Our Enemies As Christians

Yes, there are a lot of differences in interpretation i understand, but one day all these things will be revealed to us.

One way which you might be able to relate to this is when you get that annoying feeling when you see Catholics "worship" Mother Mary.
That's the feeling i get with David.
But like i said, God will sort us out in the end.

Wow

“Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55:3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:”
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭11:34‬ ‭

“ and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes;”
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭14:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Love your enemy.. that's the same love Christ has for you and me. So does He ever stop? Its love.. that love never ever sees faults never thinks of its self. But you quote Psalms? Way before Christ ever came. What did Christ say? "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” So there's your answer.

Remember Christ never asks us to do something He never did. The world hates Him yet He cries because they don't know how much He loves them. All the good that happens to them.. never came from the enemy. Just look at all that Israel has done to Him.. He came to His own first.

There is an old saying that fits here: Were it not for the Grace of God, so go I.

In Matthew 5:44, the Lord is reminding us of one very important fact. We should love our enemies! Why is this? For one, because God showed believers MERCY and FORGIVENESS even though we were enemies of God. Therefore, believers should follow our Heavenly Fathers example: Mat 5:45-47 that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. (46) For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? (47) And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the Gentiles the same?

Secondly, let us not forget, that if God had not done a work in us, we would be exactly like the one you are calling an enemy. We were no better than they before God called us out and we are still no better than they, if we cannot love, forgive and pray for them.

However, as a believer, this does not mean that you have to stand there and be abused - IF the cause is for Christ. If it is for your own revenge, that is a different story. You should be slow to anger, slow to speak and slow to act. After all, what have they injured? Your pride? You will survive.

In the cause of Christ, you should be fierce towards those who are spreading lies, quick to shun those who work evil and hate the things that God hates.

In regards to the Psalms you quoted in your post... Please note that the Psalmist was talking with God - who is the righteous Judge - and many of the things he was mentioning, were about the revealed will of God towards those who are unbelievers. They were not about things that the Psalmist himself was planning to do.

Finally, keep this in mind:

Rom 12:17 Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men.
Rom 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lies in you, be at peace with all men.
Rom 12:19 Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of God: for it is written, Vengeance belongs unto me; I will recompense, says the Lord.
Rom 12:20 But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.
Rom 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

It's basically like Apostle Paul said in Romans 12:18, if it be possible, as much as lieth within you, live peaceably with all men.

That does not mean we can't love our enemies and pray for them. At the same time, that does not mean we have to let them run over us either. Here's a Scripture by Jesus that many just pass over...

Jesus speaking in 'red':

Luke 22:35-37
35 And He said unto them, "When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing?" And they said, "Nothing."

36 Then said He unto them, "But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in Me, 'And He was reckoned among the transgressors': for the things concerning Me have an end."

38 And they said, "Lord, behold, here are two swords." And He said unto them, "It is enough."
KJV

Why do many miss the above Scripture where Jesus told His disciples when He sent them out in final to preach The Gospel, for those who didn't have one, to go buy a sword?

The above Scripture by Lord Jesus shows that we as His servants have the God-given right to defend ourselves. In that day, a sword was the most common weapon of the time.

What about Matthew 5 where Jesus said to turn the other cheek if you are slapped on the face by your enemy? Well, what 'situation' was that involving? Who was He speaking those things to in Matthew 5? To His disciples. And what would be their Commission? To go preach The Gospel to the nations. So someone who is against our preaching of The Gospel comes up to us and slaps us on the face, offer them the other cheek also. That's the situation. And in that time slapping the face was a practice to show a person they were guilty of shame. It was not to kill them.


Now but what if a thief or murderer is coming up to you to kill you? What then, just turn the other cheek?!? like let it happen?!? God forbid, NO! That's why Jesus told His disciples that didn't have one, to go buy a sword!

Jesus gave His servants the right to defend their self, and their family, and their country, from thieves, murderers, against subversives, and against all sorts of corruption and evil. We are not to allow our enemies to treat us like second class citizens.

And in case one did not know, World Communist policy is geared to use... the Christian Church to push disarming and pacifist dogma, i.e., for you to NOT defend yourself nor your family nor your country!


Communist Goal #27 (from ex-FBI agent Cleon Skousen's 1958 book The Naked Communist, listing 45 strategic points for Communist takeover of the United States.)

"Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity, which does not need a "religious crutch."
(from https://archive.org/details/45-declared-goals/page/n1/mode/2up)

Those Psalms are called imprecatory Psalms, in which David seems to be standing before the Judge of the universe pleading his case before his and our Judge, God. However, you must understand that David never took personal revenge against his enemies, though Abigail, who later became his wife, helped him stop once. He prayed for his enemies and also pleaded for God's justice to be done in their lives. In Abigail's case, her husband died suddenly. God took care of it for him. Pray always for your enemies and wait for God to act; he will eventually. Jesus said so.

