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Why Should Christians Love their Enemies?

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Enemy love. This is a controversial and unique feature of Christianity that is often misunderstood. Recently I came across a quote from Augustine that explains why Christians love their enemies. It’s not an easy read, but I encourage you to push yourself. Read his words carefully and meditate on them until you understand what he’s saying, and more importantly what the Lord is trying to teach us through him.

"Now...what does it become us to do who live in the fellowship of the love of God, the enjoyment of whom is true happiness of life, to whom all who love Him owe both their own existence and the love they offer Him, concerning whom we have no fear that anyone who comes to know Him will be disappointed in Him, and who desires our love, not for any gain to Himself, but that those who love Him may obtain an eternal reward, even Himself whom they love?

“And hence it is that we love even our enemies. For we do not fear them, seeing they cannot take away from us what we love; but we pity them rather, because the more they hate us the more are they separated from Him whom we love. For if they would turn to Him, they must of necessity love Him as the supreme good, and love us too as partakers with them in so great a blessing" (On Christian Doctrine, Book 1, Chapter 29).

To summarize, Christians should love their enemies because our God and Father loved us when we were his enemies. And he loves us still. And he loves us forever. And no one or no-thing can ever snatch us out of his hand or otherwise steal the love he’s lavished upon us. We ought then to overflow with the love that’s ever-flowing into us, for if we love only those who love us—and who love our Father—how is our love different from that of the world?

So, Glory of Christ, pray for secularists, liberals, atheists, Muslims, LGBT communities, and those who more personally offend or harm you. And as you pray, ask our great and gracious Father for opportunities to demonstrate his love in Christ Jesus to such as these that they might turn to the Father of lights and live.

Lord Jesus, teach us to love our enemies as you have loved us.

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