Chapter 15: OPEN YOURSELF TO A LIFE OF LOVE
“… three wild but very Christian ideas rush to the front of the room for immediate attention:
- Love is the most important Christian virtue,
- love is to be shown even to our enemies, and
- this kind of love is beyond difficult.”
FIRST, LOVE. For both Jesus and for Paul, love was the mort important thing.
THE CHALLENGE OF LOVING ONE’S ENEMIES. We all have enemies. And to love them is challenging.
FOUR WAYS TO LOVE YOUR ENEMIES. To model love we need to model God’s love.
- God love by forming covenants with people.
- God’s covenant with us involves a commitment to be present or to be with us.
- God is for us.
- God becomes a transforming presence in us.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOVE OUT ENEMIES. It boils down to seeing the need and responding to the person (the enemy).
Quote from: Scot McKnight & Dave Ferguson. “Open to the Spirit.” iBooks. https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/open-to-the-spirit/id1255402428?mt=11