I like that David followed God whole-heartedly. It's just that every time the Bible mentioned that he sinned, other people who were innocent died. It seems that God chose that type of chastisement because He knew it would affect David to bring him to repentance. I found that annoying about David nevertheless.


🛰️

Yes I’m not sure it’s punishment so much as the consequences of his own actions and the fact that David always really loved and believed in God truly from his heart he sought him.

When we love God and are seeking after him and we fall into sins at times like David did , it causes a severe conflict in our soul that causes or is recognized as a sorrow. Which brings repentence tbrough acknowledging and repenting from the heart like David our great example , did as he walked with the lord.

We see David clearly at times like when he’s repenting . Note his acceptance of his responsibility for the sins but his plea for Gods work to cleanse and fix and heal and forgive him appealing to Gods mercy ,

even though he knows he has committed sins of a death sentance he is bold , knowing the mercies of God. And his forebearance and kindness

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. ( you cleanse me from my own sin )

For I acknowledge my transgressions: And my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭51:1-4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As we look more into his plea we begin really to see and hear parts of the gospel principles and designs of the new covenant

“Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with thy free spirit.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭51:9-12‬ ‭

We see David’s reliance on God not because David was a perfect man but because he was so imperfect even after he was chosen by God blessed by God helped by God given rule by God .

David still was led astray by lust and sins deception and lure and poisonous intent . And when he was , he didn’t just pretend he hadn’t done anything wrong he had gotten real with God stopped hiding and faced what he had done and plead for mercy

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no guile.

( when we pretend we didn’t sin or try to hide it cover it )

When I kept silence, my bones waxed old Through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: My moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

( but when we acknolwedge then before God sincerely knowing his mercy towards us )


I acknowledged my sin unto thee, And mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found:
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭32:1-6‬ ‭

I find David to be a good example of how to deal with sin in our own lives and that the new covenant is based upon repentance and remission of sins first seen and known n the mercies of David

“Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55:3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Wheras we know David lost his way sometimes even in terrible ways , but through repentance and Gods mercy after all David lived and died upon earth all his struggles and failure and histories after all was judged and said and done ….this is what God remenbered about him and stated after he lived


“and rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes;”
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭14:8‬ ‭

We can see how real and effective his mercy towards us is and n that save connotes several sins at times some requiring David’s life for punishment. Yet through repentance and remission of sins , God sees David as if he only ever followed the commandments and ugh to my to do what was right in his eyes and so David has a good testimony from God even though he had sinned as all have , by Gods mercy was David saved through repentance and confession through acknowledging his sins and not pretending and hiding them away

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:8-10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

I find that David really is a perfect example of a Christian we’ve all sinned and still fail even after God finds us and accepts us as his people but through repentance and remission of sins we can be saved by his mercy and truth towards us

I believe that the difference between David and Jesus is that David lived under the law and we live under the grace of God, under grace, Jesus indicates and teaches us to forgive even our enemy as God also forgives our sin. The best example is that of Jesus himself who prayed for those who crucified him because they did not know what they were doing.

Psalm 32:1B-2 plus 10/COLOR]

One way to love your enemies and other people, is too forgive them. God forgiving us was an act of love. Forgive your enemies.
It's in the bible that God will curse those that curse us, christians.
There is also example in the old testimant were God waited 40 years before visiting a group of offenders.
It's not us they hate Jesus said, it's Jesus they hate.
All things work for the good for them who love God.
God is for those who are for him.
We are blessed and cursed not.

I see both kinds of prayers as harmonious - or better yet, as a united front. An enemy that has been humiliated, put to shame, destroyed, etc. sounds like a Saul of Tarsus - a very blessed guy:

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed ... Romans 6:6 (KJV)
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I ... Gal 2:20 (KJV)
And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Gal 5:24 (KJV)
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Gal 6:14 (KJV)

The problem is , you are looking at Old Testament issues when God was dealing with the overthrow of evil nations and instilling discipline into Israel. We are now in a New Dispensation/ Testament/ The Law of Love and Grace. We now live under the new laws given by God through Paul. So the Old Testament laws are there for our learning but the New Testament Laws for our obeying.

It's similar to praying fervently for the salvation of our loved ones, while at the same time praying for Jesus' Second Coming to take place soon. Both are biblical prayers, and we need to pray them while letting God decide the answers.

In my experiences and in the Bible, God gives four answers to our prayers: yes, no, not yet, and not the way you expect it to happen.

As Pogo once said "We have met the enemy, and he is us".