when the bible says "love your enemies" what is the purpose of this statement?

Question

if an enemy has done you wrong, why must you "love" the enemy?

Answer 1

The Bible says we wrestle not against flesh and blood remember, our enemy is the devil, he works thru people to carry out his evil deeds on us. He hates us because we love Christ. Remember what Jesus said to the woman taken in adultry, Neither do I condem thee, go and sin no more. If we don't forgive, how can Christ forgive us?

Answer 2

if an enemy has done you wrong, why must you "love" the enemy?

The "love" spoke of here is not an emotion but a choice. If an enemy has done you wrong then it's pretty safe to conclude that they are an unsaved person who is on the broad way to Hell.

A believer is called to remember that they were once on that path and only by God's grace and mercy and His choosing to demonstrate his love for them by saving them are they now on their way to Heaven.

The "agape" love written about in that passage desires what is best for the object of that love. In the case of an enemy that desire would usually take the form of hoping that they would repent and be saved and no longer be an enemy but a brother or sister in the faith now working for God instead of the Devil.

Answer 3

You miss the point, if you love your enemies, you have no enemies. The story of the tares explains who we are and who the bad seeds are. But what you fail to grasp is the fact that our bodies are nothing more than a house for our spirit.

If you would know and understand this, you would understand every word Jesus spoke.

Answer 4

I took it to be a retorical statement... It means you shouldnt have enemys in your heart at all imo. At least thats how I took it. If you truely love your enemies then you will not consider them your enemy. I think mr uberman had it right when he said dont look into the abyss lest you become the abyss... In this case it could be related to enemies... If you have enemies you become an enemy. Where as if you truely in your heart have no enemy and are willing to die for that cause its possible your foes will see you for being true at least to yourself and possibly become friends in the end? Do believers in Heaven truely think they can enter heaven without letting go of the belief of enemies first idk?

Answer 5

Spiritual side: Because every single one of us is an enemy of God until we are reconciled by faith in Christ Jesus, and yet He loved us *while* we were (or are, if we do not yet have faith) enemies of His. We display His glory in the world by imitating Him.

Practical side: Because doing good in return for evil changes things very much for the better in the relationship you have to your enemy and then in their relationship with the world, and on and on. Note: You do not have to *feel* big love for your enemies (though that often *does* happen after you pray for them and treat them in a loving way). You have to *treat* them with love --- that is, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self-control, meekness, etc. It is a decision of the will that is often followed by feelings.

Edit to add: *Not* loving our enemies ends up doing more harm to us than it does to them, so it's really self-defeating. As always, God's law is centered around what is good FOR us. Like a parent telling a child to look both ways before crossing a busy street, they may *seem* confining to the child but they are for its good. Not forgiving and allowing bitterness to take root in your heart hurts *you* more than it hurts anyone else.

Answer 6

To show them what real love looks like I guess. I admit, I would rather knock them into next week but, I am trying to be a christian so, I will just stick to( trying) to love my enemies!

Answer 7

I think the purpose of this is because if you love or forgive your enemies you won't live with hate. You will live with love, hate doesn't hurt the person you hate, it hurts only you.

Answer 8

In the Bible, love means you do right by someone, and treat them well regardless of how they treat you.

It does not mean that you "like," them, have a relationship with them, or get a warm fuzzy feeling when you're around them. You can acknowledge people for what they are (whether they are decent and caring or dishonest and wicked) and still care about them. It means you don't just love only people who love you!

Answer 9

This is not love like you feel for a friend. It is more compassion, I guess. I sure don't literally love my enemies, but I can have compassion for them and try to see them as Christ does.

Answer 10

If you love yur enemy, he's not your enemy any more so you won't fight.

The bible also says an eye for an eye