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What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? - Christianity Etc - Nairaland

Nairaland ForumNairaland GeneralChristianity EtcWhat Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? (10626 Views)

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What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by Corrections(op):
It is often said among Christians “ that they should love their enemies and pray for them”. Many Christians do make this statement without caring to know what it actually means. Many Christians believe this statement is a call to “stupidity” or “foolishness”.

Matthew 5:54

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.


Now, before we go further, we need to understand what "LOVE" means, then also why do we love.

Using God's standard definition for the word "love". It simply can be summarized as "ensuring that people do the right things at all time". It means correcting people who are not doing the right thing to do the right thing.

Prob 3:12
12. because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

Hebrew 12:5-6

5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words (corrective words) God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don't make light of the LORD 's discipline, and don't give up when he corrects you. 6 For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”

These verses point out that discipline is an evidence of the Lord's love. If He did not love us, He would not discipline us.

Now, correction or discipline is usually a though hurtful experience. Even in our society, the freedom of criminals are usually denied of them by putting them in a confined space called "prison" or "correction centre".

As a parent, when you fail to correct your children when they do wrong things, you actually "hate" and not "love" them. Even in marriage, love is far beyond SEX or KISSING. Sex or kissing does not entirely keep a marriage, but doing the right things (correct things which is the real love) COMPLETELY secures it.

Haven used God's standard of definition of what love is as pointed out in the scriptures,what then does it mean to love your enemy? Does it mean we should allow criminals have a filled day harming us without any resistance from us (Christians) NO! Why didn't Jesus show his love to criminals by allowing criminals to kill him when his time to die (as planned by heaven) as not come?

Jesus understands the true meaning of love so he wouldn't confuse stupidity with love. Jesus wouldn’t allow anyone to physically abuse him. Who dares that? Christians need to know this truth that executing justice and loving your enemies are not mutually exclusive.

1 Corinthians 13:6-7

6 It (talking about love) does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

We can see here, that justice is a form of correctional medium through which people can be corrected to do the right thing. Therefore, “loving your enemies” as a Christian is not a call to stupidity or foolishness, it is a call to correcting them so that they can depart from their evil ways.

Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by Natbrowny: 2:01pm On Nov 25, 2024
It means keep ur friends close and ur enemies closer

In this world we live, we have seen 'enemies' become friends and friends becoming enemies

Ur definition of enemy in this context is important to know who u keep close and closer

Some 'friends' dey disguise. So love ur 'enemies' coz dey will help u spot a fake friend easily. Love in this context also has different meaning. Anyhow u define am, thats ur beans to cook.

Ekaette, pass me one cold big stout
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by Corrections(op): 7:14am On Nov 26, 2024
Good morning
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by Corrections(op): 7:46am On Nov 27, 2024
Good morning..
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by Corrections(op): 9:31am On Nov 28, 2024
Corrections:
It is often said among Christians “ that they should love their enemies and pray for them”. Many Christians do make this statement without caring to know what it actually means. Many Christians believe this statement is a call to “stupidity” or “foolishness”.

Matthew 5:54

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.


Now, before we go further, we need to understand what "LOVE" means, then also why do we love.

Using God's standard definition for the word "love". It simply can be summarized as "ensuring that people do the right things at all time". It means correcting people who are not doing the right thing to do the right thing.

Prob 3:12
12. because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

Hebrew 12:5-6

5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words (corrective words) God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don't make light of the LORD 's discipline, and don't give up when he corrects you. 6 For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”

These verses point out that discipline is an evidence of the Lord's love. If He did not love us, He would not discipline us.

Now, correction or discipline is usually a though hurtful experience. Even in our society, the freedom of criminals are usually denied of them by putting them in a confined space called "prison" or "correction centre".

As a parent, when you fail to correct your children when they do wrong things, you actually "hate" and not "love" them. Even in marriage, love is far beyond SEX or KISSING. Sex or kissing does not entirely keep a marriage, but doing the right things (correct things which is the real love) COMPLETELY secures it.

