Enmity I. Introduction A. There is a force in the world that has caused continuous evil for generations B. That force is hatred—enmity 1. What compels people to treat other people terribly? 2. Why do some kill others just because of the way they look or because of a different allegiance? 3. How is it that humans can act so...inhuman? C. Hatred leads to all these things! 1. Hatred is opposed to sensible, rational thinking 2. Hatred leads to all kinds of destruction, violence, and suffering 3. A great tragedy D. Such hatred-- enmity-- is everything that God is against 1. God is love (1 John 4:8) 2. Hatred is that which is against love! 3. Hatred led to the crucifixion of Christ (John 15:24-25) E. If hatred is against what God stands for, then it should be evident that we should be against enmity/hatred also! 1. A work of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-20) 2. Let us consider what God has to say about enmity II. Enmity A. Enmity: a word you do not hear often B. The quality of being an enemy; the opposite of friendship; ill will; hatred; unfriendly dispositions; malevolence. It expresses more than aversion and less than malice, and differs from displeasure in denoting a fixed or rooted hatred, whereas displeasure is more transient (Webster's) C. Enmity, in short, is hatred D. Let us consider the various ways in which enmity is discussed in Scripture III. Enmity in Scripture A. That which was established between man and the serpent/Satan (Genesis 3:15) B. The position of the world toward God 1. Friendship with world reckoned as enmity toward God (James 4:4) 2. The world hates Jesus (John 7:7, John 15:18) 3. Darkness hates being revealed (John 3:20) C. God’s position toward sin 1. God hates the works of the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2:6) 2. Hebrews 1:9: God hates wickedness D. Our past: enmity with God 1. Romans 8:7 2. When "in the flesh," we were hostile toward God 3. Titus 3:3: before salvation, hated by others, hating in turn 4. Ephesians 2:15-17: hostility between Gentiles, people of God removed in Christ E. Now the world hates us also, if we are in Him 1. John 15:19 2. Disciple to be as his master—Matthew 10:21-25 F. It is clear that there are two sides locked in a fierce battle, and there is no love between the two! 1. Ephesians 6:10-18 2. 1 John 2:15-17 3. God in Christ is against sin and death, and we're all caught up in the struggle! IV. Christians and Enmity A. We are left in a dilemma! 1. Enmity is a work of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21)... 2. ...but it would seem, from many passages, that we are called upon to hate sin! 3. How can this be? B. We have to understand what we are to hate and what we are not to hate! C. We are to hate Satan, sin, the suffering caused-- the things people do! 1. Matthew 6:24: by serving God, we set ourselves in opposition to the world 2. Revelation 2:6: the Ephesians hated the doctrines of the Nicolaitans, and that was to their benefit 3. Jude 1:23: it is appropriate to hate the flesh in terms of its defilement by sin 4. Romans 12:9: abhor what is evil D. In all of this, however, we must remember our place and the greater picture! 1. We hate sin and Satan not because it should be part of our nature to hate, but because we are to hate what God hates 2. Ephesians 6:12: our conflict is with the spiritual powers of darkness E. We are not to hate any person-- that is the enmity condemned in Galatians 5:19-20! 1. Matthew 5:43-44/Luke 6:27: we are not to hate our enemies, but rather love them and pray for them! 2. 1 John 2:9, 11: to hate a brother is to still be in darkness! 3. 1 John 3:15: goes so far as to call such a one a "murderer"! 4. 1 John 4:20: we cannot love God whom we have not seen while hating our brother whom we see F. Titus 3:3-8: we must remember that being hateful was part of the old man of sin, done away with in baptism! G. The hate we must have for sin and evil forces must not come from the fleshly hatred that spurns God, but must come from our love for God, devotion to Him and His work, and therefore being against that which is opposed to Him H. We are never right if we inflict harm, do any kind of evil, or even think about any kind of evil on anyone, even if we try to justify it by "hating sin"! V. Christ's Path A. How do we overcome our own feelings of hate and not be hardened by the hate directed toward us? B. We can only do so in Christ Jesus! C. As we have seen, He was hated, even to the point of being killed by those who did not like Him 1. John 15:24-25 2. John 7:7 D. Yet, even on the cross, He did not hate in return 1. Luke 23:34: desired their forgiveness 2. God loving all men even unto death (cf. John 3:16)! E. It was through this love that He was able to overcome the world 1. John 16:33 2. 1 John 5:4: it is our faith in Him that allows us also to overcome the world! 3. 1 John 4:4: this is only possible because God is greater than the world! F. It is manifest, therefore, that we must be on the stronger side 1. The world may hate, but God loves, and the love of God will conquer the hate of the world 2. If we are going to have a share in Jesus Christ, we also must love and not hate, since that is how we may walk by the Spirit (cf. Galatians 5:19-21 versus vv.22-24) G. Thus we can see that hatred is opposed to God! 1. God is love, not hate (1 John 4:8) 2. The only time hate is associated with God is in terms of that which is opposed to Him! 3. How, then, could we ever expect to be justified by hate? VI. Conclusion A. Enmity, then, is hostility or hatred B. We see that enmity is a large part of the operation of this world, and what the world feels toward God C. While we may hate that which is opposed to God, we are called upon to be as Christ and have a loving spirit, loving all men no matter what they may say and do, and always standing for what is just and noble and good D. Worldly hate can in no way work the righteousness of God! E. Let us put aside the enmity in the world and gain the victory in Christ Jesus! F. Invitation/songbook