◄ What Does Luke 6:28 Mean? ►

bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Luke 6:28(NASB)

Verse of the Day

True righteousness and godly love are two sides of the same coin, but neither are possible by human effort, strict training, mortifying of the flesh, or self-denial. True righteousness and unconditional, godly love is the supernatural enabling of a child of God by the Spirit of God, through faith.

To love our enemies and to do good to those that hate us, is impossible in our own strength. Blessing those that curse us and praying for those that mistreat us... without retaliation, is such a distinctive love that it is rare and beautiful and only exhibited in the lives of those that die to their own desires and live for the glory of God.

Every believer is positionally righteous because we were placed 'in Christ' at salvation. We are united to Him and identified with Him by faith. But living a life of practical righteousness and transmitting the unconditional love of God to others, which demands that we bless those that curse us and pray for those who despitefully use us and persecute us, is a human impossibility.

Godly love is only possible in those that have the indwelling Holy Spirit and it can only be expressed when that life is completely submitted to the Lord in thought, word, and deed. The unconditional love of God should be manifested in the lives of all who trust in Christ, because we are united together with Him. But it can only be revealed as we abide in Christ and He in us - as we die to self and live for Him.

Godly love is the fulfilling of the Law, and it is one of the greatest weapons in a Christian's spiritual covering. The unconditional love that comes from above is the divine life of Christ being manifested through the physical life of a spiritual believer. Such a person is one whose life is a living sacrifice, which is consecrated to the Lord.

The result is - that in His power, we are able to love as Christ loved; to love our enemy, to bless those that curse us, to pray for those who mistreat us, and to do all for the glory of God.

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, my love is sometimes hard and cold. I pray that I may die to self and live for Christ so that His supernatural love may pour through me to others, to His praise and glory. Give me the grace to love my enemies as Christ loved those who nailed Him to the Cross. Help me to say with Him, "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.