Thoughts after listening to John MacArthur speak on this topic.
The text is Luke 6:27-38. We are told to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us. This of course goes contrary to the way that the world thinks and behaves. Verses 29 and 30 deal with humiliation (striking the cheek, a form of humiliation during unsynagoging), persecution (taking the cloak, a cruel thing to do in the cold Judean winters) and creating unfair obligations (loaning to someone so that you can hold it over them and force them to do you a favor later).
This then is summarized in verse 31, "as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them." Many other religions teach what sounds like a form of the Golden rule. However, it is always taught in the negative, such as "Don't do bad things to other people so they will not do bad things to you". These are not the same concepts at all.
Verse 32 explains why. "If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them". For the sinner, this is essentially the same concept as "don't do bad things to them so they don't do bad things to you". As Christians however, we are called to love those who do bad things to us. This means that we are kind to them. We do not humiliate in return when we are humiliated. We do not seek revenge when we are persecuted. We lend to anyone who asks of us because of their need, not because then they will be under obligation to help us out in the future (verse 34).
We are told to be merciful in verse 36, even as our Father is merciful. This flows in verses 36 and 37, which are very often misunderstood. From the NASB, "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure -- pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."
What does this mean in context? This is the key. If we show love to our enemies continuously, they will eventually come to recognize that we are different, that we treat them the way that God treats them. Then they will say of us, that we are "sons of the Most High" (v.35). When that happens, as sinners, they will then be true to form, namely (v.32) they will come to love us because we love them. They are the ones who are performing the acts described in v.36 and 37.
So what does this accomplish? Just so we can have some peace in our lives? No! When this occurs, it means that we now have a relationship established that will let us witness to them about their need for salvation and they will be open to hearing, because of what they have come to recognize is different in our lives.
