Why Must We Love Our Enemies?

Apart from the fact that Christ commanded us to do so, why should we love those who hate us and despitefully use us? Other belief systems either have no such commandment or, like Islam, expect adherents to avenge their enemies.

Christ gave us the answer to this question in Luke 23:34 (BBE) when he was crucified. "And Jesus said, 'Father, let them have forgiveness, for they have no knowledge of what they are doing.' And they made division of his clothing among them by the decision of chance."

Now some folks will argue that certain people know they're sinning. Romans 1:20 (BBE) does say, "For from the first making of the world, those things of God which the eye is unable to see, that is, his eternal power and existence, are fully made clear, he having given the knowledge of them through the things which he has made, so that men have no reason for wrongdoing:"

That's true but there's also another factor, namely Satan. We read in 2 Corinthians 4:3 and 4 (BBE), "But if our good news is veiled, it is veiled from those who are on the way to destruction: Because the god of this world has made blind the minds of those who have not faith, so that the light of the good news of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, might not be shining on them."

Additionally, sinners are unable to repent of their own accord. Ephesians 2:1 and 2 (BBE) explains, "And to you did he give life, when you were dead through your wrongdoing and sins, In which you were living in the past, after the ways of this present world, doing the pleasure of the lord of the power of the air, the spirit who is now working in those who go against the purpose of God;"


When Christ said he was the resurrection and the life, it was more than bodily rising from the dead that he meant. Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:5 (BBE) about this spiritual resurrection from the deadness of sin. "Even when we were dead through our sins, gave us life together with Christ (by grace you have salvation),"

So we find that sinners are blinded by the Devil and also by their lack of regeneration. Such beings should be pitied, not scorned. They bear the image of God but know nothing about him.

If Christ doesn't come back by Thursday, I hope to post about why we must defend the right of people to worship other gods.

Why is Human Life Sacred?

Those who teach evolution would have us believe that we're no better than other creatures eking out a living on this planet. If that's the case, why do we have morals? And shouldn't only the fittest of us be allowed to live?

Starting at the beginning, our creator had in mind a special place for us. Genesis 1:26 (BBE) records, "And God said, 'Let us make man in our image, like us: and let him have rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the cattle and over all the earth and over every living thing which goes flat on the earth."

Since we're made in God's image, destroying it through murder is a crime against the Lord. Genesis 9:6 (BBE) states, "Whoever takes a man's life, by man will his life be taken; because God made man in his image."

But how far does this extend? Some folks quote Exodus 20:13 (BBE) out of context. They think nobody should kill anybody for any reason. The verse actually says, " "Do not put anyone to death without cause."

Those two words, "without cause," are important to note. The government of any land has the God-given duty to execute any murderer. As the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 13:3 and 4 (BBE), "For rulers are not a cause of fear to the good work but to the evil. If you would have no fear of the authority, do good and you will have praise; For he is the servant of God to you for good. But if you do evil, have fear; for the sword is not in his hand for nothing:" he is God's servant, making God's punishment come on the evil-doer.

As for war, God used it to cleanse the land he promised to Abraham of the wicked people who dwelled there. Exodus 23:31 (BBE) tells how. "I will let the limits of your land be from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the waste land to the river Euphrates: for I will give the people of those lands into your power; and you will send them out before you."

In a case where one's land is being invaded by soldiers bent on slaughtering its citizens, then people are permitted to slay the land's enemies. We see this often in Israel's history.

We also see in Deuteronomy 32:39 (BBE) that God is the one who gives and takes life. "See now, I myself am he; there is no other god but me: giver of death and life, wounding and making well: and no one has power to make you free from my hand."

This is a big topic, too large for this post, so I'll deal with it in my next book. Because God gives and takes life, he has the right to execute judgement on those who refuse his son's generous sacrifice. After all, we have the choice of paying for our rejection of him in hell forever or letting him take our punishment and becoming his adopted children.

On Saturday, I'll post about a song which extols one of humanity's greatest inventions. It's also a powerful tool for spreading the gospel around the world.