"You've heard it said to love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I say you should love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you.... For if you only love those who love you, how is that any different than everybody else? If you are only loving and kind to your friends and family, aren't you just like the nonbelievers?" (paraphrased)
The lines are obvious and the mandate is clear. No gray area here. If we are followers of Jesus, we are citizens of a different Kingdom. The Kingdom of God has one law: LOVE. If we do not love, we are not truly following Jesus and we are not participating in the Kingdom.
All earthly kingdoms operate by a natural law -everyone loves family and friends -this is natural. But the Kingdom of God is supernatural. There is an expectation that citizens of The Kingdom see the wisdom, and understand, and live our lives in light of the one law.
If we love God and love others, the Kingdom grows and our Father is glorified. We bring glory to Father as we learn to transcend the natural by loving others with His love -and we bring honor to Jesus as we learn to love Father.
I love this passage.
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