In today’s excerpt – in 1630, John Winthrop, leader of the religious colonists who would establish the Massachusetts Bay Colony, delivered to them a sermon that is now considered one of the most important documents in setting forth a vision of America, “A Model of Christian Charity”. Anticipating the hardships they will encounter during the coming months and years, it centers on the impossible idea that we should love our neighbors as ourselves:
“It makes sense that Winthrop, a man accustomed to setting lofty goals for himself, would then set lofty goals for the colony he is about to lead. ‘A Model of Christian Charity’ is the blueprint of his communal aspirations. Standing before his shipmates, Winthrop stares down the Sermon on the Mount, as every Christian must.
“[It presages] Martin Luther King, Jr., doing just that on November 17, 1957, in Montgomery’s Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. He 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 die than hate you.’ ”
“Go ahead and reread that. That is hands down the most beautiful, strange, impossible, but most of all radical thing a human being can say. And it comes from reading the most beautiful, strange, impossible, but most of all radical civics lesson ever taught, when Jesus of Nazareth went to a hill in Galilee and told his disciples, ‘Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you.’
“The Bible is a big long book and lord knows within its many mansions of eccentricity finding justification for literal and figurative witch hunts is as simple as pretending ‘enhanced investigation techniques’ is not a synonym for torture. I happen to be with King in proclaiming the Sermon on the Mount’s call for love to be at the heart of Christian behavior, and one of us got a Ph.D. in systematic theology.
” ‘Man,’ Winthrop reminds his shipmates in ‘Christian Charity,’ is ‘commanded to love his neighbor as himself.’ In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus puts the new in New Testament, informing his followers that they must do something way more difficult than being fond of the girl next door. Winthrop quotes him yet again. Matthew 5:44: ‘Love your enemies … do good to them that hate you.’
“He also cites Romans I 2:20: ‘If thine enemy hunger, feed him.’
“The colonists of Massachusetts Bay are not going to be any better at living up to this than any other government in Christendom. (Just ask the Pequot, or at least the ones the New Englanders didn’t burn to death.) In fact, nobody can live up to this, but it’s the mark of a Christ-like Christian to know that he’s supposed to.
“Winthrop’s future neighbors? Not so much. In fact, one of his ongoing difficulties as governor of the colony is going to be that his charges find him far too lenient. For instance, when one of his fellow Massachusetts Bay magistrates accuses Winthrop of dillydallying on punishment by letting some men who had been banished continue to hang around Boston, Winthrop points out that the men had been banished, not sentenced to be executed. And since they had been banished in the dead of winter, Winthrop let them stay until a thaw so that their eviction from Massachusetts wouldn’t cause them to freeze to death on their way out of town. I can hear the threatening voice-over in his opponent’s attack ad come the next election. John Winthrop: soft on crime.
“This leads us to something undeniably remarkable: ‘A Model of Christian Charity’ was not written by a writer or a minister but rather by a governor. It isn’t just a sermon, it is an act of leadership. And even if no one heard it, or no one was listening, it is, at the very least, a glimpse at what the chief executive officer of the Massachusetts Bay Colony believed he and this grumpy few before him were supposed to shoot for come dry land. Two words, he says: ‘justice and mercy.’
“For ‘a community of perils,’ writes Winthrop, ‘calls for extraordinary liberality.’ One cannot help but feel for this man. Here he is, pleading with Puritans to be flexible. In promoting what he calls ‘enlargement toward others,’ Winthrop has clearly thought through the possible pitfalls awaiting them on shore. He is worried about basic survival. He should be. He knows that half the Plymouth colonists perished in the first year. Thus he is reminding them of Christ’s excruciating mandate to share. If thine enemy hunger, feed him.”
Author: Sarah Vowell
Title: The Wordy Shipmates
Publisher: Penguin
Date: Copyright 2008 by Sarah Vowell
Pages: 45-47
“Love Your Enemies”
Question? Are you a disciple?
Now a disciple is someone who follows the
teachings of another. Do you follow the teachings
of another or are you “self-disciplined”? The One
called The Messiah teaches His disciples to,
“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;
that you may be the children of your Father, HE
WHO is in Heaven;” (Matthew 5:44-45a)
Hope is your desire is to be a Child of “your
Father, HE WHO is in Heaven”?
Hope is you have chosen to follow the teachings
of The Messiah, He Who is “The Prince of Peace”.
As you continue, remember that The Messiah
testified, “the words you hear are not My words,but
they are The Words of The Father(Creator) WHO
sent Me.”(John 14:24)
“You have heard that it has been said, an eye for an
eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, that
you resist not evil: but whoever smites you on your
right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any
man will sue you at the law, and take away your coat,
let him have your cloak also. And whoever shall
compel you to go a mile, go with him two. Give to him
that asks you, and from him that would borrow of you,
turn him not away. You have heard that it has been
said, “you shall love your neighbor, and hate your
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; that you may be the Children of your
Father WHO is 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. For if you love them who love
you, what reward do you have? Do not even politicians
do so? And if you salute your brethren only, what are
you doing more than others? Do not even politicians
do so? Therefore be perfect, even as your Father, HE
WHO is in heaven, is perfect.” (Matthew 5:38-48)
The Testimony of The Messiah you just read was
preceded by the following verse in what the “catholic”
and “christian” religions of this world call their “bible”.
