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, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father 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. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Jesus had chosen His disciples and began teaching them along with the masses, who seemed to follow Him everywhere.  They followed Him for His healings and belief He was the returned Messiah that would conquer the Roman overlords.

In the sermon on the mount (vs 5-12), Jesus lays out key teachings displaying truths beyond Old Testament Jewish laws and customs.  In addition to the sermon’s blessings, He extrapolates what a true imager of God looks like and how we behave.

In the teachings following the beatitudes, Jesus demonstrates who He is as fulfiller of the Old Testament prophesies and perfect keeper of the law (vs 17-20).  He also clarifies the true source and definitions of murder (vs 21-26), adultery (vs 27-30), divorce (vs 31-32), swearing oaths (vs 33-37), and retaliation (vs 38-42).

Next Jesus teaches what true love towards others is and how it relates to God’s imagers.  He states that His followers, including believers for all times, should not only tolerate persecution and cruelty by others, but go further and bless and pray for them.  This would have been especially poignant to the Jewish people who were ruled, killed, abused, and persecuted by their Roman overlords.

Why does the Lord command this?  Because God has a purpose, even in these actions (v45, Romans 8:28-30, etc).  Even evil people are part of His creation.  He extends common grace to them as well as believers.

We are told to strive to be like our Father, not that we can be perfect (v48), but that we strive through sanctification to be perfected, not because it is easy (v46), but because it is expected and brings honor and glory to Him.  Only Christ fulfilled the law, only He is perfect, however we are His imagers, and strive for this perfection out of our acknowledgment of who He is and our love for Him, demonstrating this through obeyance of His commandments.

Is it optional to pray for and do good for those who hate us?  No, Jesus commands us to observe all of His commandments as He directed just before His ascension to heaven in Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you;”. 

These things we don’t do for our salvation, but in response to our salvation.  We love Him because He first loved us.  We respond in honor and love to Him, knowing what great a salvation we have received. 

In these trying times we must share this knowledge with friends, children, and loved ones.  We pray for our enemies, those that use us, those that harm us, those that we despise and show them we want nothing but the best for them.  In this we demonstrate the knowledge and truth of God, who indwells us. 

Another reason might be summed up by Charles Spurgeon –  “The world does not read the bible, it reads Christians.”

God bless,

Ron