaps is your enemy or maybe your worse critic? Do not seek retaliation. Don't become offended. May you be challenged and encouraged to apply Matthew 5:44 to LOVE them, BLESS them, DO GOOD to them, and PRAY for them.