Charity Toward All

1. Charity Toward All Chapter 12

2. Love Your Enemies • Luke 6:27-35 “But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt.Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. • “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again.But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.

3. The Law of Love—Love Your Neighbor as Yourself Charity—is the virtue by which we love God and love our neighbors for the sake of our love of God…becausewe love God and his is our father, then we must also love all of his children. Treating others with charity includes: praying for them that they will come to know God’s love and follow his ways; never wishing them harm; and being obedient to them if they are our legitimate superiors. The fifth commandment includes actions that harm a person, even if it’s not a physical harm. To keep this commandment, we need to love even our enemies.

4. Who is our enemy? Luke 10:30-37Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” A harmful stranger A former friend A “labeled” person…we are at war with a country, so all people from there become an “enemy” A stereotype of a person…they are different from us A fear we have…they have a reputation for being a bully or a criminal, etc…

5. Goodwill—we are obliged to want good things for all people, even people we dislike or do not even know • We should love all people because we are all made in the image and likeness of God.

6. Unrighteous Anger and Hatred • Jesus commanded us to love our enemies. • This doesn’t mean that we have to feel this love toward our enemies. We aren’t responsible for the absence of such feeling, but we are responsible for goodwill. Feelings Against the 5th Commandment— ANGER that is a desire for revenge or injury to another. HATRED deliberately wishes evil or desires harm upon another REVENGE is a desire to “get even” to those who have hurt us CURSING is wishing harm upon another HURTFUL means anything that harms one’s self or others EVIL is an action of sin…it harms the evildoer and the victimized

7. HOW TO TREAT OTHERS • Matthew 5:22-25But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you,leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court] with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. • Matthew 18:15-17 “If another member of the church[ sins against you,go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one.But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. We can pray that we will one day be reconciled. We must stop harboring any anger or hatred. We must stop talking about this person with unjust anger. We must strive to set our feelings aside and be good to this person. We must be just in our encounters with this person. When someone hurts you, try offering the pain to God for the salvation of the one who hurts you. Remember, they are also being called to heaven! Jesus forgave the people who crucified Him. Try to see your enemies through the eyes of Jesus. We must love God in ourselves too! Self-hate and despair are bad for the souls.

8. What is “Just” Anger • Just, or righteous, anger does not wish ill on our enemies…it desires the good that is just and holy. It allows us to stand up for the rights of ourselves and others. It helps us to commit to a worthy cause. It benefits the world with an action against evil. • Volunteering , spreading awareness and practicing the Works of Mercy can help us to use righteous anger to benefit the world. • Hate the sin, love the sinner– even when anger is just…always remember to act with charity • John 2:13-16 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” 

9. Review of The Fifth Commandment:You Shall Not Kill • This commandment prohibits any deliberate injury to another human being in any way. (Thisincludes yelling at someone, calling someone names, cursing, and having unrighteous anger or hatred.) • It prohibits scandal. Scandal is a fully conscious and deliberate bad example or encouragement meant to lead another person into sin. It is probably the worst of all sins because it endangers someone else’s eternal life. The person who gives scandal is responsible for all the sins into which others are led. • Matthew 18:6“If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea.

10. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us • Reflection—what are some things that you find hard to forgive? Some people? • What are some issues that you feel “righteous anger” about? And what are some activities that you would like to do to change the situations?

11. Scandal • Scandal is a fully conscious and deliberate bad example or encouragement meant to lead another person into sin. • It is probably the worst of all sins because it endangers someone else’s eternal life. • The person who gives scandal is responsible for all the sins into which others are led.