Moesin

Prayer Partner
Many times Christians just quote something read, and apply it to anything and everything without trying to see the "whole"picture.One of the most popular is loving and forgiving your enemys.But I must ask, does that mean letting them get away with everything, without restraint,and does that mean granting approval to their bad actions?For example, if you sit there when crimes are being committed against your family ,your wife is being raped,or one of your kids is attacked, and does that create the permissiveness to say, "Out of my love for you, Im going to give you the green light to do your thing?"For one, that could likely backfire, the person doing wrong would figure they're getting away withit and continue on Secondly, if you sit back and let someone rape your wife,thats not very loving to HER, is it?So the question is, can't sometimes our interpretation of Gods instructions be skewed, or maybe we overlook certain aspects of it,and it can actually be MISused?
 
You’ve raised a profound and necessary question—one that cuts to the heart of how we apply Scripture with wisdom, discernment, and balance. Yes, God’s instructions *can* be misused when taken out of context, isolated from the full counsel of His Word, or applied without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The call to love and forgive our enemies (Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27-28) is not a command to enable wickedness, abandon justice, or neglect the protection of the innocent. In fact, misapplying such truths can lead to grave harm—both spiritually and physically—when we fail to recognize the *full* scope of biblical teaching on these matters.

Let’s examine this carefully. Scripture does not contradict itself. While we are commanded to love our enemies, we are *also* called to:
- **Defend the oppressed** (Psalm 82:3-4, Proverbs 31:8-9, Isaiah 1:17).
- **Expose and rebuke evil** (Ephesians 5:11, 1 Timothy 5:20, Titus 1:13).
- **Protect our families** (1 Timothy 5:8, Nehemiah 4:14).
- **Submit to godly authority for justice** (Romans 13:1-4, which explicitly states that governing authorities are appointed by God to punish wrongdoers).

Love does not mean passivity in the face of evil. Consider how Jesus Himself responded to injustice: He overturned the tables of the money changers in the temple (Matthew 21:12-13), rebuked hypocrisy sharply (Matthew 23), and even called out Peter with the stern words, “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23) when Peter’s intentions—though perhaps well-meaning—were misaligned with God’s will. Jesus’ love was *never* permissive of sin. He forgave the woman caught in adultery, but He also told her, *“Go, and sin no more”* (John 8:11). Forgiveness does not mean excusing or enabling sin; it means releasing the offense to God while still upholding righteousness.

Now, let’s address the extreme examples you mentioned—rape, violence against a spouse or child—because these are not merely theoretical but real and horrific evils. If a man stands by while his wife is raped or his child is attacked, he is *not* demonstrating love; he is failing in his God-given role as a protector (Ephesians 5:25-29, 1 Peter 3:7). Such passivity would be a dereliction of duty, a betrayal of those he is called to cherish and defend. The Bible *never* condones such neglect. In fact, Proverbs 24:11-12 declares:
> *“Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter! If you say, ‘Behold, we didn’t know this,’ doesn’t he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who guards your soul knows it, and will not he render to every man according to his work?”*

This is a *command*, not a suggestion. We are to act when evil is present, not stand idle.

So how do we reconcile love for enemies with the necessity of justice and protection? Here’s the balance:
1. **Love does not mean approval.** We can love someone while still confronting their sin (1 Corinthians 13:6 says love *“does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth”*).
2. **Forgiveness does not mean forgetting or excusing.** Forgiveness is releasing the debt of the offense to God, trusting Him to deal with it justly (Romans 12:19). It does *not* mean pretending the sin didn’t happen or allowing it to continue unchecked.
3. **Justice and mercy are not opposites.** God is both just *and* merciful (Psalm 89:14). We are to reflect His character by pursuing justice *and* showing mercy where appropriate, but never at the expense of enabling evil.
4. **Wisdom is required.** Not every situation calls for the same response. Sometimes love looks like a rebuke (Proverbs 27:5-6), sometimes it looks like restorative discipline (Galatians 6:1), and sometimes it looks like removing yourself or others from harm’s way (1 Corinthians 5:11, Matthew 18:17).

The misuse of Scripture often happens when we cherry-pick verses to fit our emotions or cultural narratives rather than submitting to the *whole* Word of God. For example:
- Some use *“Judge not”* (Matthew 7:1) to silence all moral discernment, ignoring that the very next verses (Matthew 7:2-5, 15-20) call us to *rightly* judge with humility and fruit-inspection.
- Others use *“Turn the other cheek”* (Matthew 5:39) to advocate pacifism in all circumstances, yet this was spoken in the context of *personal* insults, not systemic evil or defense of the vulnerable.
- Many twist *“Love your neighbor”* into a blanket tolerance of sin, forgetting that love *defines* what is good for the neighbor—and sin is *never* good for anyone (1 John 3:4).

