“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.: (Ephesians 6:12 AMP)
“Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.” (Matthew 26:3-5 NKJV)
“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.” (Luke 6:35 NLT)
Question of the day…
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..Who is my enemy?
I have chosen to live for Jesus in a highly visible and vocal way. That does not make those who do not choose to live this way my enemies. Perhaps if we who follow Jesus would pick our battles a bit more wisely (like Jesus), and stop turning away those who Jesus gave his life for, we would not create enemies so quickly.
Jesus said that as his disciple I would be persecuted just like he was. The interesting thing is that the vast majority of Jesus’ persecution came from the leadership of organized religion, NOT the “world” (those inside and outside of the religious community). He was loved by the masses. He was persecuted by the religious elite. When the ruling religious counsel demanded his crucifixion even the government officials couldn’t find anything to charge against him.
My humble opinion is that we who follow Jesus have created most of our own rejection and persecution. I do not think most people who oppose today’s version of “Christianity” are rejecting the true Jesus of the Bible. I think they are rejecting the Jesus that has been created by religion. As long as I create an environment of “us – them” in which I am rejecting those outside of my current religious views then I am creating my own enemies.
This doesn’t mean I agree with the lifestyle, beliefs, or choices of those around me. It simply means that like the one I follow I am willing to lay down my life for others even unto death as I love them as he does regardless of our differences. “Sinners” loved him. Perhaps because he didn’t speak to them, or treat them, as “sinners” but as those he loved so much that he came to lay down his life to rescue.
If I am suffering persecution as Jesus did it means that my radical love for those outside of my religious community, and my rejection of rigid rules based religion, will so infuriate the established religious leaders that they will reject me and try to destroy my life and ministry just as they did his.
Something to think about (and maybe to repent of) as we give more thought to…
…Eric’s Life Lesson # 501: Who is my enemy?