“Whoever therefore shall break one of these least
commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be
called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven: but whoever
shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great
in the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 5:19) Some
believe that this bore witness to the laws within the Old
Testimonies, yet this verse rightly applies to the
teachings of The Messiah that followed, one of which
was to “Love Your Enemies”!
The Messiah also testified, “Why do you call Me, Master
(Lord), Master(Lord), and do not the things which I say?”
(Luke 6:46)
And as Our Father spoke through Him, He testified, “If
you love Me keep My commandments”. (John14:15,
also read verses 16-24)
At the end of The Messiah’s testimony, in what is
commonly called “the sermon on the mount” (Matthew
chapters 5,6 and 7) The Messiah bore witness to the
following, “Not every one that says unto Me, Master,
Master, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he
that does the will of My Father WHO is in Heaven. Many
will say to Me in that day, Master, Master, have we not
prophesied in Thy Name? And in Thy Name have cast
out devils? And in Thy Name done many wonderful
works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew
you: depart from Me, you that work iniquity. Therefore
WHOEVER HEARS these sayings of Mine, AND DOES
them, I will liken him unto A WISE MAN, who built his
house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the
floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that
house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
And EVERY ONE THAT HEARS these sayings of Mine,
AND DOES THEM NOT, shall be likened unto A
FOOLISH MAN, who built his house upon the sand: And
the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds
blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was
the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:21-27)
“HEARS these sayings AND DOES THEM”!
May The Messiah’s GOD and Father, HE WHO is The
GOD and Father of The Messiah’s Brethren, help us
that we would hear and do! For except HE gives the grace,
strength and love, except HE gives of HIS Spirit, none
could do! ” And so the elect “cry unto GOD day and night”!
(Luke 18:7b)
The letters in what this world calls the “bible” are in perfect
harmony with The Messiah’s teaching of “Love Your
Enemies”. “Bless them who persecute you: bless, and
curse not.” (Romans 12:14) “Recompense to no man evil
for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it is
possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all
men. Dearly beloved, avenge not your selves, but rather
give place unto wrath: for it is written, vengeance is mine;
I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore if your enemy hungers,
feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink: for in so doing you
will heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil,
but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:17-21)
“See that none renders evil for evil unto any man; but ever
follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to
all men.” (I Thessalonians 5:15) “Not rendering evil for evil,
or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that
you were called to do so, that you should inherit a blessing.
For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain
his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and
ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous,
and His ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the
Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm
you, if you are followers of that which is good? But and if you
suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are you: and be not
afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the
LORD GOD in your hearts: and be ready always to give an
answer to every man that asks you for the reason of the hope
that is in you, with meekness and fear: Having a good
conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of
evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your
good conversation in The Messiah.” (I Peter 3:9-13)
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places.” (Ephesians 6:12) “For though we walk in the flesh,
we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare
are not carnal, but mighty through GOD to the pulling down of
strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high
thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of GOD, and
bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of
The Messiah;” (II Corinthians10:3-5)
“You therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of The
Messiah. No man that wars entangles himself with the affairs
of this life; that he may please HIM who has chosen him to be
a soldier.” (II Timothy 2:3-4) “I beseech you therefore, brethren,
by the mercies of GOD, that you present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto GOD, which is your reasonable
service. And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that
good, and acceptable, and perfect, Will of GOD.”
(Romans 12:1-2)
Many desire and expect ease in this temporal life, but tribulation
awaits those that follow the teachings of The Messiah in this
world! Yet, what a blessed end! “Blessed are they which are
persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the Kingdom
of Heaven. Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and
persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you
falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great
is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets
which were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12) “Confirming the
souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the
faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the
Kingdom of GOD.” (Acts 14:22) “These things I have spoken
unto you, that in Me you might have peace. In the world you
shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome
the world.” (John 12:33) “For unto you it is given in the behalf
of The Messiah, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer
for His sake; having the same conflict which you saw in me, and
now hear to be in me.” (Philippians 1:29-30) “Forasmuch then as
The Messiah has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves
likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh
hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his
time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the Will of GOD.”
(I Peter 4:1-2)
Whom do you follow? Do you desire The Will of “The One GOD,
Father of All”? Have you chosen to serve GOD and follow HIS
Only Begotten Son, The Messiah, on The Way to The Truth of
The Life? The Messiah was “a servant of The Only True GOD”
and The Messiah Loved His Enemies! Whom do you follow?
Whom do you serve?
“No man can serve two masters!” (Matt 6:24a)
Choose rightly! Choose to follow The Messiah! Chose to be His
disciple and call upon GOD day and night for the strength needed
to “Love Your Enemies” so that you might “enter in at the strait
gate”: “for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to
destruction, and many there are who enter that gate: Because
strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and
few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)
Be one of the few!
