January 25, 2025 Morning Devotional

Morning Devotion: Read Luke - Love Your Enemies?

Luke 6:27  But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28  Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. 29  And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also. 30  Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 31  And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 32  For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. 33  And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. 34  And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35  But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36  Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

I heard the statement that if you love some one you will receive love in return. 

After reading the above statement do we find that to be true?

Jesus loved; He loved mankind all the way to the cross, yet men still hate Jesus and are still the enemy of God, Jesus, the cross and Christianity itself. 

We all like to love those who return love and we all like to lend to those who give back in return. But, do we truly love our enemies and lend to those who could care less?

The above words are from the Lord Jesus.  

He also said: John 13:34  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

John 15:9  As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

I know of a man who loves his wife and children. Yet, his wife and children do not love him. Everyday there is argument over Christianity and his love for Jesus. His family never attends church while he is faithful. People have asked this man why he is still with them. He simply states, he loves them and wants them to be saved. To abandon them would be to abandon the opportunity to lead them to Christ. He is still with them today. 

There are numerous accounts of people who love those who do not love them in return. They remain faithful to the Lord in doing so, for the Lord said to love your enemies. 

By the way, love is not tolerance and love does not accept sin. In fact, love points people to Jesus so they can be saved from the sin which condemns. (Jesus never accepted sin, He died to pay for sin so one could turn from sin and be saved. That is true love.)

Many churches today preach that to love is to accept everything and embrace everything. That is not love at all, that is hate. To accept everything and tolerate everything means one could care less if the other person turns from sin and is saved, they could care less if the sinner dies and goes to a devil’s hell just as long as they themselves are accepted and loved in return. That is a selfish love and a true hatred for others. That kind of love comes from a proud heart. 

Notice the first phrase of our text: Luke 6:27a  “But I say unto you which hear,..”

Do you hear, do you hear with understanding, and wisdom, and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ? 

Are you born again, genuinely saved in Christ Jesus? If so, you have the capability to hear God’s truth. 

The choice is still yours,

Pastor Cook