WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT ENEMIES

"WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT ENEMIES"

The Bible says that christians will be persecuted, hated and will have enemies (2 Timothy 3:12: Matthew 5:11-12,10:2.2. Luke 6:22-23; 1Corinthians 16:9). Jesus promised His disciples, "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. " (John 15:18). Those that oppose christianity are the enemies of God and all christians (Philippians 3:18). In Matthew 10:34-36 the Bible says, "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword {35} "For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. " {36} "And 'a man's foes will be those of his own household "Sometimes the christian's enemy is a family member or loved one. At all times the christian's greatest enemy is Satan himself (1 Peter 5:8). The christian is not to be deterred form preaching the gospel and living the christian life just because there are enemies who seek to undo us (Philippians 1:28).

The Bible says that christians must love their enemies and treat them with kindness and goodness (Matthew 5:43-48; Proverbs 24:17-18; Acts 7:60). In Romans 12:19-20 the Bible says, "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "vengeance is Mine, I will repay, " says the Lord " {20} "Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head " It is God's place to deal with the enemies of` His people and He will do so at the judgment, and in His own time (Leviticus 19:18; Deuteronomy 32:35; 2 Timothy 4:14-15; Nahum 1:2).

The Bible says that we become the enemies of God when we have a greater love for worldly things than for Him (James 4:4). However, God loves and blesses those who make themselves His enemy (Romans 5:10). He has no desire for harm or retribution to come to them (Ezekiel 18:32; 33:11). His desire is to make His enemies His children (Colossians 1:21). The Bible says that either we are His children or we are His enemies, there is no middle ground (Matthew 12:30).

David Decker

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