Haven used God's standard of definition of what love is as pointed out in the scriptures,what then does it mean to love your enemy? Does it mean we should allow criminals have a filled day harming us without any resistance from us (Christians) NO! Why didn't Jesus show his love to criminals by allowing criminals to kill him when his time to die (as planned by heaven) as not come?

Jesus understands the true meaning of love so he wouldn't confuse stupidity with love. Jesus wouldn’t allow anyone to physically abuse him. Who dares that? Christians need to know this truth that executing justice and loving your enemies are not mutually exclusive.

1 Corinthians 13:6-7

6 It (talking about love) does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

We can see here, that justice is a form of correctional medium through which people can be corrected to do the right thing. Therefore, “loving your enemies” as a Christian is not a call to stupidity or foolishness, it is a call to correcting them so that they can depart from their evil ways.
Morning
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by Corrections(op): 6:48am On Nov 29, 2024
Good morning..
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by Corrections(op): 9:48am On Nov 30, 2024
Happy weekend !!
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by Corrections(op): 5:54am On Dec 01, 2024
Happy new month!!
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by helinues: 6:02am On Dec 01, 2024
Be considerate to everyone as not everyone will like you. It might be out of hatred/jealousy but that doesn't still make them enemies as they might just be confused about their own lives
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by JASONjnr(m): 9:01am On Dec 01, 2024
The tithes you'd taken to dash a man who's on suit and had fed properly, give it to your neighbour that is hungry and yet to eat.

Has anyone noticed the reason behind the constant reminder of tithing is because the 1/10th of the salary is really a thing to rely on?

Notice that lately, people pay 50naira to 100naira as offerings? That amount of offerings won't go along way to service the church needs and fueling the gen and so on.

Imagine a member of the church earning 1million bucks and others earning 100k monthly, by the time these people collect the tithes, they might be closing the Sunday with thousands of naira.

That's why they place no interest on the offerings but on the tithe because that's where the money is ...
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by Urgent1Million: 9:01am On Dec 01, 2024
Before they wrote the Bible, they already perfected their plans of slavery, theft of treasures and imposition of their culture on the African continent.
Colonial masters would become the enemies of Africa.
The bible was just a tool of blackmail, control, hypnosis and oppression.
They knew the powers in the African gods and feared them. If they had a not convinced Africans to abandon their gods and follow the god of the bible, they wouldn't have got away with all the atrocities they committed against Africa.
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by illicit(m): 9:03am On Dec 01, 2024
We Yoruba we love Biafrans


😳🤭
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by smokinloud(m): 9:04am On Dec 01, 2024
God bless the op.
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by Nobody: 9:06am On Dec 01, 2024
JASONjnr:
The tithes you'd taken to dash a man who's on suit and had fed properly, give it to your neighbour that is hungry and yet to eat.
Seems you are an escapee from the asylum. Cos ya jealousy for tithe don get breast and yansh. Why not start religious centre?
You go dey waka nairaland dey spew trash
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by TheChameleon: 9:08am On Dec 01, 2024
It means if your enemy has big buttocks, don't spare the ROD and spoil the girl. tongue

I'm a Pastor, touch not my anointed.

Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by CodeMonkey: 9:08am On Dec 01, 2024
The people that wrote the Bible (Jews) are trying to domesticate you by telling you to love even them if they're your enemies. You won't find that in their own religious texts.

No one should actually love an enemy. You deal with enemies! Enemies are not your friends. Even animals know this.
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by franvincoop: 9:08am On Dec 01, 2024
Simple, it means Yahya Sinwar's daughter should be given in marriage to Benjamin Netanyahu's son.
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by Houseofglam7(f): 9:09am On Dec 01, 2024
💭
🤔
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by englishmart(m): 9:09am On Dec 01, 2024
It means love people who sabotage your progress. People who hate you with all their nerves. People who killed your parents in your presence, etc.
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by Menclothing1: 9:09am On Dec 01, 2024
LESSON OUTLINES:

ANGER TRIGGERS AND ITS EFFECTS
SUBDUING ANGER
1. ANGER TRIGGERS AND ITS EFFECTS

A. The teacher should explain the following causes of anger to the class:

i. As humans, we have triggers that make us angry and this could be, from trivial to serious concerns (Leviticus 10:16-17).


ii. Anger issues also stem from a strong feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance (Numbers 22:27).

