Luk 6:28 | KingComments | STEP | The following are indications as to how the disciples can show the spirit of the grace of the Lord. He does not yet send His disciples, but prepares them for it. It starts with love. That is the only right mind in which grace can be shown. Love comes from the heart of God and is manifested in Christ. God and Christ are to be seen first and foremost in these verses. Only if there is an inner connection with the Lord Jesus, the disciple can also fulfill these things, because then the love of God is poured into his heart ( ). Love becomes visible at the most when it expresses itself against enemies. Love that can flow to and even embrace an enemy is not human, but Divine. The Lord speaks to His disciples as “you who hear”. It starts with hearing Him. Love for the Lord is apparent from hearing Him. Out of the love we see in Him, good can be done to people who hate us. In the following, the Lord speaks of various channels through which love can flow, according to the nature of the enmity we encounter. Any form of enmity gives occasion to a certain expression of love. These things cannot be put into practice by people who want it, but do not know Him Who has put it perfectly into practice and do not have Him as their life. Blessing is wishing good to others. To do so for those who wish us evil is true imitation of Christ. When the Lord is on the cross, He asks His Father to forgive those who have crucified Him ( ). That is seeking blessing for those who curse you. When people reproach us, we pray for them. The Lord does not say that we should pray for ourselves, but for them. What shall we pray for them? The disciple who walks in love does not seek retribution if he is abused, but is prepared to undergo even more abuse. He does not stand up for his rights, but allows everything been taken away from him and is prepared to give more. This is not the naive and irresponsible dealing with our life and our possessions, but the reaction to hatred and defamation because of our connection with the Lord Jesus. Thus He reacted to what was done to Him. A disciple who walks in love gives when asked for it. He gives, because God is a Giver and because the Lord Jesus gave Himself and he has learned to know that for himself. If anything is taken from him, if he is expropriated because he belongs to Christ, he will not stand up for his rights, even if he had them. Thus it has happened that Christians have been deprived of the opportunity to study, or to start a business where others could. Christ never exercised His right to kingship. It has been taken away from Him, and He has accepted it.

‏ Luke 6:28

Love Your Enemies

The following are indications as to how the disciples can show the spirit of the grace of the Lord. He does not yet send His disciples, but prepares them for it. It starts with love. That is the only right mind in which grace can be shown. Love comes from the heart of God and is manifested in Christ. God and Christ are to be seen first and foremost in these verses. Only if there is an inner connection with the Lord Jesus, the disciple can also fulfill these things, because then the love of God is poured into his heart (Rom 5:5). Love becomes visible at the most when it expresses itself against enemies. Love that can flow to and even embrace an enemy is not human, but Divine.

The Lord speaks to His disciples as “you who hear”. It starts with hearing Him. Love for the Lord is apparent from hearing Him. Out of the love we see in Him, good can be done to people who hate us. In the following, the Lord speaks of various channels through which love can flow, according to the nature of the enmity we encounter. Any form of enmity gives occasion to a certain expression of love. These things cannot be put into practice by people who want it, but do not know Him Who has put it perfectly into practice and do not have Him as their life.

Blessing is wishing good to others. To do so for those who wish us evil is true imitation of Christ. When the Lord is on the cross, He asks His Father to forgive those who have crucified Him (Lk 23:34a). That is seeking blessing for those who curse you. When people reproach us, we pray for them. The Lord does not say that we should pray for ourselves, but for them. What shall we pray for them?

The disciple who walks in love does not seek retribution if he is abused, but is prepared to undergo even more abuse. He does not stand up for his rights, but allows everything been taken away from him and is prepared to give more. This is not the naive and irresponsible dealing with our life and our possessions, but the reaction to hatred and defamation because of our connection with the Lord Jesus. Thus He reacted to what was done to Him.

A disciple who walks in love gives when asked for it. He gives, because God is a Giver and because the Lord Jesus gave Himself and he has learned to know that for himself. If anything is taken from him, if he is expropriated because he belongs to Christ, he will not stand up for his rights, even if he had them. Thus it has happened that Christians have been deprived of the opportunity to study, or to start a business where others could. Christ never exercised His right to kingship. It has been taken away from Him, and He has accepted it.