He really said that?

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus says:

“Give to everyone who asks of you, and if anyone
takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back….
If you do good to those who are good to you, what
credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners,’
expecting to be repaid in full.”

And then the clincher:
“Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to
them without expecting to get anything back.”
And why would we do this seemingly impossible
thing? Because God “is kind to the ungrateful and
wicked.” [See Luke 6:27-36]

God is good to all people, not just those who love God.
The kindness, mercy, forgiveness,
and love of God go out to everyone regardless of
their moral character or level of faith. And we are called to
live the same way.


Jesus directly contradicts a major theme of the
Hebrew scriptures
, saying that God does not seek revenge
on “ungrateful and wicked” people. God does not
withhold good gifts from people because they are not
people of faith. God is kind, loving, and generous to all.

(See pages 24-25 in Moral Values: What I Learned Growing Up in Church.)

Previous
Previous

Only one thing is most important

Next
Next

What Did Jesus Say?