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The responsibility and fulfillment of emulating his love is a sure sign of a true relationship with Him. The New Man is an individual of intense Godlike love for all of humanity. As God so loved the world so they will be the ambassadors of that same love to the world. So great, so mighty is that love made manifest in the Christians life that in their following of the commandment of the Lord Jesus they find the ability to love their enemies. That is the completeness, the fullness of the manifestation of His love in the believer. Luke 6:27 We well know that it is not of ourselves that we achieve such mighty love. It is the fruit of the Spirit being evidenced in the life of that person. It is the first mentioned when Paul listed the fruit of the Spirit. Indeed, without love the fruit of the Spirit could not exist. Gal. 5:25-26.
How contrary, His love made known in us, is to human nature. Who would ever think of loving such an individual as Jesus mentioned. First of all they are our enemy. An adversary, one who opposes us, who is out to do us harm. Therefore we do battle with them to afflict them and do to them what they would do to us. But Jesus said to love our enemies, regardless of who they are. The evidence that there is love is when the response is to do good, and something is done which will benefit said enemy who detests and despises you. Do it in the right attitude and it will lift your spirit tremendously. Luke 6:27 John gave us a terrific example of the difference between those who know the Lord and those who do not. Those who know Him will do works of kindness and righteousness. Those who do evil have no conception of the Lord, and most certainly do not know Him. 3 John 1:11.
What a tremendous challenge! Those who are the recipients of His love will bless and not curse their enemy. To bless is to speak well or to invoke a blessing on another. Jesus is the prime example. On the cross He prayed that the Father would forgive them for they did not comprehend how hideous their actions were before Him. Luke 23:34 Refuse to retaliate, but bless, thus demonstrate the true love which has been found in the Lord Jesus. 1Peter 3:9 Added to this we have the privilege of praying for our enemies. Most certainly, the early church prayed for Saul, and it worked. The great opposer became the Apostle Paul and propagated widely the Gospel which he at one time so strongly opposed. Acts 26:1-26.