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Author Topic: Who is our enemy?  (Read 12678 times)

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Roy Martin

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Who is our enemy?
« on: February 06, 2010, 02:17:44 PM »

We are told to love our enemies. Who is our enemy?

Roy
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mharrell08

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2010, 02:36:34 PM »

We are told to love our enemies. Who is our enemy?

Roy


Enemy - One who feels hatred toward, intends injury to, or opposes the interests of another; a foe (from Free Dictionary website)


Matt 5:43-44  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, 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;

We once were 'enemies':

Rom 5:10  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.

When we did not believe God and were by nature children of wrath:

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God...

Eph 2:3  ...we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others


In short, an enemy is one who opposes God and His Love, Character, and Will.


Hope this helps,

Marques
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arion

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2010, 02:42:16 PM »

Mat 10:36  And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

Boy, isn't that true?  It's not so much my physical family as it is the so-called family of faith of Christendom out there.  I get more far more resistance to the message of universal reconcilliation from the Christians than I ever do from the people of the world.
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Deborah-Leigh

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2010, 05:50:50 PM »

These are our enemies.

Total KJV Occurrences: 32
enemies, 19
Mat_22:44 (2), Mar_12:36, Luk_1:71, Luk_1:74, Luk_6:27, Luk_6:35, Luk_19:27, Luk_20:43 (2), Rom_5:10, Rom_11:28, 1Co_15:25, Phi_3:18, Col_1:21, Heb_10:13 (2), Rev_11:5, Rev_11:12
enemy, 11
Mat_5:43, Mat_13:25, Mat_13:28, Mat_13:39, Luk_10:19, Act_13:10, Rom_12:20, 1Co_15:26, Gal_4:16, 2Th_3:15, Jam_4:4
foes, 2
Mat_10:36, Act_2:35

Arc
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Ninny

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #4 on: February 06, 2010, 06:11:04 PM »

Isn't that true Arion! you'd think Christians would want everyon to know that Jesus is theSavior off all..yet NO! You'd think it was total blasphemy! I guess that's God, too!
Kathy :)
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aqrinc

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2010, 01:25:38 AM »

Mat 10:36  And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

Boy, isn't that true?  It's not so much my physical family as it is the so-called family of faith of Christendom out there.  I get more far more resistance to the message of universal reconcilliation from the Christians than I ever do from the people of the world.

Arion, Ninny,

Comes with the territory, when you attack a strong mans house, you may get beaten up. (Synagogue of Satan).

Mat 12:29 (MKJV)  
Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods, unless first he binds the strong one, and then he will plunder his house.

2Th 2:8(MKJV)
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the breath of His mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming,

2Th 2:9  whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

2Th 2:10  and with all deceit of unrighteousness in those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, so that they might be saved.

Rev 2:9  I know your works and tribulation and poverty (but you are rich), and I know the blasphemy of those saying themselves to be Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

Rev 3:9  Behold, I give out of those of the synagogue of Satan, those saying themselves to be Jews and are not, but lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.

george :).

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Deborah-Leigh

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2010, 04:24:04 AM »

It is tempting to look outside ourselves to identify our enemies when in fact we are our own worst enemy :)

The number of the wild beast is not the number of "a" man, but rather the number of "man" or "mankind." LOF13

JUST WHAT IS CARNALITY
What then is it to be carnal or carnally minded? It’s not good, I can tell you that. It’s a monster—IT’S A BEAST:
"for to be carnally minded is DEATH…"
And just why is that?
"Because the carnal mind is enmity [DEEP-SEATED HATRED] against God: for it is NOT SUBJECT to the [spiritual] law of God, neither indeed CAN BE [Gk: ‘is ABLE’]. So then they that are in the flesh [carnal-minded] CANNOT please God" (Rom. 8:6-8).
•   Have YOU ever seen yourself as the man of sin?
•   Do you believe that YOU were once the son of perdition?
•   Have YOU ever been carnally-minded in your walk with God?
•   Have YOU ever left your first love?
•   Have YOU ever put your hand to the plough and looked back?
•   Has the spiritual house YOU built upon the sand fallen yet?
•   Have you fallen from grace since first believing?
No? You say, "NO—NEVER"! Then the chances are great that "ye are YET carnal."
 
