Love Your Enemies – Part 2 Enemies & Identity
Matthew 5:46-48 — “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Think about what Christ went through on this earth. From birth to death, enemies seriously plotted against Him. This wasn’t mere gossipy hatred – these people maliciously wanted to witness Him face ultimate destruction. They wanted His life. So much so that they told lies about Him, mocked Him, betrayed Him, mocked Him some more, spit on Him, beat Him, and then killed Him. It’s incredible the type of enemies Jesus faced. And how did He respond? He responded with great truthfulness, composure, and calmness – completely empty of hatred, bitterness, and revenge. Instead of praying for His enemy’s ruin in His dying moments, He prayed “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
What a beautiful picture of loving your enemy.
Jesus’ responses to His enemies got me thinking about identity. Do you notice that Christ had complete security when it came to His identity? He didn’t need to prove to anyone who He was. And I think this unshakeable security allowed Him to respond with love in the midst of betrayal.
See, it is easy to love the ones that love us, the ones that uplift us and find value in us. It’s incredibly difficult to love those that try to remove us of our worth, reputation, and character.
But, if we find our identity in Christ, we can’t be stripped of our identity. Our enemies might wound, but they can’t remove our security. So as you follow after Christ’s example – facing betrayal, hatred, and opposition – know and trust that you are secure in Christ, and no one can take that away from you.
And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us? And if our God is with us, then what could stand against?
Exodus 15:2 — “The LORD is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation…”