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Bible Quiz #2: Why should we love our enemies?
(Mark all the answers you think are correct.)

Luke 6:31-36  Do for others what you want them to do for you.  (32)  “If you love only those who love you, should you get any special praise for doing that? No, even sinners love those who love them!  (33)  If you do good only to those who do good to you, should you get any special praise for doing that? No, even sinners do that!  (34)  If you lend things to people, always expecting to get something back, should you get any special praise for that? No, even sinners lend to other sinners so that they can get back the same amount!  (35)  “I’m telling you to love your enemies and do good to them. Lend to people without expecting to get anything back. If you do this, you will have a great reward. You will be children of the Most High God. Yes, because God is good even to the people who are full of sin and not thankful.  (36)  Give love and mercy the same as your Father gives love and mercy.

These verses start with a command from Jesus that SEEMS EASY…

(Vs.36)  “Do for others what you want them to do for you.”  

Q1. What effect might this behavior gain for us.

O – If we are good to them, they might be good to us.
O – It’s a way to FORCE them to do good to us.     O – People always return a favor with a favor.

(SEE Vs.32-34)  “If you love only those who love you, should you get any special praise for doing that? No, even sinners love those who love them!  (33)  If you do good only to those who do good to you, should you get any special praise for doing that? No, even sinners do that!  (34)  If you lend things to people, always expecting to get something back, should you get any special praise for that? No, even sinners lend to other sinners so that they can get back the same amount!

Q2. Why does Jesus say that we shouldn’t receive special praise if we: Love those who love us; Do good to those who do good to us; and Lend expecting to get it back?

O – Because those are examples of evil thinking.     O – Because then we will always expect praise.
O – Because Jesus wants us to be gracious, even to the ungrateful, to show that we follow Him.

Jesus continues in Vs.35-36…  “I’m telling you to love your enemies and do good to them. Lend to people without expecting to get anything back. If you do this, you will have a great reward. You will be children of the Most High God. Yes, because God is good even to the people who are full of sin and not thankful.  (36)  Give love and mercy the same as your Father gives love and mercy.

Q3. What reward are we promised if we follow this strange teaching?

O – We’ll gain great wealth.     O – People will praise us.     O – We’ll be known as God’s children.

Q4. Why should we consider this a REWARD?

O – As God’s children we can look down at all those ‘sinners’.     O – God watches over His children.

Q5. Why would God ask such a difficult behavior from us?

O – If a Holy God can show mercy and love, He expects those who follow Him to do the same.
O – So we will become people with political power.     O – So we can show people a BETTER WAY.

A final question for you to answer… How can we mortals ever learn to love our enemies?

O – We can’t, so don’t bother trying.     O – We need God’s help to change our hearts.