Luke 6:27-36
Love for Enemies and Treating Them Merciful
27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
As we read about evil we are to keep away from it...Scripture tells us to depart from those who are evil and evil things, and do good; so you shall abide forever...Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it...Abstain from every form of evil...The evil have no future; the lamp of the wicked will go out...
Then Jesus teaches us to love our enemies and tells us to pray for them...I sometimes think that the evil and wicked and those who constantly tell falsehoods are to be avoided and maybe some of them are my enemies and we should oppose them...So this often seems like a contradiction, when we are taught to love them...
The verses about loving your enemies in the teachings of Jesus and the Psalms, Thessalonians, and the Proverbs urging one to run from evil are not necessarily contradictory...But they do address different situations...Here's how one might think about them...
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...This teaching emphasizes forgiveness, compassion, and overcoming hatred, even towards those who oppose you...It doesn't mean condoning evil or allowing yourself to be harmed by their evil, their lies, and their negativity...It encourages a higher standard of love that transcends evil...
Verses like we read in the Psalms that blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked promotes avoiding negative influences, harmful situations, those who constantly lie and oppose the Truth, and the Truth of Jesus...This doesn't necessarily mean running away from people you dislike, but rather choosing not to associate with those who lead you down their destructive path...This is more about protecting your faith, your own spirit, and your moral well-being...
These concepts can coexist...You can strive to love your enemies with forgiveness and compassion while also avoiding situations that could lead you into negativity and evil...Running from evil, in this context, can be seen as a way to protect your ability to practice love and kindness...
Let us look at an analogy...Imagine one who lies quite often and doesn't follow Jesus in their actions...Jesus' teachings encourage showing compassion even to those who may be a habitual liar (your enemy)...However, the Psalms also advise you to move away from the lying and negativity (the evil) to avoid being influenced by their speech and actions, so you maintain your faith...So you are not yoked with those not following Jesus...One of the most powerful displays of forgiveness of those doing evil is when Jesus was on the cross...While being crucified, He utters these words: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."...Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because God is kind to the ungrateful and wicked...Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful...