WPC rK`{oWyRoVГ={}O˻?dHa!AW y(U Y vOg8S| 0ݟ%׊2ܬ˃ـFvlO%|1-Zoמ.F)qH5ՇsSLc %l0aXEnĔ0 XO93֋'\z߅L6cg[n_21%)F8`m(xPt&H0.0]B\bX]Ǝ4Ķ(!.X\C@oc_W wBj22{s*@tg!~Y W{[fJJrGrf   NewTestament.   ffffII.0  Thecommandtoloveallmen,whetherfriendorenemy,is    theclimaxofthistheme,andofthecommandtoloveas   Jesusloved.(John13:34). M    A.0  Toloveone'sfriendandhateone'senemyisthenatural k   thingtodo.1    B.0  Incallinguponhisdisciplesto"loveyourenemies,"Jesus   commandsustodotheunnatural:ItisthecallofGodto e  theholy,thehigh,theupwardway.+   C.0  "Themostsublimepieceofmoralityevergiventoman." I "A.Clarke.   D.0  Butthiscallisnottotheimpossiblemerelytothebest } way.C ffffDISCUSSION X ffff I.0  THEOLDTESTAMENTLAWOFLOVE. (5:43)m ffff  A.0  Lovethyneighbor :"Yehaveheardthatitwassaid,  Thoushaltlovethyneighbor,andhatethineenemy." H (43)f     1.0  ThelawofMosesplainlysetforththeprecept,"Thou ,  shaltlovethyneighborasthyself."(Lev.19:1719;cf. ! Ex.23:4,5;Prov.24:17,29;20:22;25:21,22).`"     2.0  Hateforanenemywasnotapreceptofthelaw,but ~&# anunwarrantedconclusiondrawnbytheJews, D$ includingsomeoftheirmostpiousmen.(Ps.137:8,9;  % 139:21,22;2Kings13:19;1Chron.20:3).x&     3.0  ThelawofMosesprohibitedholdingagrudgeagainst >' orhatingone'sneighbororbrother.ButtheJewsas \( anationansweredthequestion,"Whoisthy " ) neighbor?"selfishlybysaying,"FellowJews."They  * regardedallothernationsasenemies.!V+     4.0  Topreventidolatry,uponenteringCanaan,God t" , # @   forbadethemakingofpeacewiththeCanaanite X nations(Ex.34:1116;Deut.23:6.)Fromthisandthe  warstheywagedagainstwickednationsunderGod's  direction,thereeasilyandnaturallydeveloped,under R theoperationofthelaw,thewrongsentimentof p hatingenemies.6 ffff  B.0  HowthescribesandPhariseespervertedthelaw.K     1.0  Thoughthelawnowheresaid,"hatethineenemy",  thisiswhattheysaidanddid.(cf.Matt.15:6.)      2.0  The"neighbors"theyfeltobligatedtolovewere  E  peopleoftheirownraceandnation;theenemiesthey c   feltfreetohatewereallothers.)   ffff  C.0  NOTE:Itwouldbewelltorememberthatto"hate" >  sometimesmeanssimplytoloveless(Luke14:26),   withoutnecessarilyholdinganybitternessoffeeling.It  r  maybesomeJewshatedonlyinthisway.8   II.0  THENEWTESTAMENTLAWOFLOVE .(5:4447)  ffff  A.0  Loveyourenemies :"ButIsayunto,Loveyourenemies, 1 andprayforthemthatpersecuteyou."(44)     1.0  Thisappearstomanytobeanimpossibleattitude e "becausetheyunderstandthewordloveashere + expressingthesamefeelinginallrespectswhichwe I entertaintowardafriendorannearkinsman.But  lovehasmanyshadesanddegrees.Theexactphase } ofitwhichishereenjoinedisbestunderstoodinthe C lightofthescriptures.Theparableofthegood a  SamaritanisgivenbyJesusfortheexpresspurpose ' ofexemplifyingit(Luke10:2537);hisownexample  inprayingonthecrossforthosewhocrucifiedhim [  servesthesamepurpose(Luke23:34);andsodoes y!! theconductofDavidwhenhesparedthelifeofking ?" Saul(1Sam.24,26).Thefeelingwhichenablesusto # dealwithanenemyasthegoodSamaritandid,as s$ Jesusdid,andasDaviddid,istheloveforour 9% enemieswhichishereenjoined.Itisbynomeansan W& impossiblefeeling."_McGarvey_,Commentaryon ' MatthewMark,p.60.(     2.0  However,itispossibleonlywhenChristcomesinto  Q) ourheartandsoul,makingusnew,likehim.o!