It is written, "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." (Philippians 3:18-19)

Have you truly prayed for your enemies, to the point where you actually shed tears for them? As a young man who was also a Christian, I could not truly pray for my enemies. And, to be perfectly honest, sometimes it is still difficult to do so in the manner that Jesus taught: "Ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shall love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. 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 5:43-44)

But as I grow older in years, and in the faith, I find that I can truly pray for my enemies. When a person prays for his enemies, he cannot be lifted up in pride; for of what does he have to be proud. One cannot help but weep; for about what could he be joyous? Paul wept for his enemies, for they were also Jesus' enemies--the very ones for whom Jesus died and wept--and ultimately they would be lost in hell. "And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, if thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace. But now they are hid from thine eyes." (Luke 19:41-42)

Consider carefully what Jesus continued to teach in Matthew 5:45-48; "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Our Father is perfect, and we are to strive to be like Him. He is perfect in:

• Forgiveness: "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 10:17)
• Longsuffering: "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
• Love: "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, white we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." (Romans 5:8,10)

For the rest of this short article, consider with me the following four points:

1. There Is One Father: The Old Testament asked: "Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us? (Malachi 2:10)
   
   And again, "What then shall I do when God rises up? And when he visits, what shall I answer him? Did not He that made me in the womb make Him? And did not one fashion us in the womb." (Job 31:14-15) (Read the context of these passages. They apply to the fact that ALL souls--our brethren and our enemies--have but One Father.)
   
   Romans 5 teaches that we who are Christians were once God's enemies. Yet, our Father loved us so much that He sent His Son into this world to be rejected and killed to enable us to become His children. Thus, it is written,
   
   
   • "And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight:..."(Colossians 1:21-22)
   • "... and 1 will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:17,18)
   
   
   Ephesians 4:17-24 draws the vivid contrast between those who have learned Christ (vs.20), and those who have not. What then have we learned of Christ, if our hearts still harbor hatred for our enemies? "Have we not all One Father?"
   
   
2. Help: "If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee." (Proverbs 25:21-22)
   
   In Romans 12:17-21, we read in vs.21: "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."
   
   When we have opportunity to help our enemy, we should do so. Perhaps he needs a truck in which to move something, or a ride somewhere. Perhaps he is sick, and no one has brought anything to help. Perhaps he lost his job, and he needs just the necessities of life.
   
   Obviously, these are physical needs; but they may open a way to meet spiritual needs.
   
   
   • "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." (Galatians 6:10)
     
     
   There is nothing greater than leading a soul to salvation. We cannot always see the "end" of what we say or do, but it may be that the one who was our enemy will become, through our actions, a brother or sister in Christ.
   
   
   • "Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." (James 5:20) It matters not whether he is a fallen Christian or an enemy of the cross of Christ.
     
     
3. Forgive: Will any of us suffer as Jesus did when they scourged and crucified Him on the cross? But what did He pray?
   
   
   • "And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him, ... Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do...." (Luke 23:33,34)
     
     
   Will any of us "hurt" as the Father hurt for His Son? (Do we hurt if our children suffer?) How sad it is that some Christians cannot forgive and forget.
   
   
   • "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matthew 6:14-15)
     
     
   True forgiveness comes only from a loving heart. Please read Colossians 3:13-15.
   
   
4. Love: Love is the foundation upon which we build our duty to our enemies. Without love, there can be no peace in our hearts. There is no room for love and peace in a heart filled with hatred and vengeance. Without love, we are nothing.
   
   
   • "Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." (1Corinthians 13:4-7)
     
     

When love fills our souls, and we truly love our enemies, then, like Paul, we will shed tears for our enemies. God has always shed tears for us.