For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me I will repay, says the Lord.” Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men. Don’t set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. When we remember that nobody will get away with anything - God will judge - then we can love our enemies as Jesus Christ loved the world and gave himself for it.īless those who persecute you bless, and don’t curse. How much worse punishment, do you think, will he be judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance belongs to me,” says the Lord, “I will repay.” Again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. A man who disregards Moses’ law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses. God will judge his enemies.įor if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries. Doesn’t it sound silly to think we need to judge God’s enemies? It is. Then we let him do the things we are not equipped to handle. The more we remember God, the more we submit to his rule until our sinful nature is crowded out of our life. When we remember God, we let him do his job. ![]() Crazy, right? We are too little to handle God’s world. If you don’t think so, just consider trying to direct every atom and molecule in the universe to keep it spinning. Judgment, condemnation, and damnation are too big for us. Then we are tempted to do things we are not equipped to handle. The more we forget God, the more we usurp him until he is crowded out of our life. When we forget God, we tend to take over his job. Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. “As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them. Give to everyone who asks you, and don’t ask him who takes away your goods to give them back again. To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other and from him who takes away your cloak, don’t withhold your coat also. “But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. The children of Israel did as Yahweh commanded Moses. You shall have one kind of law, for the foreigner as well as the native-born: for I am Yahweh your God.'” Moses spoke to the children of Israel and they brought forth him who had cursed out of the camp, and stoned him with stones. He who kills an animal shall make it good and he who kills a man shall be put to death. If anyone injures his neighbor as he has done, so shall it be done to him: fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth as he has injured someone, so shall it be done to him. He who strikes an animal mortally shall make it good, life for life. ![]() “‘He who strikes any man mortally shall surely be put to death. ![]() But, Jesus Christ showed the ultimate meaning of the law when he taught we are to love our enemies. ![]() The Mosaic Ten Commandment Law taught the Israelites to be good, honest, loving neighbors.
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