We all have a Christian friend or two, and a family member or two, who want to hold themself and all around them to the standard of the beatitudes when dealing with the strange ideas of this world. They bring up those amazing teachings quite often. Especially if they believe one to be defying any one of them related to our love; such as, in “not” loving ones enemies.

Jesus tells us that we are to give to our enemies the coat off our back even if the enemy has taken our cloak. That really is not that hard for some of us to do. We live in the land of plenty.

I normally have no problem forgiving persons, who are deprived of the nations bounty, who might have wronged me, but for the depraved who pick on the weak: will that’s another story.

But always loving our enemies is not so easy, and they are not only our enemies; sometimes they are picking on our neighbors as well.

Christians in Muslim countries have seen harsh actions from Muslims, not just in ancient, but in recent times. Many are martyred. Some have had their own children killed right in front of them, when they did not or would not deny Christ, as they were at the moment being commanded to do by their enemy. Some have seen their wives raped if they do not deny Christ. Our first duty in loving is always to Christ Jesus.

Some of these same friends strongly believe that we are doing the right thing in pushing the Ukrainian war. They believe that to be true for various reasons. But Russia is the Ukrainian (and they are our evil enemy). My friends don’t say much or maybe they just don’t think about the children being trafficked due to this war, and the young men being sent out to the slaughter, or the land being ravaged, nothing about the riches that are being gained. Which would not be happening without our billions in cash and in weapons supplied. Short of that this was just a border dispute over land. We don’t even control our own border, but for theirs well that’s different according to this one group of my friends.

These friends voted for Joe Biden, who has weaponized his entire government against one man his political enemy Donald Trump and against anyone of influence who is with him. How can these friends hold me and others responsible for pointing out this sin of Biden’s to be an unloving and unlawful act, and yet, they do not hold Biden responsible for the same acts (loving one’s enemy). Biden claims to be a Christian. He says that he is a devout Catholic.

Loving “everyone” is the responsibility of every believer. But what is love? Dying for your enemy is obviously a sacrifice of love. Jesus did that for us even when we were His enemies. But is allowing the enemy to be or become an evil enemy of God, without warning them as Jesus did of what God has declared to be their lot or of the consequences of their actions; is that really love?

You and I must determine what is the loving thing to do to everyone; even for our enemies and even if it will cost us. In the case of these, who are my friends: they seem to imply that my being honest even with my enemy is the greater sin; than their own: where in loving their enemies so much that they would not want to point out to them that the road they travel leads to a place that no one would willingly go.

Some people, I guess even justify voting for their enemy. Is that being honest about God’s real concern for people and for their future. Or is doing such actually equal to something much worse: is it not cavorting with the enemy of their neighbors, whom they also are to love?

As believers we are to avoid even the appearance of evil. Can someone accuse us of evil if we simply side with evil or condone it? A deeper question: Can we do that, and make God (not us) the responsible party for our so doing, because His command is to love our enemies?

Being a Christian carries with it a responsibility to all others not just to our enemies. If we see our enemy beating up our friend or our neighbor, should we just stand by and give no assistance? Are we to side with wrong, just because we are to love our enemy? Discernment in this area cannot be based upon what we think, but upon what God says in His word to be right or to be wrong. Loving the soul of our enemies does not mean that we must also love his actions.

Jesus died for us while we were yet sinners. He did that in order to offer us a free “unconditional pardon”. Is that true? Not exactly; for to receive that pardon, one must accept it. To accept it one must believe in Him and what He did. Actually there is Scriptural evidence for the fact that one must also love Him. Listen to His own words:

John 14:21 Whoever knows and obeys my commandments is the person who loves me. Those who love me will have my Father’s love, and I, too, will love them and show myself to them.” (GOD’S WORD)

Revelation 2:4 However, I have this against you: The love you had at first is gone. (GOD’S WORD)

One could argue that our loving Jesus is seen in these verses as being a conditional part of our acceptance of this free gift of our salvation. If we can love our enemies we certainly can love Jesus. Jesus even reinforced this argument when restoring Peter’s conscience and soul, and his fellowship following the denials he had made of this One who had willingly died for him. “Peter: lovest Thou Me?”

Our discernment is really not ours; it is God’s, which is being given us by His Holy Spirit, whom He has given us to abide within us. We are to be following Jesus. He died for His enemies, but one day He will destroy them who have not returned His love. So, if they do not come to accept what He did for them and come to love Him, and this before either they die, or before He comes back in great wrath they will experience this wrath.

This love/wrath concept is an often left out part of the full gospel of the kingdom that we are to take to His sheep. “Peter, lovest thou Me, Lord you know that I love You. Feed My sheep.”

Always remember that Jesus loves us, but He does not love our sin or the sin of others. He has never loved our sin. He will never love our sin, and we should not either. Our sin (all sin) sent Him to the cross because He loved us so much.

Ask yourself this question: does allowing this country to decline so far so as to become like most of the rest of the world sound like loving your God; or your neighbor; or even your enemies?

In my thinking prophetically I do not see us having decades remaining should we continue to travel this present way.