Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 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? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Consider the Law of Man
We are to greet, pray for, and love our brothers.
We are to greet, pray for, and love our good neighbors.
We are to hate our foolish political adversaries.
We are to hate our evil enemies — even those who persecute us.
Such is the natural and expected ethic of tax collectors, Gentiles, and religious Pharisees.
Consider the Law of God
We are to perfectly greet, pray for, and love our our brothers.
We are to perfectly greet, pray for, and love our our good neighbors.
We are to perfectly greet, pray for, and love our foolish political adversaries.
We are to perfectly greet, pray for, and love our evil enemies — even those who persecute us.
Such is the ethic of the Heavenly Father and his Holy Son.
Consider those who keep this Law of God
Many of us have some degree of love for our brothers and good neighbors.
No one perfectly greets, pray for, and loves their brothers, neighbors, political adversaries, and evil enemies.
No one perfectly keeps the ethic of the Heavenly Father and his Holy Son.
None reading this blog (and watching the news tonight) are holy and righteous — no not one!
Consider the Gospel of God
The Holy Son perfectly loved the Father.
The Holy Son perfectly loved his brothers.
The Holy Son perfectly loved his political adversaries.
The Holy Son perfectly loved his evil enemies — even those who persecuted and crucified him.
The Holy Son obeyed God’s Law and then transferred his Law-keeping merit to many of his evil enemies.
The Holy Son took upon his shoulders the Law-breaking merit of many; he received the full damnation of the Father on their behalf. He did this for many of his evil enemies — even those who persecuted him.
Consequently, the Heavenly Father looks at us and smiles. He calls us blameless, holy, and righteous sons. We are declared to be perfect lovers.
Therefore … consider the worshipful response
Let’s pray for the love of the Father and the Son to flow through us.
Let’s pray that we might better love our brothers, good neighbors, political adversaries, and evil enemies.
Let’s pray that we look different than tax collectors, Gentiles, and religious Pharisees.
Unfathomable Grace 