May 15, 2023

The Bible Edge

Everyone needs an Edge, Believers can have the Bible Edge

Matthew 5:45

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

How much should a person love their enemies? As much as God does. In the verse just before the one listed above Jesus said: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; Matthew 5:44. Then the Lord gives an unconditional promise that proves the extent of His love for His enemies. He sends the sun and rain to His enemies as well as to His children.

Don’t think for a moment that the Lord, if He desired, could not send sun and rain upon His children and not upon His enemies. He did this when the Israelites were fleeing from the Egyptians. Exodus 14:20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night. Then there was the time He caused the sun to go backwards ten degrees in II Kings 20:11 as a sign to Hezekiah. In Joshua 10:13 the sun stood still for about a whole day. In I Kings 17 God gave Elijah the power to make it rain or make it stop raining. In Exodus 9 it hailed on the Egyptians but not on the Hebrews.

On and on we could go, suffice it to say that the Word of God gives ample proof that the Lord can control the sun and the rain and all of the other elements of the world. If He wanted only His children to have sun or rain He could do it. But He does not want that. He loves His enemies just as He loves His children. In fact, He desires for His enemies to become His children. Furthermore, the only children He has are those who were once His enemies. He loves His enemies so much that He wants them to become His children. This is why He gives today’s unconditional promise. He will give to the evil and the good, the just and the unjust all that they need for life and the living of it.

Likewise, He asks us to do the same. He asks His children to love friend and foe alike, all with unconditional love. How can this be accomplished? In part by remembering the commands given by the Apostle Paul: Romans 12:19-21 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

That sums up the Bible Edge about loving an enemy and why perfectly. There is no better parting thought than that. He may love His enemies today, but someday… not so much!

William T. Howe, Ph.D.