*     3.0  Itisanattitudeofsustainedandunbreakablegood 5"+ willtowardthem:TotreatyourenemiesasGod " , treatshiswishthemgoodanddothemgood.X     4.0  "Hatingeveryfalseway"istheteachingofGod(Ps.  119:104;Prov.6:1619;Rom.12:9;Heb.1:9),but  "desiringthegoodofsinnersandprayingfor R persecutorsisequallyso.Jesusisourbestexample p (Luke23:34).Doingthis,weagainimitatethe 6 Fatherwhosendsmaterialblessingsonbotheviland  goodweareworthychildren."AnnualLesson j Commentary,_1/2_8/34,p.37.0 ffff  B.0  " Prayforthemthatpersecuteyou ."(44b) E      1.0  JesusChristisourexampleinthis.(Luke23:34; c   Acts7:60))       2.0  Jesusteachesthatloveisuniversalifwedonotfulfil   thelawinlovingourenemies(Rom13:810),"weare  ]  sinnerswithoutreward."{ #      3.0  Ifwefulfilthelawbylovingandprayingforour A  enemies,wearelikeGod(Luke6:27,28).  ffff  C.0  Tobesons :"ThatyemaybesonsofyourFatherwhois   inheaven:forhe_maketh_Ԁhissuntoriseontheeviland  thegood,and_sendeth_Ԁrainonthejustandunjust."(45)P     1.0  Hedoesnotsaythatbythisaloneonewillbecomea n childofGod.4     2.0  Themeaningisthatinthismanneroneis  АtransformedintothelikenessofhisFatherandthus h reflectshisnature..     3.0  TheattitudeofGodhimself,expressedhere,isour L bestinterpretationofGod'slawoflove,anditis  sufficientmotivationfortheactionJesusherein  teaches.F ffff  D.0  Whatreward?  Forifyelovethemwhichloveyou,what [  rewardhaveye?donoteventhepublicansthesame? y!! (46)?"     1.0  OurexampleisChrist,nottheworld.#     2.0  IfwedonotfollowHiminthis,wearesinners s$ withoutreward,nomatterwhatweprofess.9%     3.0  Nopraiseorrewardisduehimwholovesonlythose W& wholovehim;suchselfishloveispracticednotonly ' bythehatedpublicans,butbynearlyallsinners.( ffff  E.0  Morethanothers :"Andifyesaluteyourbrethrenonly,  * whatdoyemorethanothers?DonoteventheGentiles !f+ thesame?"(47)", ,     1.0  ThenatureofChrist'skingdomissuchthattheNew J# - Testamentlawofrighteousnessishigherand X requiresmoreofitscitizensfordivineacceptance  thanthepublicansandGentiles.     2.0  Havingtheadvantagesof( a )agreaterFather,( b )a R betterfamily,_( c_ )abetterTeacherandGuide,( d )a p greaterComforter,( e )morewholesomefood,( f )great 6 erlight,and( g )abrighterhopethanothers,our  opportunitiesandabilitiesfordoingaregreaterthan j theheathen.0     3.0  Onlyareprobatewillwithholdbrotherlylove.(1John N   2:11).   ffff III.0  THEPERFECTLIFE .(5:48))   0  (Christinusmeansanewheart,power,life).  ffff  A.0  BePerfect :"Yethereforeshallbeperfect,asyour   heavenlyFatherisperfect."(48) r      1.0  Godhimselfisthesource,andourpattern,of 8  perfection.V      2.0  Inthissense,itisimpossibleformantoattainthe   standardexceptthroughthegraceofGodwhich  makeseternalredemptionareality.P     3.0  Butthecontexthereindicatesthatthecompleteness, n maturity,orperfectionJesusrequiresofusisthe 4 perfectionofloveinusthroughthekeepingofGod's  wordheretaughtinhelpingourenemies.(cf.1John h 2:5;4:1618).ItisGod'snatureandwilltohelphis . enemiesbyshowingthemmercy.Alovetherefore L whichreachesoutonlytoone'sfriendsandneighbors  isnottheperfectiontaughthere. ffff  B.0  EmbodiedinChrististheperfectpatternofGod"let's  followhimthatwemaybecomechildrenofGodintruth [  andindeed.y!!   C.0  Ifwedecidetoperfectourlovetowardthosewehave ?" formerlyfearedwouldgetaheadofus,bepreferredover # us,criticizeus,ortakewhatwehave(jealousy),thenwe s$ nolongerhavetoliveinfear(1John2:5;4:18)9%   D.0  Whilewemayneverreachsohighanidealasishereset W& beforeus,letusmakeitouraimthroughoutlife(Phil. ' 3:714).(   E.0  "Withmalicetowardnone;withcharitytowardall."A.  Q) Lincoln.o!* ЀZZ 򄄀CharlesCrouch#w  \#