Mat 5:43 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 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;
WHAT JESUS TAUGHT. "LOVE (AGAPE) THY ENEMIES."
A. Next few statements so difficult that volumes have been written to explain it away.
B. Jesus illustrates "love your enemies by."
1. If you are cursed - bless.
2. Do good to those that hate you.
3. Pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you.
C. God's love to set example.
1. He makes sun to rise on the evil and the good.
2. He sends the rain on just and unjust.
3. "But God commendeth His Love toward us."
4. "If when we were enemies of God."
5. Had God not loved sinful, rebellious, hating world, where would we be?
D. God's perfection to be our goal. "Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect."
III. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO OBEY CHRIST'S COMMAND?
A. We must be detached.
1. From the actions of others.
a. Else we are prone to react.
2. From ourselves - for until you are detached from yourself you can never be detached from what others do to you.
3. Death to self again imperative.
B. We must be filled with His Spirit.
1. "Now the fruit of the Spirit is love."
2. Love is a part of the nature of God.
3. To love an enemy is an impossible command to a natural man.
Blue Letter Bible - Commentaries