Salvo para amar al projimo

Matthew 5:43–48 “Ustedes han oído que se dijo: “Ama a tu prójimo y odia a tu enemigo.” Pero yo les digo: Amen a sus enemigos y oren por quienes los persiguen, para que sean hijos de su Padre que está en el cielo. Él hace que salga el sol sobre malos y buenos, y que llueva sobre justos e injustos. Si ustedes aman solamente a quienes los aman, ¿qué recompensa recibirán? ¿Acaso no hacen eso hasta los recaudadores de impuestos? Y si saludan a sus hermanos solamente, ¿qué de más hacen ustedes? ¿Acaso no hacen esto hasta los gentiles? Por tanto, sean perfectos, así como su Padre celestial es perfecto.”

Matthew 5:43 (NVI)

Ustedes han oído que se dijo: “Ama a tu prójimo y odia a tu enemigo.”

Mt. 5:21–48. Note the pattern in these verses. Jesus gave six examples that contrasted what people believed to be good.

He began two of them with the formula, "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago.' (ustedes han oido que se dijo a sus antepasados)

He began three with, “You have heard that it was said" (Ustedes han oído que se dijo:)

and one (5:31) with, “It has been said.” (se ha dicho)

Matthew 5:44 (NVI)

Pero yo les digo: Amen a sus enemigos y oren por quienes los persiguen,

In contrast, in all six examples, Jesus followed with But I tell you.

First note the heightened emphasis on “I.” Jesus contrasted his own authority, as the original author and ultimate interpreter of the law, with what everyone else was doing and thought was right.

Matthew 5:44 (NVI)

Pero yo les digo: Amen a sus enemigos y oren por quienes los persiguen,

Love your neighbor, is one of the central commands of the Bible (Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:34–40). But the mistaken thinking came with the second portion… and hate your enemy. That last part is not in not a command from God.

To human thinking, this might seem like a logical flowing thought out of the first statement. As human beings we tend to add to God's Word. But the reality is that “hate your enemy” is far removed from God’s intended meaning in “love your neighbor.”

In the parallel passage in Luke (10:25–37), Jesus explained through the parable of the good Samaritan that every human in our sphere of influence is our neighbor. Therefore, by definition, Christians are to love everyone and hate no one.

Jesus emphasized two principles to urge his followers to love all people.

Matthew 5:45 (NVI)

para que sean hijos de su Padre que está en el cielo. Él hace que salga el sol sobre malos y buenos, y que llueva sobre justos e injustos.

First, he urged them to follow the example of their Father in heaven.

The Father gives gifts (sun and rain) to good and evil alike, and so we, as believers, ought to love and pray for our enemies (Luke 23:34; Rom. 5:8). By this we will show ourselves sons of your Father in heaven. He teaches us to love everyone because God does.

The ultimate expression of this pattern is the command to imitate the Father in 5:48, Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Jesus used teleios, a Greek word that means “having reached its end, mature, complete, perfect.” The goal for the kingdom servant is to behave like his Father, and so to reach the mature level of supernatural transformation.

Matthew 5:47 (NVI)

Y si saludan a sus hermanos solamente, ¿qué de más hacen ustedes? ¿Acaso no hacen esto hasta los gentiles?

“Greet” (v. 47) refers to more than a simple hello but a heartfelt “expression of desire for the other person’s welfare.” Greeting in those days was "shalom" (peace) in hebrew or "Xaris" (grace) in Greek.

People who so love and greet their enemies wishing them peace and grace and pray for their persecutors prove themselves to be those, as in v. 9, who are growing in conformity to the likeness of their Heavenly Father (v. 45).

Matthew 5:46 NVI

Si ustedes aman solamente a quienes los aman, ¿qué recompensa recibirán? ¿Acaso no hacen eso hasta los recaudadores de impuestos?

“What reward will you get?” (v. 46) parallels “What are you doing more than others?” (v. 47), suggesting not the idea of compensation for doing good but the recurrent theme of the believer’s distinctiveness.

Second, Jesus urges us to show ourselves distinct from the rest of the world, the citizens of the earth.

This is actually the flip side of the first argument, to be like the Father.

Christians must love their enemies (v. 44). Otherwise they are no different than tax collectors and pagans, two groups classically despised by orthodox Jews—the first for working for Rome in collecting tribute from Israel and the second because of their false religion (v. 46).

The true test of genuine Christianity is how believers treat those whom they are naturally inclined to hate or who mistreat or persecute them.

Stephen Olford tells of a Baptist pastor during the American Revolution, Peter Miller, who lived in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, and enjoyed the friendship of George Washington. In Ephrata also lived Michael Wittman, an evil-minded sort who did all he could to oppose and humiliate the pastor. One day Michael Wittman was arrested for treason and sentenced to die. Peter Miller traveled seventy miles on foot to Philadelphia to plead for the life of the traitor.

"No, Peter," General Washington said. "I cannot grant you the life of your friend."

"My friend!" exclaimed the old preacher. "He's the bitterst enemy I have."

"What?" cried Washington. "You've walked seventy miles to save the life of an enemy? That puts the matter in a different light. I'll grant your pardon." And he did.

Peter Miller took Michael Wittman back home to Ephrata--no longer an enemy but a friend.

- Lynn Jost

John 13:35 (NIV)

35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Loving our neighbors and enemies seems impossible but Jesus Christ did it on the cross. He prayed and asked God to forgive the very people that were crucifying him.

Jesus Christ came into our heart to allow us to love those around us, even our enemies. Jesus Christ saved us to love our neighbors. Lets go ahead and do it and wait to see how many will believe in Christ because of that LOVE.