Treatment of Enemies by H. S. Boyd

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 6, 1856

Treatment of Enemies.

By H. S. Boyd

Not only love to our friends, but love to our enemies, is taught by Christ. Matt. v, 44, 45. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use and persecute you. This he tells us to do that we may be the children of our Father which is in heaven. Look at his commandment, verse 48, Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

We cannot excuse ourselves; for here is a plain, Thus saith the Lord; and he also gives us his example while dying on the cross: he there prays that his murderers may be forgiven. Stephen follows his Lord's example: and he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. Are we ready to be tried by this test? It is a solemn question for each of us to answer, in the fear of God, and in view of eternity. We may never be called to show our love under such circumstances as they, but we ever have the privilege of proving to those around us what manner of spirit we are of, by exhibiting the spirit of our Saviour in the small matters which are constantly occurring. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. Luke xvi, 10.

The greater always includes the less. There are many texts of Scripture to illustrate this; for instance, "All the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Gal. v, 14. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Rom. xiii, 10. The reason of this is obvious; because if we love God as we are commanded we shall fulfill every duty to him; and if we love our fellow-men as we ought, we shall discharge our whole duty to them. If our enemy hungers, we shall feed him; if he thirst, we shall give him drink; in short, if we feel from the heart to treat our enemies as Jesus has taught us, we shall find it easy to do all these duties. If we have sufficient grace to cause us to love our enemies as we are taught by the testimony of Jesus, it will be our meat and drink to do the will of our Father which is in heaven.

Is there a child of God that can say that when their sins were first forgiven they had a feeling contrary to love? and if any have different feelings now, let me entreat them to return to their first love, and as they received Christ Jesus, so to walk in him.

H. S. BOYD.

Lyme, N. H.