Bless Your Enemies

"Bless those persecuting you, bless and not curse, rejoice with those rejoicing, weep with those weeping. The same thing toward one another minding, not the things lofty minding but with lowly going along, not to be wise in yourselves, to no one for evil repaying, providing right things before all men."1

This word for lofty is derived from hupsos, "height, heaven, high." The root word for hupos is hypér, "in behalf of, above" properly, beyond (above); (figuratively) to extend benefit (help) that reaches beyond the present situation. A slave is not "above" or lofty over his master, a disciple is not above his teacher. We are no longer slaves and Jesus is our Master and Teacher, we do not put ourselves above Jesus, nor above men, those who do are lofty people, they think highly of themselves.

Jesus is our Master and Teacher, by his indestructible life, death, and resurrection he ascended on high, he has all authority. When he walked on the earth as a man, many wanted to exalt him as an earthly King and ruler, to them it was truly about the "land" the earthly perspective of what they thought a godly nation should be, and how it had been previously. But here is Jesus, repent, the Kingdom of God is at hand!

"Blessed are those persecuted on account of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens."3

What does righteousness look like? what does the Kingdom of God look like? Jesus said, repent the kingdom of God is at hand, and he spoke of such and was an example, here is what that looks like. Agape love fulfills the law, love one another, love your neighbor, bear one another's burden thus fulfill the Law of Christ... Fight for the cause of the least of these... defend the widows and orphans, equality and justice for all. In these things is the Kingdom of God. And Love your enemies...

"I say, however, to love your enemies and pray for those persecuting you, bless those cursing you, do good to those spitefully accusing you and hating you, so that you may be sons of the Father of you, who is in the heavens, for the sun of him he makes shine on evil and good and sends rain on righteous and unrighteous. Indeed, if you love those loving you what reward have you, do not the tax collectors do the same?"4

We see the differentiator between the sons of God and those of the world and its ruler, even for those who claim to know God. Again, it is of the greater commandments of God, those that fulfill the righteous requirements of God's standards. To love your neighbor as yourself, not just love a friendly, neighbor who is easy to love, no, but one that persecutes you, one who is your enemy. Such sacrificial love requires the Spirit of God, thus it differentiates those who walk in the flesh from those who walk in the Spirit. Does it not distinguish the true followers of Jesus?

"But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream."5

Thy Will

The Tripartite Nature of Humanity: Spirit, Soul, and Body

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So That You Have Life

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