Lest there be confusion it is well to remember that The Messiah
“Loved His Enemies”, and so it was when He rebuked the
pharisee’s, those religious zealots who denied Him as they
sought to crucify The Truth: “Woe unto you, scribes and
pharisee’s, hypocrites! For you are like whited sepulchres,
which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of
dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so you also
outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full
of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and pharisee’s,
hypocrites! You build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish
the sepulchres of the righteous,” (Matthew 23:27-29)
Yes, The Messiah loved them!
And so He told them The Truth even though He knew the
pharisee’s wanted to kill Him. “Some save with compassion,
others with fear….” (Jude 22-23)
“But i say unto you who hear, Love Your Enemies!! (Luke 6:27a)
Are you listening? Do you hear?
The Messiah testified, “…whoever HEARS these sayings of
Mine, and DOES them, I will liken him unto a WISE man, which
built his house upon a rock:” (Matthew 7:24) and “And WHY
do you call Me, Master, Master, and do not the things which I
say?” (Luke 6:46) “For whoever shall do the will of My Father
WHO is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and
mother.” (Matthew 13:50)
That which The Messiah taught was of The Only True GOD,
for The Messiah spoke The Words of GOD, and GOD’s Word
is HIS Will! And The Messiah testified, “Love Your Enemies”!
Do you “Love Your Enemies”?
And the religious systems that are of this world?
Do they follow The Messiah, He Who is
“The Prince of Peace”?
Do they exhort their “members” to “Love Your Enemies”
in deed, or in word only?
Seems the fruit of death is born of religion’s way,
for life is but a pawn in the wicked game they play ;-(
For it seems that religious systems but carry on the
legacy of the pharisee’s ;-(
The Messiah testified, “Whoever lives and believes in
Me(My Testimony and My example of The Life) shall
never die!”
And then The Messiah questioned.
“Do you believe this?” YES!
And you? Do you believe?
Or do you believe in death?
Those who believe in death can not
“Love Their Enemies” ;-(
If you do believe in The Life, then you will
“Love Your Enemies” for you know victory
over death is assured! And The Victor, The
Messiah, desired above all else, “Father,
not My will, But THY Will Be Done”!
And those who seek to follow The Messiah on
“The Narrow Way” will have the same desire.
Simply, the desire for “Father, not my will, But THY
Will Be Done” is “The Way to The Truth of The Life”.
So simple that “a child will understand”!
An adopted child of “The One GOD, Father of All”
that is.
Such “children” will no longer deny and defy The
Father that created them, for they know that The
Life is Their Father’s Will…….
HIS “children” will no longer be of those “GOD will
destroy because they are destroying HIS Creation
(land, air, water, vegetation, creatures)”(Rev 11:18)
and HIS “children” will no longer be of those who are
perverting that which is Spirit(Truth, Light, Life, Peace,
Love, Faith,,,, All that is Truly Good) ;-(
Lest there be confusion, be aware of the fact that
The Messiah testified of “a wicked world” and that
“those of this wicked world hated Him”.
The Messiah also testified that those of this wicked
world “would also hate His disciples”!
And John testified, “love not the world or its things”,
and “if any man loves this world, the Love of The
Father is not in him”, for “the WHOLE world is under
the control of the evil one”!
And James testified, “whoever is a friend of this
world is the enemy of GOD”!
“Love Your Enemies” refers to mankind. Disciples
of The Messiah are not to love this “world”, for this
“wicked world” is but the product of “the lust of the
eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life” that
fuels mankind’s “imag”ination. And mankind’s
“imag”ination, “evil inventions” and self-centered
ways are destroying Creation and perverting that
which is Spirit ;-(
And “the god of this world”, he who is “the father
of lies, is “d”evil spirit that dominates and provides
the fuel for mankind’s “imag”ination. The children
of The Only True GOD are to resist that evil, lying
spirit which is leading those who are of this wicked
world along “the broad way to destruction” ;-(
“Spiritual warfare” indeed and Truth…….
You can not use the religious systems that call
themselves “catholic”, or “christian”, or “pentecostal”,
or “mormon”, or “jehovah witnesses”, or any other
system of religion as an excuse for not believing and
seeking to follow the teachings of The Messiah,
because “religions” do not follow The Messiah,
religions follow and believe the lies that are of
mankind’s “imag”ination.
And because mankind’s “imag”ination created the
“catholic/christian” theo(ry)logical lies, “The Way of
Truth is evil spoken of” ;-( (2 Peter 2:2)
Yet, There Is Hope!
Hope! Not for that which is of mankind’s “imag”ination
and which is destroying Creation and perverting that
which is Spirit ;-( But There Is Hope for that which is of
The Only True GOD, that which is Truth, Light and Life.
Hope! For Miracles do happen!
Hope is there be will those who experience The Miracle
that is receiving “a love of The Truth” for they will “Love
Their Enemies”, as they experience:
Peace, in spite of the dis-ease(no-peace) that is of this
wicked world and it’s systems of religion for “the WHOLE
(not just a portion) world is under the control of the evil
one”(1JN5:19) indeed and Truth…….
Truth IS, a lie never was and is not…….
Those who abide in Truth, “Love Their Enemies”…….