Love Your Enemies?

He was insulted, mocked, threatened and hated; yet he chose not to retaliate but rather to love his enemies. This story, as surprising as this may be, is not about Jesus Christ. Or is it?

In 1979 Johnny Lee Clary, then a member of the Ku Klux Klan, was invited to a radio debate with Wade Watts who was, at the time, a state leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

The first thing Watts did was to tell Clary that he loved him and that God loved him too. It did not take long for Clary to start to insult and trash Watts. Despite Clary’s hateful words, Watts reasserted that he would not hate him back but would instead love and pray for him.

After the debate Clary and the Klan engaged in a series of acts to intimidate and try to scare Watts away:

• They dumped trash on Watts’ lawn; Watts did not respond.
• They called him names; Watts did not respond.
• They came to his house with their sheets and hoods; Watts told them that Halloween was not here yet and to come back later for trick or treat.
• They burned a cross by his house; Watts came out and asked if they needed hot dogs and marshmallows for their barbecue.
• They set his church on fire; Watts did not retaliate.
• Clary harassed and threatened Watts over the phone, disguising his voice; Watts recognized him and prayed for God to forgive Clary.

Finally Clary and other Klan members surrounded Watts in a restaurant. Clary told Watts they did not want him there, and that they would do to Watts whatever Watts would do to the chicken on the plate in front of him.

Watts kissed the chicken!

Am I an enemy of God?

One might look at Johnny Lee Clary’s example and quickly categorize him as an enemy of God. But who is God’s enemy? The Holy Scriptures declare that sinners are the enemies of God, but they can be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. All humans have sinned and come short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), so we cannot single out any particular person as righteous and another as evil. We have all grown up as “enemies of God”!

Romans 5:8-10 states, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. … For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (see also Colossians 1:21 and Romans 8:7).

According to 1 John 3:4, sin is lawlessness or the transgression of God’s law (King James Version). If people sin, they are cut off from God. Their sins are like a wall between their Creator and them. Sinners have no relationship with Him but are called sons of the devil and therefore enemies of God.

No one needs to perish

Does God wish the death of those who sin against Him? No, God is a God of reconciliation. He loves all people no matter their race or background. He wants to bring sinners to repentance and see them baptized in Jesus’ name for the remission of all of their sins (Acts 2:38). He desires to make available to them His Holy Spirit and the promise of eternal life if they overcome (Revelation 3:5).

God does not chastise people as they deserve (Psalm 103:10-18). God does not desire that any man die (Ezekiel 33:11). Instead, He hopes that all will come to repentance and start loving Him.

Love your enemies

God expects Christians today to love their enemies just as He loved them even when they were His enemies. God wants us to “be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful” and to “overcome evil with good” (Luke 6:36; Romans 12:21).

Johnny Lee Clary eventually recognized his evildoing. He changed and now denounces racial discrimination and hate groups.

When dealing with enemies, Wade Watts chose to love them as best he knew how. What are we going to do? Do we desire a special relationship with God? Would we like to be a friend of God? We must first experience true repentance and be reconciled to God!

Hervé Irion is a member of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, in Houston, Texas.

For more about forgiveness, loving our enemies and building a relationship with God, see:

• Christ’s Sacrifice Makes It Possible for Us to Be Holy and Blameless
• Love—Only a Word?
• To Care for the Fate of Such a Man: A Story of Forgiveness
• What Is Repentance?