THE MAN OF SIN IDENTIFIED
Paul gives us three revealing factors concerning the man of sin (II Thes. 2:4):
1.   "Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped;
 
2.   so that he as God sits in the temple of God
 
3.   showing himself that he is God"
These three traits of the man of sin are not reserved for some one superhuman that comes on the scene at the end of the age. Every man in every generation since John and Paul first penned their prophecies, have manifested these three traits of "the man of sin." Well why then haven’t more people seen this man of sin through the ages and reported on him? For one thing, only those who leave their first love, who are called and chosen, and have had their house build upon the sand come crashing down, are able to see the man of sin—the BEAST within. And the other reason is that the man of sin and beast within are invisible LOF14
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Silvia Martin

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2010, 11:25:19 AM »

Hi Arc,
I agree, we ( the beast within) are our worst enemy. I also think I'm disappointed in myself more than in other people. I let myself down more...my expectations in myself are being raised constantly while I expect less and less from other people. I am humbled every day by the things I want to do and be and can't.

   Silvia
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Roy Martin

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #8 on: February 07, 2010, 12:46:09 PM »

Well I know I can't love the enemy. I would be lying to say I do, or can choose to love them.
 As far as I can tell, my enemy is the ones that want to kill me, and us with their words. They say they love us, yet call us a cult and condemn us to eternal torment.To love them and expose them at the same time is impossible for me to do.God will bring me into that in His time frame.

Roy
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mharrell08

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #9 on: February 07, 2010, 01:05:56 PM »

Well I know I can't love the enemy. I would be lying to say I do, or can choose to love them.
 As far as I can tell, my enemy is the ones that want to kill me, and us with their words. They say they love us, yet call us a cult and condemn us to eternal torment.To love them and expose them at the same time is impossible for me to do.God will bring me into that in His time frame.

Roy


Excerpt from Bible Study '07 - Love (http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,3719.msg27959.html#msg27959):

But Christ said, but I say unto you, love your enemies - agapao your enemies.  Can you love your enemies and hate them at the same time?  Well, you say no you can’t, that’s a contradiction.  Well, let’s think about that for a second.  Could God hate Esau and love him a the same time?  Not only could He, the Bible tells us that, and it shows that He did.  He shows more favor to Jacob then He did for Esau, and yet you can find some pretty strong promises and blessings (even though He said I hate Esau), you can find blessings on Esau in the Bible I can show you them, ok.

God said, I hate liars and people that cause discord and everything, yet I gave My own Son for the world.  Why?, because I agapao them.
God thinks beyond their couple of three score and ten years of hate and criminality.  I look beyond that, and I see their future - agapao.  Maybe we need to learn to do that too
.  If we’re going to be like God, right.




Can you look beyond what they are doing, and at how filthy, corrupt and evil they are, and see a time when that evil can be burnt out of them.  And they can be brothers in the kingdom of God.  Can you do that through the spirit of God?  I can, that’s agape love.
When I see them, putting a young girl, who has her whole life ahead of her, and she knows week after week, they are going to cut her head off, with a rusty butcher knife.  Just living in stark terror, and you say, I have such a warm feeling in my heart for those terrorists.  I don’t think so.  And further more, God never tells us we have to phileo love them as a brother.
As someone you would want to hug, go out to lunch with, or do favors for, or kiss them on the cheek.

By the way, this was a revelation to me.  Do you know several places in the New Testament, where it says kiss, it means kiss (a smacking sound, of a kiss).  Well guess what that word is?  It’s the same word phileo.
Phileo not only means affectionate love and adoration, and fondness for fellow brothers or sisters, it means kiss, ok.  Because you kiss someone you’re fond of, that’s how close they are connected.

So God does not tell us, we have to phileo our enemies or that we have to phileo our next door neighbor.
Agapao is a more formal, it’s not a give and take, two-way street.  It’s a one-way street, forgiving humanity for the evil that they have
.




So we need to have this agape love for our neighbors.  Maybe we don’t like them, maybe they’re not even good people, for our enemies, surely aren’t good people, or there would not be a reason for them to be your enemy.

For the whole world, we have to have this agapao love.  But no where does God say we have to phileo them, or love them with affection, like a brotherly love, where we would hug them or give them a kiss.



Hello Roy,

It's not about loving how they are now, but love for their eternal well-being in the next age. Like you said, God will be the One to bring you to that point.


Hope this helps,

Marques
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Roy Martin

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #10 on: February 07, 2010, 01:13:57 PM »

Oh! I see now. To see them beyond.
 Thats great Marques. Thanks for looking out.

Roy
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arion

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #11 on: February 07, 2010, 01:21:59 PM »

What also helps me is to realize that I am no better than they are!!  I was once as darkened in heart and deceived as any of them...


Excerpt from 'repentence'

James 2:7  “Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?
v. 8  If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well;
v. 9  but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
v. 10  For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all (or it can read liable to the punishment, the penalty).”

