Christians and hate

[ayin jade]

Matthew 5

21 You have heard that it was said to the ancients, "You shall not kill" --and, "Whoever shall kill shall be liable to the judgment."

22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be liable to the judgment. And whoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the sanhedrin; but whoever shall say, Fool! shall be liable to be thrown into the fire of hell.

Some of you know that many years ago, my sister in law was kidnapped by a serial rapist/ killer. (She’s alive still and he isn’t.) For a long while, I referred to him as the vermin. I was convicted of that, and over time I forgave and stopped calling him by names that diminished his humanity. He is, or rather was, a lost person. Evil in his actions, but still human and still someone who needed Jesus.

9/11. Oh how I wanted to pray against Islamic extremists. How I wanted to rejoice that the hijackers were suffering for their murderous actions. God said no. Don’t rejoice. He reminded me to pray for muslims. To pray for them to come to salvation. He wouldn’t let up until I felt the weight of that conviction and adjusted my prayers accordingly.

Matthew 5

43 You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy."

44 But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you,

45 so that you may become sons of your Father in Heaven. For He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same?

47 And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax-collectors do so?

48 Therefore be perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect.

There have been times that Ive seen posts on the boards from regular members that quite honestly have lacked grace. In these posts, various people were called names. Even those not on these boards were called names. I admit, when I see someone do something I don’t like, I want to give in to the flesh and call him or her a name. That’s not how we are supposed to be though. As Christians we are told to love our enemies. Not hate. Not call them names.

I urge everyone reading this to consider some of the things you have posted on the boards. Have you called someone a name? Have you called a liberal or conservative a name? Have you called a muslim a name? Have you given into the temptation of the flesh to call someone a name?

I hope these words reach those who need to hear it. Not as chastisement but as growth. To grow in Him and love as He commands us to love.

[victory777]

what you wrote is so true, bless you for this thread

[Leonard]

Even in the midst of a war, one can pray for and genuinely love his enemies. Someone is Robert E. Lee's tent toward the end of our Civil War made a reference to "Those damned Yankees." Lee gently responded: "Now now. I have fought them for four years, but I have never had rancor toward them, and I think not a day has passed in which I have not prayed for them."

At the same time too, we must remember that the Holy Spirit through David records these words: "Oh Lord, have I not hated them who hated thee? Yea, I have hated them with a perfect hatred."

[mathqueen]

Well said, thanks Jadey. Awesome post.

[Xan]

This reminded me of a situation years ago when I was constantly criticized by a fellow Christian. He was not just critical, but real arrogant and nasty to me at times, and I had just turned my life over to God right before I "met" him, so I thought he was being doubly unfair during a time I was seeking to know God more and was not always able to get it "right". A woman at my synagogue told me to stop complaining about him but to pray for him and speak blessings over him. I prayed for him and ignored him, but I did stop talking bad about him and to him. Years later, we now have mutual respect for each other, and I enjoy talking to him. At the time I first knew him, I had never thought it was possible.

[EricH]

Even in the midst of a war, one can pray for and genuinely love his enemies. Someone is Robert E. Lee's tent toward the end of our Civil War made a reference to "Those damned Yankees." Lee gently responded: "Now now. I have fought them for four years, but I have never had rancor toward them, and I think not a day has passed in which I have not prayed for them."

At the same time too, we must remember that the Holy Spirit through David records these words: "Oh Lord, have I not hated them who hated thee? Yea, I have hated them with a perfect hatred."

Both Grant and Lincoln displayed the same attitudes at the end of the war

[Leonard]

Even in the midst of a war, one can pray for and genuinely love his enemies. Someone is Robert E. Lee's tent toward the end of our Civil War made a reference to "Those damned Yankees." Lee gently responded: "Now now. I have fought them for four years, but I have never had rancor toward them, and I think not a day has passed in which I have not prayed for them."

At the same time too, we must remember that the Holy Spirit through David records these words: "Oh Lord, have I not hated them who hated thee? Yea, I have hated them with a perfect hatred."

Both Grant and Lincoln displayed the same attitudes at the end of the war

Yes. We could learn very much from them. People of goodwill can disagree forcefully but agreeably; however those who seek to damage the flock of God, should be addressed more sternly.

[LadyGunivere]

bump

[Guest]

[ayin jade]

Even in the midst of a war, one can pray for and genuinely love his enemies. Someone is Robert E. Lee's tent toward the end of our Civil War made a reference to "Those damned Yankees." Lee gently responded: "Now now. I have fought them for four years, but I have never had rancor toward them, and I think not a day has passed in which I have not prayed for them."

At the same time too, we must remember that the Holy Spirit through David records these words: "Oh Lord, have I not hated them who hated thee? Yea, I have hated them with a perfect hatred."

Both Grant and Lincoln displayed the same attitudes at the end of the war

Yes. We could learn very much from them. People of goodwill can disagree forcefully but agreeably; however those who seek to damage the flock of God, should be addressed more sternly.

I dont want to use a real example from here, since that would potentially embarrass a member of worthy, but when a Christian on the boards uses a derogatory term to refer to a muslim for instance, that isnt addressing a muslim specifically, but it shows inappropriate hate. Not good for a Christian. One can address someone who seeks to damage the flock of God without using derogatory terms. Our witness of Him is diminished when we speak in such a way.