Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
The command is to love enemies by blessing those who curse, doing good to those who hate and oppose, and praying and interceding for those who mistreat, abuse and persecute, instead of retaliating or reviling. Obeying this makes a person a child of the Father by reflecting His character, for He is kind even to the unthankful and evil. He causes the sun to rise and the rain to fall on the good and the evil, the just and the unjust alike, so followers are to be merciful as He is merciful.
This love reveals God Himself, is a principle of His law and a source of life, and is what Christ came to manifest and to place in believers. Christ Himself lived out this character, blessing those who hated Him while tender, compassionate, sympathetic and considerate. He constantly served God and people while sharing human hunger, weariness and temptation without sin. His followers are to follow that example.
The command belongs to a life of forgiveness, in which faith in pardon through Christ fills a person with gratitude and tender sympathy for other sinners and desire for them to receive the same pardon. In such a life there is no place for pride, revenge, or a vindictive and unforgiving spirit, which is contrary to true Christian faith. Keeping the command requires surrender of self to God and His grace to soften and subdue a spirit of conflict and revenge, so that suffering can be endured without murmuring in following Christ's example.
Praying for people who are in error and oppose the truth fosters Christlike tenderness in the one praying and may soften their hearts, for their souls are precious to God as purchased by Christ's blood. The verse must be remembered especially when wrongs are thought to be seen in a brother. Then it keeps believers from speaking evil of those God is using, replacing backbiting, false accusation, evil thinking, suspicion, misconstruing words, and burdening others with evil thoughts with encouragement and pleasant, agreeable speech that uplifts others and restores their God-given nobility. Those who would otherwise be spoken against are engaged in a good work that would be recognized if spiritual discernment were not beclouded by Satan's misrepresentations.
The command is to love enemies by blessing those who curse, doing good to those who hate and oppose, and praying and interceding for those who mistreat, abuse and persecute, instead of retaliating or reviling. Obeying this makes a person a child of the Father by reflecting His character, for He is kind even to the unthankful and evil. He causes the sun to rise and the rain to fall on the good and the evil, the just and the unjust alike, so followers are to be merciful as He is merciful.
This love reveals God Himself, is a principle of His law and a source of life, and is what Christ came to manifest and to place in believers. Christ Himself lived out this character, blessing those who hated Him while tender, compassionate, sympathetic and considerate. He constantly served God and people while sharing human hunger, weariness and temptation without sin. His followers are to follow that example.
The command belongs to a life of forgiveness, in which faith in pardon through Christ fills a person with gratitude and tender sympathy for other sinners and desire for them to receive the same pardon. In such a life there is no place for pride, revenge, or a vindictive and unforgiving spirit, which is contrary to true Christian faith. Keeping the command requires surrender of self to God and His grace to soften and subdue a spirit of conflict and revenge, so that suffering can be endured without murmuring in following Christ's example.
Praying for people who are in error and oppose the truth fosters Christlike tenderness in the one praying and may soften their hearts, for their souls are precious to God as purchased by Christ's blood. The verse must be remembered especially when wrongs are thought to be seen in a brother. Then it keeps believers from speaking evil of those God is using, replacing backbiting, false accusation, evil thinking, suspicion, misconstruing words, and burdening others with evil thoughts with encouragement and pleasant, agreeable speech that uplifts others and restores their God-given nobility. Those who would otherwise be spoken against are engaged in a good work that would be recognized if spiritual discernment were not beclouded by Satan's misrepresentations.