Enemy refers to one who opposes or mistreats another. This word occurs more frequently in the Old Testament than in the New Testament. The reason for this is that the Old Testament is concerned primarily with the existence of Israel as a nation over against the other countries of the ancient world. Before Israel could serve as the channel of God's grace to the world, its existence as a nation had to be securely established. The enemies of the Hebrew people were thus regarded as God enemies, and the reverse was also true.

You must not make false assertion. You must not support a guilty man by giving malicious evidence. You must not take side of the greater number in cause of wrong doing nor side with the majority and give evidence in a lawsuit in defiance of justice; nor in a lawsuit must you show partiality to the poor.
If you come on your enemy's ox or donkey going astray, you must lead it back to him. If you see the donkey of a man who hates you fallen its load, instead of keeping out of his way, go to him to help him. You must not cheat any poor man of yours of his rights at law. Keep out of trumped-up-cases. See that the man who is innocent and just is not done to death, and do not acquit the guilty. You must not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds clear-sighted men and is the ruin of the just man's cause.
You must not oppress the stranger; you know how a stranger feels, for you lived as strangers in the land of Egypt. - Exodus 23:1-9 -

God, if only you would kill the wicked!
Men of blood, away from me!
They talk blasphemously about you,
regard your thoughts as nothing.

Yahweh, do I not hate those who hate you,
and loathe those who defy you?
I hate them with a total hatred,
I regard them as my own enemies.

God, examine me and know my heart,
probe me and know my thoughts;
make sure I do not follow pernicious ways,
and guide me in the way that is everlasting. - Psalms 139:19-24 -

Do not lurk, wicked man, round the virtuous man's dwelling.
do not despoil his house.
For though the virtuous man falls seven times, he stands up again;
the wicked are the ones who stumble in adversity.

Should your enemy fall, do not rejoice,
when he stumbles do not let your heart exult;
for fear that at the sight Yahweh will be displeased
and turn his anger away from him.

Do not be indignant about the wicked,
do not be envious of evil men,
since there is no morrow for the wicked man;
the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. - Proverbs 24:15-20 -

In the New Testament, by contrast, the enemies to be overcome are primarily spiritual in nature. While the Old Testament does refer to charity toward one's enemy, the New Testament goes further by commanding love for one's enemy.

You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect. - Matt. 5:43-48 -

But I say this to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly. To the man who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheek too; to the man who take your cloak from you, do not refuse your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your property back from the man who robs you. Treat others as you would like them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks can you expect? For even sinners do that much. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners lend to sinners to get back the same amount. Instead, love your enemies and do good, and lend without any hope of return. You will have a great reward, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. - Luke 7:27-35 -

Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. - Luke 8:1 -

As they were stoning him, Stephen said in invocation, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' Then he knelt down and said aloud. 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them'; and with this words he fell asleep. - Acts 7:59-60 -
Saul entirely approved of the killing. - Acts 8:1 -

However, Saint Paul [Saul] goes further in the New Testament by practicing and teaching us to resist evil, and conquer it with good deeds and compassion. The New Testament looks forward a day when all enemies of good and righteousness will be overcome because of the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Bless those who persecute you: never curse them, bless them. Rejoice with those who rejoice and be sad with those in sorrow. Treat everyone with equal kindness; never be condescending but make real friends with the poor. Do not allow yourself to become self-satisfied. Never repay evil with evil but let everyone see that you are not interested only in the highest ideals. Do all you can to live at peace with everyone. Never try to get revenge; leave that, my friends, to God's anger. As scripture says: Vengeance is mine - I will pay them back, the Lord promises. But there is more: If your enemy is hungry, you should give him food, and if he is thirsty, let him drink. Thus you heap red-hot coals on his head. Resist evil and conquer it with good. - Rom. 12:14-21 -

Just as all men die in Adam, so all men will be brought to life in Christ; but all of them in their proper order: Christ as the first-fruits and then, after the coming of Christ, those who belong to him. After that will come the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, having done away with every sovereignty, authority and power. For he must be king until he has put all his enemies under his feet and the last of the enemies to be destroyed is death, for everything is to be put under his feet. Though when it is said that everything is subjected, this clearly cannot include the One who subjected everything to him. And when everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subject in his turn to the One who subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in all. - 1Cor. 15:22-28 -

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -