Oaths
Followers of
Christ are to be people with clear speech, not that weighed down by
exuberant promises or flattery. It should be clear to others what we
are and are not down with, as though we only said “yes” or “no.”
We are to be individuals of clean speech.
Christ calls us
here to have His heart for people, to show kindness when it doesn't
make sense. Our response when attacked is to be love. This can only
be done through the power of the Holy Spirit, this much is obvious.
Our natural response to injustice and unfair treatment is
retribution, to get back at the perpetrator.
God calls us to
demonstrate grace and trust Him for ultimate justice.
Love Your Enemies
“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.
-Matthew 5:43-45
What Jesus does is
repetitively call us to be His image-bearers like He originally did
when the world began(Genesis 1:27) and before sin entered into His
creation. God is Love(1 John 4:16), when we show love we imitate God.
God does not have
any enemies by His own fault, people choose to be enemies of God. We
do not seek to make enemies, but if people choose to stand in
consistent hostility against our cause, we will still love them and
seek to be at peace to them, as much as it is in our power to do.
Anyone can pat
someone on the back that's patted theirs, but God asks us to pat the
back of those that would sooner stab us in ours. Only by God's grace
and power.
Questions:
- How can we keep from purposely seeking enemies?
- Envision one of your enemies. How can you practically demonstrate God's love to this person?
- Think of a time you felt justified in getting back at someone. Do you feel your retaliation solved the problem?
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