Now let’s just think about this a little bit.  We always thought about this verse on a level about here. You know you break one, you’re guilty of them all. We thought like, 'well I guess if you committed adultery and God said you shouldn’t, so I guess you dishonor God and so you break the first commandment or something like that.'   But does this verse mean what it says, if you break one, you’re guilty of all?  Are you ahead of me yet?  Do you know where I’m going with this?  Some are figuring it out.

If you break one point of God’s royal Law, you are guilty of all. I said yesterday I want us to see why we really need to repent, and see just how serious it is in God’s sight. I know God will eventually take everybody to be where they need to go, but sometimes God accelerates things, by the foolishness of preaching.  That’s what I am doing.  Maybe you're going to see something here that you never conceived of before. That is if you break one point of His law... we’re not talking about the spiritual law here, you know how Christ made the law so much high that Moses law. One says don’t commit this sin, Christ said don’t even think it, okay.  Much higher law. If you break one point, your GUILIY of all.  Now back to Romans.

Rom. 2:1 “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.”

How can Paul say that everybody in here is a child molester and a murderer.  How can he say that?  Because if you break one point of the law you’re guilty of all. Let me ask you, is it against the law of God to sexually molest and kill little children?  It’s against the law isn’t it.  If you offend and break this law, you are guilty of what?  ALL!  Which includes sexually molesting and killing little children or am I a heretic. Now I didn’t say that we did that, because I know I didn’t and I know you didn’t.  It doesn’t say, if you break one point you ‘commit,’ breaking of all the law.  It says you’re ‘guilty’ of all.  You're guilty of all and here’s what we have to understand.

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,3709.0.html
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aqrinc

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #12 on: February 07, 2010, 10:57:29 PM »


The Scriptures below, are where we will have to be (In Spirit and Truth) (Not Isa 64:6) that is where we are when we think we can contribute any righteousness. Anyone that thinks they can do this with the carnal mind and heart, is still blind to the Truth of Scripture. Unless we enter into GOD'S SABBATH REST; and cease from our own works, we are yet still dead in our sins.

There is no place where Scripture Teaches that we (any human) can do any of this; not one little bit. When one can start to appreciate the depth of evil in ourselves (utter darkness) then we can start to be humbled; remember that is what this life we live is about


Isa 64:6 (GNB) Check this verse in (DRB, MKJV and LITV) to really get the meaning.
All of us have been sinful; even our best actions are filthy through and through. Because of our sins we are like leaves that wither and are blown away by the wind.


Mat 5:44-48 (MKJV)
44  But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you,
45  so that you may become sons of your Father in Heaven. For He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

46  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same?
47  And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax-collectors do so?
48  Therefore be perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect.

Joh 3: 16-17 (CLV)
16 For thus God loves the world, so that He gives His only-begotten Son, that everyone who is believing in Him should not be perishing, but may be having life eonian."

17 For God does not dispatch His Son into the world that He should be judging the world, but that the world may be saved through Him."

Joh 13:33-35 (CLV)
33 Little children, still a little time am I with you. You shall be seeking Me, and, according as I said to the Jews that 'Where I am going you can not be coming,' at present I am saying it to you also."

34 A new precept am I giving to you, that you be loving one another; according as I love you, that you also be loving one another."

35 By this all shall be knowing that you are My disciples, if you should be having love for one another."


1Th 3: 11-13 (CLV)
11 Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, be directing our way to you! "
12 Now may the Lord cause you to increase and superabound in love for one another and for all, even as we also for you,
13 to establish your hearts unblamable in holiness in front of our God and Father, in the presence of our Lord Jesus with all His saints."

george :).

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Roy Martin

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #13 on: February 08, 2010, 09:31:55 AM »

Everyone's comments have been very good.
Marque your comment slammed me with something that just recently happened through me.
 I've posted it in testimony's. Another awesome scriptural application to life. Its easy to see Gods glory in all of this.

Roy
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Roy Martin

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #14 on: February 25, 2010, 08:51:45 AM »

We are told to love our enemy. Well, I have a new saying for myself, or perhaps its a goal for my heart.
I have no enemies. I don't want to see anyone as an enemy.
If someone enters my house to do bodily harm to me and my family, I won't consider him to be anything but dead, because I will shoot him, but that's a different situation than what I'm talking about.
I am my own enemy, no one else, just me.
To love the enemy, I can't consider him an enemy. I have to see him just as God does. All is of God, so therefore I can't see an enemy in the things of God except the carnality in my flesh. God created all things and saw that it was very good.
There is a purpose for us to love the enemy, but I think there is a higher purpose that I not see anyone as an enemy. To see anyone as my enemy prevents me from seeing beyond their flesh.
I want to see them as they will be, just as God sees them.

