Love Your Enemy
“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!'” — John 20:19
How could Jesus come in peace to those who betrayed Him and left Him alone at the worst time of His life?
One of the most challenging commands of Jesus is to love our enemies. Yet it is possible to understand why Jesus was so unwavering in this call: He never viewed anyone as an enemy. Despite knowing that we may encounter enmity regardless of our actions, Jesus urges us simply not to reciprocate that enmity. True followers of Jesus should never perceive anyone as an enemy.
In His prayer after the Last Supper (John 17), Jesus implored the Father to protect His disciples. He did not request protection from radical Jews or Romans, nor did He ask for economic provision. Instead, Jesus prayed for unity. He understood that true unity could never exist if everyone regarded each other as enemies.
Why did Jesus consider unity the ultimate goal? Firstly, because He died so that we could be reconciled with God. Secondly, over more than 2,000 years of history, we have learned that external forces pose no significant threat to the survival of Jesus’ movement. The real threat comes from within. The moment the body of Christ begins to view itself as superior to others, divisions arise.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you… so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” — John 17:20–23
As the Church of Jesus Christ remains as divided as ever, may this Easter serve as a reminder of Jesus’ ultimate goal. Let us strive for unity. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry (James 1:19). Let us do nothing out of selfish ambition but, in humility, value others above ourselves (Philippians 2:3–4).
May the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Happy Easter, dear brothers and sisters.