How do these verses agree?
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; Matthew 5:44
Psalms Chapter 139
21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if [there be any] wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting
verses in agreement?
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William Woeger
Re: verses in agreement?
One thing I notice is Matthew 5:44 speaks of blessing the enemy that goes against the individual,
Whereas the verses of Psalm 139 speaks of hating an enemy going against God in particular.
I think of how Jesus spoke out against, even cursing and hating the Pharisees throughout the whole chapter of Matthew 23. The Pharisees rose up against God in the sense that they misrepresented Him. Jesus hated them for this.
Now Luke 23 tells how the crowd and priests rose up against Jesus, taking him to Pilate. They accused Jesus and had Him crucified. Instead of cursing them, Jesus says in Luke 23:34 "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
In Acts 6 they seized Stephen and falsely accused him.
Acts 6:12-14 "They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and came against him and seized him, and brought him in to the council, and set up false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”"
Now in Acts 7 Stephen speaks before the council. I would say that Stephen hates the council when he points out how they resist and go against God.
Acts 7:51-53 "“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do. Which of the prophets didn’t your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers. You received the law as it was ordained by angels, and didn’t keep it!”"
The last verse of Acts 7, while they stoned Stephen, this happens:
Acts 7:60 "He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he fell asleep."
You see that Stephen prays for them, even as Jesus prayed for those going against Himself.
I think of how we have a list of false teachers and falsehoods on TPOT. When we expose the falsehood of religions and persons aren't we in a sense hating them? It is hating them by exposing how these false religions and persons are contrary to God. TPOT calls out and denounces the lies and men who call themselves teachers of the Lord; in vain they take His Name.
There are some things that come to mind that I can't quite explain or fully understand, though maybe if I ask, I know the Lord will make it clear.
For instance in 1 Kings 2, David tells his son Solomon to kill Joab.
1 Kings 2:5-6 "Solomon, don’t forget what Joab did to me by killing Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of Israel’s army. He killed them as if they were his enemies in a war, but he did it when there was no war. He is guilty, and now it’s up to you to punish him in the way you think best. Whatever you do, don’t let him die peacefully in his old age."
Also in 2 Timothy 4:14-16 Paul is against Alexander because it seems that Alexander is just an all out evil person; doing great harm to Paul and greatly opposing their good work. But in 2 Tim 4:16 though people abandoned Paul in his time of need Paul doesn't want anything to be held against those persons.
2 Timothy 4:14-15 "Alexander, the coppersmith, did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds, of whom you also must beware; for he greatly opposed our words."
2 Timothy 4:16 "At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them."
W
Whereas the verses of Psalm 139 speaks of hating an enemy going against God in particular.
I think of how Jesus spoke out against, even cursing and hating the Pharisees throughout the whole chapter of Matthew 23. The Pharisees rose up against God in the sense that they misrepresented Him. Jesus hated them for this.
Now Luke 23 tells how the crowd and priests rose up against Jesus, taking him to Pilate. They accused Jesus and had Him crucified. Instead of cursing them, Jesus says in Luke 23:34 "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
In Acts 6 they seized Stephen and falsely accused him.
Acts 6:12-14 "They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and came against him and seized him, and brought him in to the council, and set up false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”"
Now in Acts 7 Stephen speaks before the council. I would say that Stephen hates the council when he points out how they resist and go against God.
Acts 7:51-53 "“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do. Which of the prophets didn’t your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers. You received the law as it was ordained by angels, and didn’t keep it!”"
The last verse of Acts 7, while they stoned Stephen, this happens:
Acts 7:60 "He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he fell asleep."
You see that Stephen prays for them, even as Jesus prayed for those going against Himself.
I think of how we have a list of false teachers and falsehoods on TPOT. When we expose the falsehood of religions and persons aren't we in a sense hating them? It is hating them by exposing how these false religions and persons are contrary to God. TPOT calls out and denounces the lies and men who call themselves teachers of the Lord; in vain they take His Name.
There are some things that come to mind that I can't quite explain or fully understand, though maybe if I ask, I know the Lord will make it clear.
For instance in 1 Kings 2, David tells his son Solomon to kill Joab.
1 Kings 2:5-6 "Solomon, don’t forget what Joab did to me by killing Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of Israel’s army. He killed them as if they were his enemies in a war, but he did it when there was no war. He is guilty, and now it’s up to you to punish him in the way you think best. Whatever you do, don’t let him die peacefully in his old age."
Also in 2 Timothy 4:14-16 Paul is against Alexander because it seems that Alexander is just an all out evil person; doing great harm to Paul and greatly opposing their good work. But in 2 Tim 4:16 though people abandoned Paul in his time of need Paul doesn't want anything to be held against those persons.
2 Timothy 4:14-15 "Alexander, the coppersmith, did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds, of whom you also must beware; for he greatly opposed our words."
2 Timothy 4:16 "At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them."
W
Last edited by William Woeger on Fri Dec 11, 2015 6:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Emmanuel Okpanachi
Re: verses in agreement?
From what I'm aware, there's two types of hatred: righteous hatred and murderous hatred (just as there is the love of God, and the love of Satan). Was the author of that Psalm expressing murderous hatred towards those that hate the Lord? I think not. Rather, I think his hatred was righteous, just and justified. When righteous hatred is expressed, godly love is also expressed, through that hatred. For every righteous action is completely imbued with godly love, isn't it? Whereas in murderous hatred, there is no love expressed - except that of Satanic love, which kills. Both righteous and Satanic love kill and destroy, don't they? But only one has the aim/purpose of re-building, and bringing life to the recipient.
Now, in regards to Matthew 5:44 - loving our enemies. What type of love is Christ referring to? It's godly love, isn't it? It is often the case, that when godly love is expressed, that love is perceived as hate. We frequently see in the letters sent to Victor and Paul, how people view V&P's actions and words, as hateful. These people mistake good for evil. They don't see how V&P are actually expressing godly love towards false teachers, by exposing and correcting them.
I think we need to expand our typical views of what love and hate are. The two are not stand-alone concepts. Hate can be expressed through love. And love can be expressed through hate. David (the author of Psalm 139?) had the love of God, didn't he? So even in his hatred towards enemies, he was expressing that love. So, he was in fact doing as Matthew 5:44 says, to love our enemies.
Now, in regards to Matthew 5:44 - loving our enemies. What type of love is Christ referring to? It's godly love, isn't it? It is often the case, that when godly love is expressed, that love is perceived as hate. We frequently see in the letters sent to Victor and Paul, how people view V&P's actions and words, as hateful. These people mistake good for evil. They don't see how V&P are actually expressing godly love towards false teachers, by exposing and correcting them.
I think we need to expand our typical views of what love and hate are. The two are not stand-alone concepts. Hate can be expressed through love. And love can be expressed through hate. David (the author of Psalm 139?) had the love of God, didn't he? So even in his hatred towards enemies, he was expressing that love. So, he was in fact doing as Matthew 5:44 says, to love our enemies.