In the Bible, enmity refers to a state of hostility or hatred, often seen in the relationship between humanity and sin or between individuals and God. It is notably mentioned in Genesis 3:15, where God speaks of placing enmity between the serpent and the woman, symbolizing the ongoing struggle between good and evil.
Scripture
14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”
Biblical Meaning of Enmity
The concept of enmity in the Bible is deeply rooted in the conflict between good and evil, humanity’s moral choices, and the divine narrative of redemption. In Genesis 3:15, the enmity established between the serpent and the woman not only signifies the immediate consequences of sin but also foreshadows the ultimate victory of good over evil through Christ. This verse is often viewed as the first messianic prophecy, suggesting that enmity is not merely a state of conflict but an integral part of God’s plan for salvation, where the offspring of the woman (interpreted as Christ) would ultimately triumph over the serpent, representing Satan and sin.
Throughout scripture, this theme of enmity is revisited in various forms, reflecting the broader struggle between righteousness and rebellion. For instance, in Romans 8:7, Paul writes, “the mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” Here, enmity is expressed as a fundamental opposition to God’s will, revealing that the human condition is marred by sin that breeds this hostility. Yet, the narrative also extends beyond conflict; it encapsulates the potential for reconciliation. Through Christ’s sacrifice, the enmity between God and humanity is bridged, inviting believers into peace with God, as illustrated in Colossians 1:20, which states that, through Jesus, God reconciled all things to Himself, overcoming the enmity that sin creates. Thus, the biblical portrayal of enmity serves as both a reminder of the human plight and an assurance of divine redemption, inviting believers to actively pursue peace and reconciliation in their relationships with God and others.
The motif of enmity also resonates in the interactions between nations and individuals throughout biblical narratives, often serving as a cautionary tale of the consequences of straying from God’s commandments. In the Old Testament, the enmity between Israel and the surrounding nations is frequently depicted, highlighting not only the physical battles faced by Israelites but also a spiritual struggle against idolatry and moral decline. This enmity symbolizes a larger conflict, wherein Israel is called to maintain its covenant relationship with God, often juxtaposed against the backdrop of hostile entities that embody rebellion against divine order. Such enmity is not merely political; it represents a spiritual battle that reflects a deeper struggle between faithfulness to God and the allure of foreign influences that lead people astray.
Moreover, the New Testament emphasizes the transformative journey from enmity to reconciliation, as seen in the teachings of Jesus. In the Sermon on the Mount, the call to love one’s enemies flips the notion of enmity on its head, urging believers to seek not just non-violent coexistence but a proactive stance of love and forgiveness. This shift marks a radical response to hostility, threading the narrative of enmity with the imperative of grace. Emphasizing reconciliation in the face of enmity, the teachings of Jesus invite believers into a kingdom perspective where reconciliation with God transcends the human inclination toward animosity. Ultimately, the biblical understanding of enmity challenges not only the adversarial relationships among people but also encourages the pursuit of peace, reflecting the heart of the Gospel that champions redemption for all.
The Conflict Between Good and Evil
In the biblical narrative, enmity often symbolizes the ongoing struggle between good and evil. This conflict is not merely a physical battle but a spiritual one, representing the opposition between God’s purposes and the forces that seek to undermine them. The presence of enmity highlights the reality of sin and its consequences, illustrating how humanity’s choices can lead to division and strife.
The Relationship Between Humanity and God
Enmity also reflects the fractured relationship between humanity and God due to sin. This separation creates a barrier that prevents individuals from experiencing the fullness of God’s love and grace. The concept of enmity serves as a reminder of the need for reconciliation and redemption, emphasizing that through faith and repentance, individuals can restore their relationship with the Creator.
The Call to Love and Forgiveness
In the context of enmity, the Bible calls believers to transcend hostility and embrace love and forgiveness. This teaching challenges individuals to overcome their natural inclinations toward conflict and resentment, urging them to seek peace and reconciliation. The emphasis on love in the face of enmity serves as a powerful testament to the transformative nature of faith, encouraging believers to reflect God’s love in their interactions with others.
How to Foster Peace and Unity as a Christian
Fostering peace and unity as a Christian begins with embracing the core teachings of Jesus, who called us to love one another as He loves us. Start by cultivating a heart of compassion and understanding, recognizing that everyone is on their own journey. Engage in open and honest conversations, listening more than speaking, and seeking to understand differing perspectives without judgment. Remember the words of Paul in Ephesians 4:3, urging us to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. This means actively choosing forgiveness over resentment and grace over criticism, even when it’s challenging. Surround yourself with a community that reflects these values, and don’t shy away from being a peacemaker in your daily interactions, whether at home, work, or in your church. By embodying Christ’s love and humility, you can be a beacon of hope and unity in a world that often feels divided.
Bible References to Enmity in Scripture:
Exodus 23:22-23: 22 But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.
23 For my angel will go before you and bring you to the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I will blot them out.
Leviticus 26:14-17: 14 “But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments,
15 if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant,
16 then I will do this to you: I will visit you with panic, with wasting disease and fever that consume the eyes and make the heart ache. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
17 I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you.
Numbers 35:20-21: 20 And if he pushed him out of hatred or hurled something at him, lying in wait, so that he died,
21 or in enmity struck him with his hand so that he died, then he who struck the blow shall be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
Deuteronomy 7:9-10: 9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.
10 but repays to their face those who hate him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates him. He will repay him to his face.
Psalm 25:19-21: 19 Consider my enemies, for they are many, and they hate me with cruel hatred.
20 Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.
Proverbs 6:16-19: 16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
Isaiah 63:9-10: 9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
10 But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit;
therefore he turned to be their enemy,
and himself fought against them.
Jeremiah 12:7-8: 7 “I have forsaken my house;
I have abandoned my heritage;
I have given the beloved of my soul
into the hands of her enemies.
8 My heritage has become to me like a lion in the forest; she has lifted up her voice against me; therefore I hate her.
Ezekiel 25:12-14: 12 “Thus says the Lord God: Because Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and has grievously offended in taking vengeance on them,”
13 therefore thus says the Lord God, I will stretch out my hand against Edom and cut off from it man and beast, and I will make it desolate; from Teman even to Dedan they shall fall by the sword.
14 And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they shall do in Edom according to my anger and according to my wrath, and they shall know my vengeance, declares the Lord God.
Matthew 5:43-45: 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’”
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Luke 1:70-74: 70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham,
74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
John 15:18-19: 18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.”
19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
Romans 8:6-8: 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.
8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
1 Corinthians 15:25-26: 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Galatians 5:19-21: 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Ephesians 2:14-16: 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility
15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
James 4:4-5: 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?
1 John 3:11-12: 11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.
Reverend Ogunlade is a seasoned Church Minister with over three decades of experience in guiding and nurturing congregations. With profound wisdom and a serene approach, Reverend Ogunlade has carried out various pastoral duties, including delivering uplifting sermons, conducting religious ceremonies, and offering sage counsel to individuals seeking spiritual guidance. Their commitment to fostering harmony and righteousness within their community is exemplified through their compassionate nature, making them a beloved and trusted figure among the congregation.