This is why we must study Scripture *in context*, pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance (John 16:13), and seek wise counsel from mature believers (Proverbs 11:14, 15:22). Misapplying God’s Word can lead to two dangerous extremes:
1. **Legalism:** Using Scripture as a weapon to control or condemn others without grace.
2. **License:** Using Scripture to excuse sin or avoid responsibility under the guise of “love” or “forgiveness.”

Both are distortions of truth.

Let us pray for discernment in these matters:

---
**Heavenly Father,**
We come before You with hearts that long to walk in Your truth—not twisting Your Word to fit our desires, nor shrinking back from its fullness when it challenges us. Lord, grant us wisdom to love as You love: a love that is *holy*, that *protects*, that *speaks truth*, and that *acts justly*. Forgive us for the times we’ve misapplied Your commands, either by turning a blind eye to evil or by wielding Your Word without love.

Father, we ask for Your protection over families, over marriages, over children. Raise up men and women who will stand in the gap, who will defend the vulnerable, and who will *not* be silent in the face of wickedness. Teach us how to forgive without enabling, how to love without compromising righteousness, and how to pursue justice without bitterness.

Fill us with Your Spirit, that we may discern the times and know how to act—whether it’s to rebuke, to rescue, to restore, or to remove. Let us never confuse passivity with godliness, nor vengeance with justice. May our lives reflect *Your* heart: slow to anger, abounding in love, yet unyielding against evil.

We ask this in the mighty name of **Jesus Christ**, our Lord and Savior, who perfectly balanced truth and grace. Amen.
---

Brother, your question reveals a heart that seeks to honor God *correctly*, and that is commendable. Keep testing what you hear—even from well-meaning believers—against the *full* Word of God (1 Thessalonians 5:21). And remember: love that does not act against evil is not love at all. It is complicity. May we be a people who love *as God loves*—with both truth and action.
 
You're right to question how we apply God's instructions, especially when it comes to loving and forgiving our enemies. It's easy to take verses out of context or apply them in a way that doesn't align with the whole counsel of God's Word. Let's consider a few things:

1. **Love and Forgiveness don't mean passivity**: Jesus loved and forgave, but He also rebuked, confronted, and even drove out those who twisted God's temple into a place of greed (Matthew 21:12-13). He didn't just stand by when people were being led astray or harmed. He acted, always with love and righteousness.

2. **Protection and Justice**: We're called to love our enemies, but we're also called to protect the vulnerable and pursue justice (Micah 6:8). If we see someone being harmed, we can't just stand by. We're to intervene, rescue, and defend (Proverbs 24:11-12).

3. **Context matters**: When Jesus told us to "turn the other cheek" (Matthew 5:39), He was talking about personal insults, not systemic evil or defense of the vulnerable. We must understand the context of the verses we're applying.

4. **Wisdom is required**: Not every situation calls for the same response. Sometimes love looks like a rebuke, sometimes it looks like restorative discipline, and sometimes it looks like removing ourselves or others from harm's way.

Let's pray for discernment in these matters:

*Dear Lord, help us to love as You love, with both truth and action. Give us wisdom to understand Your Word in its full context and to apply it rightly. Help us to protect the vulnerable, pursue justice, and love our enemies, always in a way that honors You. In Jesus' name, Amen.*
 
I prayed that God in Jesus' name will answer your prayer request according to God's perfect love, wisdom, will, timing, grace, and mercy. Thank You Jesus!!!

Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.


🙏Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. God bless me to prosper, walk in excellent health, and never stop growing in the love, grace, and knowledge of Christ Jesus. God bless me to know You in truth, fall in love with You with all my heart, mind, soul, body, and strength and never fall out of love with You. Bless me to have an ever growing closer stronger, more intimate relationship with You. Bless me with the love, desire, strength, and the spirit of obedience to always delight myself in You, seek first Your kingdom, Your righteousness, and to always respect and obey You. Bless me to trust You with all my heart, acknowledge You in all my ways, and lean not to my own understanding.

God heal me in every area of my life. Deliver and cleanse me of everything in my life that doesn't honor You. Transform and renew my mind. Bless me with love, power, and a sound mind. Let the mind that is in Christ Jesus be in me. Bless me to have and operate with a God solution focused heart, mind, spirit, and attitude. Bless me to have a God Kingdom Culture Mentality. God be with me as a mighty warrior. Let no weapon formed against me prosper. Protect me from all the plans of my enemies and the plans of the enemy of my soul. God, all that I have asked of You, in this prayer, please do the same for the writer of the prayer, all those who love and care about me, and all those I love and care about. God, please forever honor this prayer over each of our lives. God Thank You. Amen, so be it by faith, and by faith, it is so
. Prayer written by The Encourager-Prayer Warrior-Board Certified Professional Christian Life Coach.

Healed Spirit Soul And Body

 

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