re: Back in March Rabi Schmuley met with Vatican officials to persuade the Catholic Church.

quote:

---

My brother in Christ, no person is Jesus' enemy. Is that not clear in your KJV?

---

Jesus certainly does have enemies. We were once enemies of God but were reconciled by His death (Rom. 5:10) and are enemies no more through adoption. He will also rule until all His enemies are made His footstool (Heb. 10:13; 1 Cor 15:25).

Also, while I appreciate the KJV, I prefer the ESV

quote:

---

Read that again

---

I did. The same sentiment is given throughout the chapter and repeated in Col. 1:21-22 and Eph. 2:1-3.

The point is to show that even while we, as sinners, were hostile to God, and His enemies by nature for a time, Jesus died for us to graft us into His family through adoption as sons. That just is what the Gospel is all about: reconciling ungodly sinners to God through Christ.

I’m sorry if you haven’t heard it in those terms before, but the Bible is clear that Jesus had and has enemies. That doesn’t detract from His loving kindness but magnifies it, since He does for His enemies to make us His bride.

quote:

---

My point is it says “were”. Jesus’ death “reconciled” it. Nothing you’ve put says all non-Christians are Jesus’ enemies.

---

Unless you subscribe to an unbiblical notion of universalism, the context of Romans and the other passages explains why non-Christians are still His enemies. Romans 5:1 says that we have peace with God because of our justification in Jesus. Logically, those who are not justified (unbelievers) do not have peace with God. Those who do not have peace are children of wrath (Eph 2:3).

Again, Paul is quite clear about this concept. Just read the context of the passages I provided. The verses aren’t lifted out of context.

So when it says “We were once enemies of God but were reconciled by His death” who is we? Only Christians, only Protestants…?

Also Corinthians is referring to sin and death as His enemies, not everyone who isn’t His disciple.

quote:

---

You convienently skipped over 1 Col 21-22: "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you..." It's the sin that is being described as enemy.

You are not seeing the forest through the trees

---

I didn’t skip anything. I was highlighting the consistent theme of sin making sinners strangers and enemies to God (using the Bible’s own language) in contrast to being adopted into in the family of God by faith.

You initially said that no person is Jesus’ enemy. I used the Bible to show that Jesus has many enemies, including those who reject Him. I’m not missing the forest but am explaining why the forest is what it is.

quote:

---

Matthew 5:44-45: "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous." Again it says enemies, but it's referring to persecutors. The sin is what is the enemy.

---

Those who persecute are called “evil” and “unrighteous” here as synonyms. The persecution isn’t what defines an enemy but it is a demonstration of their state of evil and unrighteousness. But even if we limit this to just persecution, Jesus here isn’t talking about just the sin of persecution, but those who are persecuting His disciples. People are called enemies, not sin. The disciples are called to love their enemies, not to love sin. Sin is what persons do, and persecutors are enemies.

quote:

---

Luke 6:27-28: "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." Another example. This is not saying everyone who isn't a disciple is the enemy. It's persecutors.

---

Multiple sins are listed here: hatred, cursing, and abuse are descriptive actions of the enemies of the disciples. Again, people are in mind, not mere actions. Jesus also said that those who are not for Him are against Him (Mar. 12:30). There is no middle ground.

quote:

---

John 3:16-17: "God so loved the world..." You know the rest. Sin is the enemy, God didn't send Jesus to save just those who followed Him.

---

Jesus didn’t die to save sin, but sinners. Jesus died to save enemies because He showed His love to the world that hated Him. Paul makes the argument that no one is good, no one is righteous, and that it’s only by God’s grace that any are saved. That means that Jesus didn’t die for just His friends, but He died for His enemies to make them into His friends; and not just make them friends, but family.

I’ll end with this: “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” -Rom. 5:10

He wasn’t talking about enemies of each other, but enemies of God. The context shows that Jesus died for sinners and the ungodly, not for righteous people, and that we are reconciled and saved from God’s wrath against us (because we were enemies that deserved it). The passage highlights our unworthiness in the face of God’s mercy. You claiming we weren’t enemies makes it seem like we were owed salvation in some way. If we deserve it, it isn’t free grace but a wage, which is what Paul said in Romans 4.

quote:

---

You initially said all Jewish people are Jesus’ enemies. You sound like an Islamist and nothing you’ve provided backs up your claim. Highlighting “we were enemies” shows you’re not getting it. We were all enemies before Jesus’ death. His death restored our relationship with God.

---

Jesus’ death restored the relationship with God for all those who believe in Christ’s works for them by faith. His death didn’t grant a blanket reconciliation with all people with God.

Sin separates us from God and it deserves His wrath. That was Paul’s point in saying we have peace with God through faith in Jesus. Not everyone has that peace. Only those trusting in Christ have it. For all else, there is conflict and wrath stored up for them, both Jew and Gentile.

So yes, they are Jesus’ enemies like all unbelievers, as I said from the beginning.

What that text you quoted is describing is the privileged status of Israel as God’s covenantal people. That didn’t mean that they can’t also be enemies of God in their unbelief. To the contrary, there are many instances in the OT where God rejects them for His rejection of Him.

For example, Isaiah 63:10 says “But [Israel] rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore [God] turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.”

This is God’s people, yet for a time they were His enemy.

The same is true today if all unbelievers who are rejecting Christ. God may—and depending on your eschatological views, will—bring Israel as a nation back onto the fold by saving them through Christ en masse, but while they are currently rejecting Christ, they are enemies just like the Muslims, Bhuddists, Mormons, and Atheists that reject Christ as the Messiah and Son of God.

quote:

---

I am not arguing that we don't need Jesus to get to heaven, I am arguing that nowhere does it say everyone not currently following Jesus is His enemy. Jesus' death gave ALL of us new life.

---

This is the fundamental disagreement. The text doesn’t say that all people without distinction have been reconciled to God. If that were true, He wouldn’t condemn anyone to Hell to experience His wrath. No, WE (believers) have peace with God through Jesus Christ by faith. All others are still under condemnation through Adam. The Bible doesn’t teach universalism, and peace with God is tied to justification through faith in Jesus. It is our mediator—Jesus Christ—who satisfied God’s wrath against sin, but only for those who belong to Him by election. Hell still exists for unbelievers.

quote:

---

It’s clear you’re intent on straw manning my position. None of what you just said is contrary to anything I’ve said. I don’t need a lecture on hell being real and needing Jesus for salvation. We’re in complete agreement there. Good luck in your journey.

---

Im not trying to strawman you. It is probably a misunderstanding but it seems you are saying that Jesus took away enmity from EVERYONE with God by His death. Hell is where God’s wrath is poured out on the ungodly forever, so if Jesus removed that enemy status from everyone (assuming that is what you are saying) then He’ll doesn’t make sense.

Anyway, I’ll conclude this by saying the Scriptures are clear that Christ has enemies even today, and all unbelievers (including unbelieving Jews) are included. All people need to repent and trust in Christ by faith to be forgiven for their sins and have peace with God.