B. Other causes of anger include:

i. Hatred/frustration (Jonah 3:10-4:1);

ii. Lack of rule over one’s spirit (Proverbs 25:28);

iii. Hasty judgements (2 Samuel 12:5-7);

iv. Quick temper (Proverbs 14:17);

v. Acting foolishly (2 Chronicles 16:8-10);

vi. Transferred aggression (Daniel 2:11-12),

vii. Unjustifiable reasons (Matthew 5:22).

C. Anger is dangerous because it:

i. Can result in murder and alter destinies (Genesis 49:6-7).

ii. Stirs up strife (Proverbs 29:22);

iii. Ruins/halts good relationships (Proverbs 22:24-25);

iv. Makes one do irrational things (Exodus 32:19);

v. Brings low (1 Samuel 17:28-30);

vi. Makes one say what should not be said (1 Samuel 20:30).

CLASS ACTIVITY 1: Was there any time you were angry and did or said what you later regretted? Share your experience with the class.

2. SUBDUING ANGER

A. The teacher should highlight the following ways of subduing anger:

i. To manage anger, every believer must develop the ability to control his/her temperament (particularly in stressful situations) with the help of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

ii. We must show proper behaviour and/or disagree appropriately without losing control of our emotions (Ephesians 4:26).

iii. Self-control is a good regulator of anger (Galatians 5:23).

iv. We must consciously put anger far away from us (Ephesians 4:31).

v. Anger is a vice we must cease from (Psalm 37:cool.


vi. It must be deliberately put off (Colossians 3:cool.

B. We must also employ strategies such as

i. Being slow to speak (James 1:19);

ii. Providing a soft and gentle answer (Proverbs 15:1);

iii. Being discreet (Proverbs 19:11);

iv. Walking away from an angry person/scene (Proverbs 26:4);

v. Talking to oneself ‘’why am I angry’’ (1 Corinthians 9:27);

vi. Looking inwards with divine assistance for unresolved issues which trigger anger (Psalm 139:23-24);

vii. Staying calm (Proverbs 14:29);

viii. Learn to be quiet (Proverbs 13:3);

ix. Attend to issues with knowledge (Proverbs 17:27; 13:16).

C. Not allowing anger to run for days depicts maturity.

D. If you lose your temper at the slightest provocation, you must acknowledge that you have anger issues and deal with it decisively.

E. See a therapist if need be and ask God for help.
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by JASONjnr(m): 9:10am On Dec 01, 2024
Padipadi:
Seems you are an escapee from the asylum. Cos ya jealousy for tithe don get breast and yansh. Why not start religious centre?
You go dey waka nairaland dey spew trash
Lol.... I can imagine how you feel about seeing your business crumbling because your intentions was to make bastard money from your gullible worshippers
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by mariovito(m):
If I love my enemies...

And also love my friends...

What then is the incentive for my friends if they get the same reward as those who do not wish me well?

This is one of the parts of the scriptures that made me ditch Christianity, reeks so much of mind control by the Europeans, Constantine and those who designed the religion.

Along with this scripture is the one that teaches and supports capitalism; He who has, more will be given and he who doesn't have, even the little he has will be taken from him and given to the one who has.

