From Enemies to Friends
“For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son…” - Romans 5:10a (CSB)
Jesus says the greatest love is to lay down one’s life for his friends. That sounds comforting. Until you realize something deeper.
According to Romans 5, you were not a friend when Christ died for you. You were an enemy. Hostile in mind. Resistant in heart. Dead in sin. And yet He moved toward you. That changes everything.
The cross did not reward friendship. It created it.
God did not look down at loyal people and decide to save them. He looked at rebels and reconciled them. He did not merely pardon enemies and leave them at a distance. He brought them near. He called them friend.
That is covenant language. That is intimate language. That is relationship restored, not just penalty removed. You were not slightly off. You were far. And the cross closed the distance.
When Jesus laid down His life, He was not confirming existing closeness. He was absorbing hostility and replacing it with peace. He was satisfying justice and extending mercy. He was taking enemies and bringing them into the family.
Sit with that.
You are not tolerated by God. You are welcomed.
And if you were made a friend when you were an enemy, you do not get to decide who is beyond the reach of love.
This is where the cross presses on your relationships.
If you were reconciled while hostile, how can you build your life on exclusion? If God moved toward you at your worst, how can you permanently withdraw from others at theirs?
This does not erase wisdom. It does not erase boundaries. But it does erase pride. It does remove superiority. It does dismantle the quiet belief that some people are beyond grace.
You were not beyond it.
The greatest love moves toward hostility and makes it family.
Reflection Question
How does remembering that you were reconciled as an enemy reshape the way you see difficult people?
The cross did not reward friendship. It created it.
Prayer
Father, thank You that You did not wait for me to become lovable before You moved toward me. Thank You for reconciling me when I was resistant. Guard my heart from pride. Teach me to see others through the lens of the mercy I have received. Amen.
Jesus says the greatest love is to lay down one’s life for his friends. That sounds comforting. Until you realize something deeper.
According to Romans 5, you were not a friend when Christ died for you. You were an enemy. Hostile in mind. Resistant in heart. Dead in sin. And yet He moved toward you. That changes everything.
The cross did not reward friendship. It created it.
God did not look down at loyal people and decide to save them. He looked at rebels and reconciled them. He did not merely pardon enemies and leave them at a distance. He brought them near. He called them friend.
That is covenant language. That is intimate language. That is relationship restored, not just penalty removed. You were not slightly off. You were far. And the cross closed the distance.
When Jesus laid down His life, He was not confirming existing closeness. He was absorbing hostility and replacing it with peace. He was satisfying justice and extending mercy. He was taking enemies and bringing them into the family.
Sit with that.
You are not tolerated by God. You are welcomed.
- Not because you earned it.
- Not because you cleaned yourself up.
- Not because you became impressive.
And if you were made a friend when you were an enemy, you do not get to decide who is beyond the reach of love.
This is where the cross presses on your relationships.
If you were reconciled while hostile, how can you build your life on exclusion? If God moved toward you at your worst, how can you permanently withdraw from others at theirs?
This does not erase wisdom. It does not erase boundaries. But it does erase pride. It does remove superiority. It does dismantle the quiet belief that some people are beyond grace.
You were not beyond it.
The greatest love moves toward hostility and makes it family.
Reflection Question
How does remembering that you were reconciled as an enemy reshape the way you see difficult people?
The cross did not reward friendship. It created it.
Prayer
Father, thank You that You did not wait for me to become lovable before You moved toward me. Thank You for reconciling me when I was resistant. Guard my heart from pride. Teach me to see others through the lens of the mercy I have received. Amen.
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