Peace
Roy
« Last Edit: February 25, 2010, 09:07:03 AM by Roy Martin »
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Deborah-Leigh

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #15 on: February 25, 2010, 09:57:30 AM »


I recently experienced someone plotting and conspiring to harm me. It backfired not because I did anything but because God arranged that their nasty little scheme, work to my favor, which it did.  I don't gloat about it but am very relieved actually and I can see that they are not very pleased at all. They were trying to upset me to get me to leave my shop so they can take it over.

I think we do have enemies, those who envy us, those who are our detractors or simply those who hate us. How we respond to them is what is important and what your post made me consider Roy. We do have enemies but when we step aside and they are no longer able to push our buttons, then they have to deal with God directly who will not let us be ashamed.

In a way I think God sends us enemies to help us get over them. It is not easy. Enemies can test our faith in God and lower our pride in ourselves. Either way, I think the end result is as you identify Roy. when we do not see an enemy as a threat then we will be in the knowledge of God so well, that we do not see our enemies as having any power that is not already given them from God for the purpose of making us more into His image and likness, or showing our enemies to whom we belong and that is to God not to them and their intentions. 8)

Thanks for your thoughts on this subject.

Arc
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Roy Martin

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #16 on: February 25, 2010, 10:17:48 AM »

Thank you Ark. also for your en-lighting thoughts and words.

You said," In a way I think God sends us enemies to help us get over them. It is not easy. Enemies can test our faith in God and lower our pride in ourselves. Either way, I think the end result is as you identify Roy. when we do not see an enemy as a threat then we will be in the knowledge of God so well, that we do not see our enemies as having any power that is not already given them from God for the purpose of making us more into His image and likness, or showing our enemies to whom we belong and that is to God not to them and their intentions."

Very profound Ark. and true. This kind of knowledge comes from personal experience. Perhaps I need to rephrase my new saying to something else. This requires more meditation on my part.
 It felt good though that I want to see beyond the flesh, and I think your words is how to do that which is, "Gods purpose of making us more into His image and likeness"
 It  feels better for me to say, (Gods purpose) rather than,( My enemy). Seeing beyond the enemy into Gods purpose.
 Dwelling on the enemy rather than the purpose causes me to see that I become an enemy to myself, which humbles me, which leads me to the purpose that leads me farther to see that its my heart I need to look at, and not the enemy's heart.

Peace
Roy
« Last Edit: February 25, 2010, 11:37:05 AM by Roy Martin »
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dogcombat

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #17 on: February 25, 2010, 11:39:51 AM »

Timely thread Roy.  I expressed similar sentiments in the testimonies section.

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,11296.0.html 

This thread expounds further on the enemy that is US, and the beast that is US.


God enlighten you more
Ches
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onelovedread

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #18 on: February 25, 2010, 12:36:43 PM »

Can I add this scripture also on identifying who or hat's behind our enemies?:
"For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12 New Living Translation
Also:
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
1 Peter 5: 8 New Living Translation
Perhaps we could deal with them by:
"We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments." 2 Corinthians 10:4.
One Love Always
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Deborah-Leigh

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Re: Who is our enemy?
« Reply #19 on: February 25, 2010, 01:16:33 PM »

Roy, here are some Scriptures that support how we are to see our enemies in the Spirit of Christ.
 
Joh 19:10  So Pilate said to him, "Aren't you going to speak to me? You realize, don't you, that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you?"
Joh 19:11  Jesus answered him,
"You have no authority over me at all, except what was given to you from above.

Likewise, our enemies, detractors and those who mean us harm, even those who come to kill, steal or destroy, they have no authority over us except what is given to them from above.

Luk 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Judgment, Correction, Forgiveness and Repentance comes only by the Spirit of God.

1Pe 2:23  who when He was reviled did not revile in return. When He suffered, He did not threaten, but gave Himself up to Him who judges righteously.

Jesus shows the way of trust and knowledge of God, that through His Spirit, we too shall have the wisdom  to yield as an obedient child to the disciplines of God because we are the Children of God .
 
It is a worthy goal Roy, to see our enemies as Jesus shows us that I thankfully see the Spirit of God has shared through you with us to consider.
 
Arc.
« Last Edit: February 25, 2010, 01:24:54 PM by Arcturus »
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