If you teach me to love my enemies, it makes me suspect that you may be that enemy.
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by Everyday365:
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by Zooposki(f): 9:11am On Dec 01, 2024
Padipadi:
Seems you are an escapee from the asylum. Cos ya jealousy for tithe don get breast and yansh. Why not start religious centre?
You go dey waka nairaland dey spew trash

Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by BOBAN2710: 9:11am On Dec 01, 2024
You need to ask those deep in bible verses
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by Nobody: 9:13am On Dec 01, 2024
Zooposki:
.
Swerve!
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by Nobody:
JASONjnr:
Lol.... I can imagine how you feel about seeing your business crumbling because your intentions was to make bastard money from your gullible worshippers
grin grin grin ; jealousy is injuring you.
Attack churches with sense if they erred.
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by OPICANTO2223: 9:14am On Dec 01, 2024
It
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by Zooposki(f): 9:15am On Dec 01, 2024
Padipadi:
Swerve!
✌🏾✌🏾

Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by ATEAMS: 9:16am On Dec 01, 2024
It's what it's
Re: What Does It Really Mean When The Bible Says “love Your Enemies”? by GlobalWay:
BOBAN2710:
You need to ask those deep in bible verses
Deep! This below opened my eye's about praying for ones enemies, Like if you agree, Share if not
Spirit247:
This is the Key to Complete Freedom of Christians from Satanic Attacks. Utterly shocked when Pure SPIRIT of MESSIAH revealed that Christian Battles would never be over until we start Fasting and Prayer for the Deliverance and Salvation of the Souls of our Enemies. By the Time you use Prayers to Disgrace the Demonic Principality and Deliver 1, 2, 3 Humans that they were using to Attack You, Satan would Order his Demons to leave you alone before you Rescue all the Witches and Wizards he has Deceived and using against Humanity.

As someone that has used Dry Fasting and Prayers to Kill popular terribly-feared Witchdoctor before, I know the Joy(and even Pride) that a Christian feels when we Supremely Conquer our Physical Enemy. But deciding to forever be at that Vengeful Level of Christianity is a foolish Decision to Perpetually Limit what our CREATOR can and would Massively do with a Christian that Obeys the Word of MESSIAH which says Pray(means Fast and Pray actually) for your Enemies.

Believers that Fasts and Pray that I AM THAT I AM should Bind and Cast into Bottomless Pit the Demon Spirit/Principality that deceived their Enemies into becoming Evil (and then also Pray that Blood of MESSIAH should flush out their Sins and Redeem them by Salvation Power of MESSIAH) are the Wisest and the Highest Ranking in Heaven.

MESSIAH said we should Pray for them because the fact that they attacked us gives us Legal Ground to Invite Heavenly Army to Arrest the DemonSpirit using them, and to become Instrument of their Deliverance from Kingdom of Darkness into Eternal Life Kingdom of Marvelous Light.

Scripture clearly shows us that Human beings are not our Real Enemies at all, they are only being used (in effort to Capture us) by Demons that have Deceived and Captured them. Our Enemies Seriously Need our Help!

The ending End Time has become too short that Heaven is Focused on massively Empowering and Blessing Intersessors, Especially Intersessors that are following the Words and Steps of MESSIAH into to. Many Pastors or Churches say kill your Enemies with Prayers and they will even quote Scripture to back it up. It is not their fault at all, it is their Level of Light.

Why is you and I a Christian? Why are we Christians? Yes, to live the Exemplary Way that our MESSIAH lived His Life on Earth. You and I need to become very Sincere today so that we can be truly Relevant in Eternity.

Unlike The Complete Way of Eternal Life that MESSIAH used His Life on Earth to Exemplify for us to Follow, Christianity was massively watered down and reduced to welfare meal ticket. It is time to Fulfill our Glorious Destiny of Turning the World upside down by showing Satan and his Demons that Humanity around us must be Delivered from his Strangle-hold.

Let us Pray: Our Eternal Heavenly FATHER The Everlasting OWNER of Heaven and Earth, Help us to Grow to the Full Stature of Your Son our MESSIAH in JESUS' Pure Name!!!!!!!
Corrections:
Matthew 5:54
My brother, have you seen the deeper reason and meaning now?
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