A troubled man pleaded with me: “Please help me better understand Scripture and prayer”.
Was he serious?
I advised: “This week read Psalms. Then tell me what you learned”.
He did.
But, Psalms puzzled him. He commented: “The authors had lots of enemies – more than I do”.
But, when I told him behind his recent troubles were three great enemies: the unrelenting demonic forces of – the world, the flesh and the devil, he got a deer-in-the-headlight look. We decided to pray and study Scripture together, strategizing long term resistance. Those weekly discussions took years!
Now, friend, an additional question: What does Scripture teach about irreconcilable personal enemies?
First, God, glory be to You! Your speciality is reuniting some personal enemies. “While we were ‘enemies’ we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son”. (Romans 5:10) Being “reconciled” is literally: “decisively changed”. Hallelujah!
Still, some don’t change. In “When to Walk Away”, author Gary Thomas tackles such implacable foes. He cites Jesus walking away from the coldhearted or allowing some to walk away from Him. Thomas’ Appendix lists 41 such incidents in the Gospels! More than two dozen episodes are distinct!
Surprised?!
Jesus, before Your birth, an angel enlightened Joseph: “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save ‘his people’ from their sins”. (Matthew 1:21) Note: “his people”, not “all people”. When Scripture promises eternal life, salvation is for all kinds of people from every tongue and tribe and nation, not every single person.
Jesus, Your life shows us the extreme lengths You go to reconcile with some and yet also the plain way You pass others by.
Still You challenge us: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy’. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”. (Matthew 5:43,44) Jesus, help!
Understandably, the Greek word “enemy” arises from Greek for “hatred”. The Greek dictionary defines “enemy” in aggressive/passive aggressive terms: “one who is openly hostile, animated by deep-seated hatred; or one whose hidden hostility proceeds from personal hatred, one bent on inflicting harm.” Ouch!
Likewise, “enemy” comes from Latin: “en” = “not capable of” + “emy” from “amo”, “to love”. “Ouch” has multilingual sources!
Shall we attempt to ignore or soften such hardened/harsh realities?
No. Jesus, You also reveal: “A person’s ‘enemies’ will be those of his own household”. (Matthew 10:36) Abused kids and even treasured children may become “enemies”. Dear God!
Jesus, we show we hear You as we choose to love and pray for “household enemies”. God, You are able to “decisively change” people.
Still, Jesus, You press on as You warn Your disciples: “You will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved”. (Matthew 10:22) Jesus, what another revelation!
But, “all”? Clearly this is not “all” without exception, i.e., every person, but it is “all” without distinction, i.e., all kinds of people.
Further, Jesus, You declare: “If the world ‘hates’ you, know that it has ‘hated’ Me before it ‘hated’ you”. (John 15:18) Again, this is not every single person hating Jesus but all kinds of people.
Accordingly, Paul had “many adversaries”. (1Corinthians 16:9) “Such are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ…even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light”. (2 Corinthians 11:13,14)
Nevertheless, Spirit-filled Zechariah, prophesied: “Blessed be the Lord God. He spoke that we should be saved from our ‘enemies’, from the hand of all who ‘hate’ us; that we, being ‘delivered’ from the hand of our ‘enemies’, might ‘serve’ (devotedly serve/whole-heartedly worship) ‘him without fear, in holiness and righteousness ‘before him’ (‘in [God’s] eye’ – ‘Coram Deo’) all our days.” (Luke 1: 68, 70,71,74, 75)
Zechariah’s word, “deliver”, is “snatching someone right out of danger/oppression to and for the deliverer”. This is our word when we implore: “‘Deliver’ us from evil”. (Matthew 6:13) Why? God, we want You to be well-pleased with our thankfulness/reverence/awe. (Hebrews 12:28)
But, what if our enemies won’t be reconciled? God, You declare: “‘The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I put your ‘enemies’ under your feet’”. (Matthew 22:44) We find similar Old Testament allusions 23x (!) in the New Testament. No other OT citation in the NT comes close! God, Bible authors trusted You to footstool their implacable foes!
Paul discloses more about such opponents: “Many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as ‘enemies’ of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself”. (Philippians 3:18-21)
Jesus, “You will subject all things to Yourself”.
Some, the redeemed, You take to heaven. Glory!
But, Jesus, You also describe hell more than any of Your prophets.
Consequently, “The rest of mankind” (not the redeemed) God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of his own will, whereby he extends or withholds mercy, as he pleases, for the glory of his sovereign power over his creatures, to pass by; and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice”. (Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 3: Of God’s Eternal Decree, 7)
Christian, our present marching orders are humbling/arousing/thrilling: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to God’s wrath, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your ‘enemy’ is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”. (Romans 12:19-21)
Steve Bostrom is ordained by the Presbyterian Church in America and lives in Helena, MT.
