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God tells us to love our enemies.
Does this mean we have to love Satan too?
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Q. God tells us to love our enemies. Does this mean we have to love Satan too? (Submitted by: J.J.) A. You seem to be referring to the following section of scripture: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You, therefore, must be [become] perfect [mature], as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matt 5:43-48, RSV) In most of the sayings in the well-known Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus was referring to relationships between and among human beings. This is the area where people have had the most problems during the past 6000 years of human history. The main purpose of Jesus’ discourse here in Matthew was to introduce and expand on the "spirit of the law" as opposed to the "letter of the law" which the people had always followed according to Old Testament tradition.
Satan is indeed one of the enemies of those striving to live by the laws of God. The other enemies are the world and one’s human nature. What did the apostle John say about these things?: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If any one loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides for ever." (I John 2:15-17, RSV) |
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This world and virtually everything in it, in its present form, is a reflection of the god of this world: "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing [most human beings]. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the likeness of God. " (2 Cor 4:3-4, RSV) Peter also gives admonition to those who are striving to resist Satan: "Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world." (1 Peter 5:8-9, RSV) Satan is the chief enemy and adversary of true Christians. He is not to be trusted because he broke that bond of trust he had with God millions or billions of years ago. What one should pray for is the day when Satan will be bound and eventually put away permanently so that he can no longer broadcast his attitudes to human beings. Recommended Bible Study Resources: Answer Given By: Rick/Eileen Beltz
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