03/12/2021
In His final moments Jesus prayed forgiveness for those who were crucifying Him, do we have it within us to do the same? Could we forgive those that we would call our enemies? If we listen to Jesus as he underwent the passion, and took His final breaths from the cross, it should become apparent to us that He never called them His enemies, and as a matter of fact He never called anyone His enemy in all that is written about Him... why not?
“And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.”
Luke 23:33-34 ESV
As I was writing this morning my intention was to write about Jesus praying for His enemies from the cross, but as I listened to the words He spoke it dawned on me that Jesus didn’t view anyone as His enemy. I couldn’t bring myself to call the crowd gathered around Him His enemies as I wrote because I don’t believe that He felt that way... they were simply sinners, just as we were when we confessed, and accepted Him as our savior. We already know that God so loved the world that Jesus was sent to die for us, save us from sin and death, and was never meant to condemn us...
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
John 3:17 ESV
You might recount all the times in scripture when the word enemy was used, and say that I am wrong in my thinking, but scripture speaks of those WE call enemies, and not God, or Jesus. Even as far back as Proverbs 24:17-18 we are told not to rejoice when OUR enemy falls. In this verse we hear that the Lord is angry with those who would do us harm, but there is no indication that those WE call our enemies are viewed by Him as His enemies.
“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.”
Proverbs 24:17-18 ESV
As we contemplate this let’s think back to another circumstance when we are allowed to feel contrary to God regarding a subject... I am referring to one of the most obvious, and well studied... divorce. God never intended us to divorce, and when Jesus is questioned about why it is permitted let’s listen to what He says...
“He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.”
Matthew 19:8 ESV
So, we view evil men, and others who would harm us, as our enemies, but I propose to you, based on a lack of biblical evidence, that God sees no one as His enemy. He finds them detestable in sin, but never views them as His enemy, because they are incapable of harming or weakening Him, and He loves them in spite of their sin... having hope for them just as He had, and still has, hope for us through Christ.
Thus we read scriptures which tell us over and over again (at least ten times) to love our neighbors...
“The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.””
Mark 12:31 ESV
We are also told to turn our other cheek...
““You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
Matthew 5:38-39 ESV
And in this way we will come to a more complete understanding of this subject... we are specifically told to love OUR enemies:
“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is 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. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?”
Matthew 5:44-46 ESV
So let’s look around us today, and if there are any that we call OUR enemies, let’s rethink the way we view them, and reclassify them; let’s not only soften our heart towards them, but love them. Let’s lift them up in prayer and ask the Lord to forgive them... just as Jesus did on the cross, and does every day for those who come to Him.
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”
Ephesians 1:7-10 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for not calling me your enemy when I was an unrepentant sinner. Thank you for loving me, and sending your Son Jesus Christ to live, suffer, die, and be resurrected, that I might be forgiven my sins, redeemed, and made worthy of eternal life. Thank you for showing me that if I am to be like you then I am to forgive as you do, and not to call those you love, and have hope in my enemy. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God who loves the world, and has made a way for its redemption. Praised be your name for your grace which we receive through Christ... your unwarranted merciful forgiveness that we receive. You are mighty, and great father, and you protect us against those who would harm us, even as you are making a way for their redemption. Give us confidence and trust as we hope, and pray, for the souls of those who come against us. Give us hope for their redemption as we hang from the cross that Jesus told us to pick up when we first followed Him. Give us a love for them that is needed to pray for their forgiveness in the midst of our suffering at their hand. Wash us clean with the blood of Jesus, and let us join Him at your table without so much as a single enemy, but loving the world as you do.
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
Colossians 3:12-14 ESV
Rich Forbes