The challenge of love ......... (Eph 3:19)?

Question

One of the most difficult commands Jesus gave us is to love one another as He loves us. The question that immediately arises is: How can I love a cold-blooded murderer? How can I show love to somebody who has harmed me? How can I love child molesters?

In our own strenght this not possible, because human nature clings to the principle an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. How are we then going to love all the above offenders?
Take care
S

Answer 1

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, I think said it best.



Jesus said to his disciples: "Love one another even as I have loved you."

2196 In response to the question about the first of the commandments, Jesus says: "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

The apostle St. Paul reminds us of this: "He who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. The commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,' and any other commandment, are summed up in this sentence, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."

Answer 2

Dear girl The love of Messiah is agape love. Its not romantic I feel good about you hug hug kiss kiss love your my best friend and I like you love. Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 to find out what agape love looks like.

The passage Eph 3:19 really has nothing to do with this. Further more Yahshua's commandment to love one another was love toward your brother in messiah. This kind of love in Philadelphia type love as well as agape love which means yes you should have a warm friendship with them.

He did tell us to love our enemies but that is easily covered again by 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8. Notice it doesn't say you have to like or associate or get chummy or have warm gushy feelings about a murderer or child molester or someone who has harmed you.

Many brethren perform prison ministries and go and teach the word to inmates, bringing some to Messiah Yahshua. If that's not agape love I'd like to know what is.

Answer 3

One is taught to love the sinner, but not the sin

I have no desire/intention to defend child molesers/rapists

we can love someone and not like them

we can work on the forgiveness thing and not be personally involved

am reminded of an incident, about 12 years ago, where I had been talking to somebody the previous day and said, "If someone killed my son, I'd be so pissed that..."

then I had a dream---that night

I dreamed that my son had been recklessly bicycling, and run over, and I was at the scene, clutching his lifeless body, and the lady who had run him over was crying, too, and saying "I didn't see him." In my dream, I had no bad feelings for her, just a deep ache for the void that my son's absence had left in my life.

The worst thing that a person can do is to hurt a defenseless child. But it happens---often by accident---and Christians are called to forgive. But we will never, ever forget---even God cannot make us forget. Be on guard---be vigilant.

my son is now 15 and has done many remarkable things---acting, singing, and just being the great guy that he is.

Answer 4

I definitely DO NOT love child molesters, or thieves, or violent offenders in general. I would like to kick the you know what of anybody who would harm somebody else, especially an innocent little kid...
But what I think Jesus was trying to say is...
Pity those poor people who do commit terribly violent and vile crimes, because it must be a living hell inside their heads.
They were, more-than-likely, victims themselves at an early age of violence (and total lack of anybody loving them and taking good care of them) and so they learned to do the same thing...
And therefore...it sucks to be them...
But who on this planet would benefit the most from love...?
The people who have never had any...
Christ said he wasn't here for the already loving people of the world (you don't need to fix what's not broken) he was here for the ones who need it the most...and therefore his compassion was for the downtrodden, poor, dispairing, unloved masses (most people) who felt hopeless and lost...
And unloved...
Because they're the ones who really need love the most...

Answer 5

So many people have problems with this scripture and what it tells us to do. If someone murdered my child, I am sure at one point I would hate this person. This not having happened, it is impossible to know exactly how I would feel. I only know that God would have me love the individual and hate the act. In many instances in modern life, the injured, forgave the one who caused the injury and through the love of God, became friends. It must be hard, but it all boils down to, who is the Lord of your life, and what would He have you do?

Answer 6

If you love your 14 year old daughter, you don't let her go to the all night party which includes alcohol, drugs and sex - even though she believes it will end her world not to go, and now she will be angry at you and not speak to you for a month.

If you love sinners bound for hell, you do for them that which will lead them to salvation through faith alone in Christ. Some will accept the gift, others will scream that you're judging them.

Sometimes, both of these expressions of love will be responded to with anger from the loved one, and criticism by those on the outside looking in. Don't feel badly, Jesus was similarly treated.

Answer 7

That's one of the most difficult aspects of walking in love, but it's also something God wants from us.

Remember the shootings last year at the Amish Schoolhouse. Many of the Amish families went to the funeral of the person that killed their children in a show of forgiveness. To me, that is love when you can release your anger instead of keeping it trapped inside.

Staying angry and not forgiving does nothing for a person. I believe that studies will show that a person who holds onto anger ends up with health problems and the unresolved anger is not healthy for you mentally. So, I think our loving God is wise in saying that we need to forgive others.

Answer 8

You do know that there are three uses of the law, yes? Christ is saying this, yes but no man can do this ultimately. Sure, as Christians it's something to shoot for.

Killers and child molesters are prone to a life of hardship if they decide to make those choices, but I see that they are also brought to true brokenness, which is essential to salvation.

Answer 9

True story:

once there was a woman, who's son was a drug dealer. one time while he was selling drugs, someone murdered him. The woman was christian. she prayed and asked the Lord that she could forgive the killer of her child.which is impossible as u said.

but with god's grace she forgave him. she went to jail where he was and said: i forgive you because i am christian, and this is what Jesus teached me to do.

the man was so touched by this mother forgiving him, the one who killed her son, that he kneeled down and wept, and said to her that he has never felt love like this in his life, that he wants this "Jesus" she talks about,..and he gave his life to the lord.

since that day, she is taking care of him and of hundreds of inmates as if they were her son. these men in jail have accepted the lord because of her, and they all call her "mama".

that's what God can do through us if we just let Him, if we depend on His grace.

Answer 10

Don't forget that the Bible does not say that we have to like them. Biblical love is an action. It is to always do what is in the best interest of the other. It often means bringing them to justice or to discipline them. God disciplines us because he loves us!