Christianity Quote by John S. Leonard
““Why is it necessary for us, if we are going to share the gospel with others, to love our enemies? Because the gospel’s central message is about God loving his enemies—which once included us. Paul writes, “while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son” (Romans 5:10). How can we profess that we have been transformed by a God who loved us even when we were his enemies, if we don’t love our enemies? The only way the world will believe in such a God is if they see those of us who call him Lord loving our enemies.””
About This Quote
Source Sermon: Love and Reconciliation, 2021
Loving enemies demonstrates the gospel’s claim that God loved us while we opposed Him, making the message credible to observers.
In simple terms: Love enemies to prove God’s love.
Key Takeaway
Show God’s love by loving those who oppose you.
Themes
faith
reconciliation
love
testimony
Mood
reflective
hopeful
challenging
Type
theological
inspirational
When to use this quote
- church outreach
- personal relationships
- conflict resolution
- public evangelism
Key Concepts
Christian doctrine
theology of grace
moral witness
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you practice love toward someone who hurt you?
- What impact does your love have on others’ perception of faith?
A Different Perspective
Loving enemies may be socially risky and emotionally painful.
![“[Martin Luther King, Jr.] concluded the learned discourse that came to be known as the 'loving your enemies' sermon this way: 'So this morning, as I look into your eyes and into the eyes of all my brothers in Alabama and all over America and over the world, I say to you,'I love you. I would rather…” quote by Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ffb/sarah-vowell-2016_love-your-enemies_martin-luther-king-jr-concluded-the-lear_1794650.jpg)
