| These verses are often said to be the heart of the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount. Sometimes people, outside of Christ, use them as a standard against Christians or as a rule for their own behaviour. Some people have used them as an argument against war. What does Christ mean when he speaks of loving our enemies? He did not mean that we should love them as we love our wives, husbands or children. Love for our family should come naturally to us from our own hearts. Love for our enemies begins in our will. As a Christian we determine before God that no matter what enemies may do to us, we will not hate them; we will not become bitter and spiteful toward them. That would be our natural reaction. Christ in us makes all the difference. If Christ could say 'Father forgive them' when men were nailing him to a cross, then he can surely give us power to forgive those who do wrong to us. It is only as Christ lives in our hearts that bitterness can be overcome and put away. Notice also something else we need to do for those who are against us. We are to pray for them (v. 44). You can't pray sincerely for anyone and still have hateful or bitter feelings about the person. When we pray for our enemies the love of God for them will grow in our hearts. There are many people who say they live by the Sermon on the Mount. The problem is that no- one can do this without Christ. We need him living in our hearts to enable us to do the things he asks us to do. Philippians 4:13 can be paraphrased in this way 'I can do all those things Christ asks me to do by the strength which he supplies'. Count on his help today. If there is someone who has done wrong to you, ask Christ to help you be kind to that person. Most of all, pray for him. A THOUGHT: Put alongside these verses in Matthew-'THIS MEANS ME'. | 
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