Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin

“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 causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48 NASB1995)

As followers of Jesus Christ we are to love all people, no matter who they are, or where they are from, or what they have done, or how they treat us or others we love. We are to hate the evil that people do, and we should never pacify evil nor those making evil (sin) their practice. For to love also means speaking the truth to people, in love, calling sin what it is, and calling all to repentance (death to sin) and to walks of obedience to our Lord and to his commands, by his grace, via God-provided faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

For this is not fleshly love being spoken of here, but this is agape love which prefers what God prefers, which is all that is righteous, holy, upright, godly, morally pure, honest, faithful, and obedient to our Lord’s commands. This is the kind of love Jesus had for us when he willingly surrendered to being put to death on a cross in order to put our sins to death with him, so that, by faith in him, we will now die to sin and live for Jesus in living holy lives, pleasing to God. For love does for others what is ultimately for their good.

And loving our enemies and those who do evil against us engages us in praying for them, for what is for their good (good in the eyes of God), for their salvation (deliverance) from slavery to sin so that they can now serve the Lord in walks of obedience to his commands. And we should pray for their physical needs to be met, and for opportunities to show them love and kindness, according to our giftedness, and our means, and the ways in which the Lord would have us show kindness to them, which won’t all be the same.

And love for others must be given even if it is not reciprocated. For this is not “I do for you, and then you do for me, and then I…” We love others whether or not they ever love us back, and even if they do evil against us, and even if they speak lies against us. We do good for others even if they never do good to us, and even if they grossly sin against us. And we keep loving no matter how many times they sin against us, too, and we keep forgiving, too. But forgiveness is not permission for them to keep sinning. Forgiveness is refusal to punish and an invitation to make things better.

Now, with regard to being perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect – the word means spiritually mature, complete, whole, holy, as we ought to be as followers of Jesus Christ, doing the will of God, walking in his footsteps, obeying his commands, in practice, no longer making sin your practice. It doesn’t mean that we will never sin (1 John 2:1-2), but that we should be becoming more and more like Jesus daily in following him wherever he leads us in doing all that he commands, loving God, and loving other humans.

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:27-28 NASB1995)

[Proverbs 24:17-20; Proverbs 25:21-22; Matthew 5:8-12,43-48; Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:27-36; Luke 10:27; John 13:33-35; John 15:12; Romans 12:9-11,14-21; 1 Corinthians 13:1-8; 1 Corinthians 16:14; 1 John 4:7]

Remain in Him  

Based off of John 15:1-17

An Original Work / September 23, 2011

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Walk in fellowship with Jesus, Savior and friend.

He’s invited you to be His servant again.

Obey all His commands and do all that He says.

Sit at His feet each day. Worship Him for always.

Call Him master and King. Obey Him in all things.

Turn from all of your sins. Live in vict’ry again.

He’ll restore you today if you call Him and pray;

Forsake all of your ways; take up your cross today;

Follow Him for always.

Follow Jesus your friend where He leads you today.

Abide always in Him. Let His words dwell within.

If you remain in Him, bearing fruit from within,

God will answer your prayers, because for you He cares.

Be His followers now. Remain in Jesus’ love.

You will know peace within; comes from heaven above.

Love your neighbors and friends, and your enemies, too.

God will call you His friend. He will ne’er forsake you.

He has appointed you.

https://vimeo.com/126318490

Love The Sinner, Hate The Sin

An Original Work / February 8, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love