Rachel Workman: 43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’[q] and
hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies![r] Pray for those who
persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your
Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and
he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who
love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that
much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends,[s] how are you different from
anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your
Father in heaven is perfect.
I suppose the only way for us to combat evil
is with love. However hard that is. Love the person who is cheating on their
spouse. Love the person that has chosen homosexuality. Love the person that has
chosen not to accept Jesus. That's just a drop in the bucket of the sins I
could list. Jesus is telling us to love the sinner. It actually makes things
easier for us. Easier because we don't have decide if that person is worthy of
love. All people are worthy of love. Our job is to just do it. Having said that
I don't think we are called to love the sin. Love the sinner not the sin. I
don't approve of blatant sin from anyone, whatever it might be. I'm pointing the finger at myself here also, I'm a sinner just like everyone else. Just because
we approve of someone doesn't mean we are approving of their sin. But we have all
been in need of grace at one point or another. Choosing love is easier because
there are no sides to pick.
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John
Burnett: 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate
your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray
for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may [a]be sons of your Father who
is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good,
and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For
if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax
collectors do the same? 47 If you greet only your brothers,
what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the
same? 48 Therefore [b]you are to be perfect, as
your heavenly Father is perfect. The bar is set
so high that there is only one who can reach it. We are to pray for our
enemies which is one of the hardest commands for us to follow. If we are
being sanctified to be more like Christ and sons of our Father in Heaven we
have to love all our neighbors no matter how hard that may be.
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Allen Michaels: 43 “You have heard that it
was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I
tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven.
He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the
righteous and the unrighteous. By loving and praying for
our enemies, we can overcome evil with good. Jesus says we are to love our
enemies. If you love your enemies and treat them well, you will truly show that
Jesus is Lord of your life. This is possible only for those who give themselves
fully to God, because only he can deliver people from natural selfishness. We
must trust the Holy Spirit to help show love to those for whom we may not feel
love. 46 If you love
those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors
doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are
you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be
perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Was Jesus exaggerating when he said
we must be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect? The original meaning of
“perfect” in Aramaic is “completeness” or “wholeness – not lacking in what is
essential.” God gives us every good gift in Jesus Christ so that we may not
lack anything we need to do his will and to live as his sons and daughters (2
Peter 1:3). He knows our weakness and sinfulness better than we do. And he
assures us of his love, mercy, and grace to follow in his ways. Do you want to
grow in your love for God and for your neighbor? Ask the Holy Spirit to change
and transform you in the image of the Father that you may walk in the joy and
freedom of the gospel.
“Lord Jesus, your love brings
freedom and pardon. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and set my heart ablaze with
your love that nothing may make me lose my temper, ruffle my peace, take away
my joy, or make me bitter towards anyone.”
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