Three decades ago a co-worker of mine was rendered paraplegic by a thief. A group of believers and myself went to her home to comfort her.
We talked about the brevity of life on earth and everlasting life in heaven, etc., but not long after that, one of our fellow believers bluntly asked the physically disabled girl: "Have you already forgiven the guy who did this to you?"
The girl got embarrassed and tried to change the subject, but the guy kept insisting that she should not only forgive, but also love the thief, and so he ruined the gathering.
The unpleasant event led me and some other guys to examine the Scripture to see if LOVING OUR ENEMIES is a requirement for salvation. We came to the conclusion that we must always do our best to love our enemies, but if we don't attain such perfection we don't lose salvation.
A pastor back then told us: "Jesus preached to the Jews and Paul preached to us (the Gentiles). To be saved we must follow the teachings of Paul and of other apostles (which are actually from Jesus) and don't have to obey ALL teachings that Jesus gave to the Jews because we are now under a new covenant.
What is your opinion about this?
We have to love people no matter how they act towards us.
This love means we want no harm to come to them and want the best for them.
When the world is offended they say go to hell, but when a saint is offended they should say go to heaven.
Jesus said if we do not forgive then the Father will not forgive us.
Jesus said love your enemies, and feed and clothe your enemies, and pray for them, and bless them.
The Bible says love is the fulfilling of the law.
The Bible says follow peace with all people with holiness without which no person shall see the Lord, and follow peace with people as much as dwells in you.
That means our love for people will vary from person to person but we still have to love them, and follow peace with them, and want the best for them as much as those we love the most, and this love means how close we are to the person, and to get along with them.
Some people we can say hello, and God loves you, but we do not want to shake their hand or hug them.
Some people we can shake their hand but do not want to hug them.
Some people we can hug.
We will have different levels of love towards people but the love to want no harm to come to them, and the best for them is equal for all people.
We love equally all people to want goodness for them, but our love will vary from person to person in how close we are to them, and get along with them.