Christians should love people they don't like, even when they cannot like or approve of their behavior.
Les Feldick teaches that love is the predominating factor in the believer's life and that this love extends to everyone, including enemies. Believers are to hate evil and never condone what God calls evil, but this does not cancel the command to love the person. The pattern is Christ's own love that carried Him to the cross for lost mankind.
Romans 13:10 — This verse directly states that love does no harm to a neighbor and is the fulfilling of the law, which Les cites as the standard for treating difficult people.
Romans 12:9 — This verse commands genuine love and hatred of evil, which is the core distinction Christians need when dealing with people they don't like.
Scripture commands a love that is sincere and without hypocrisy. Romans 12:9 says, 'Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.' This means believers must not pretend to care while actually indifferent, and they are to maintain a strong dislike for evil itself. Romans 13:10 says, 'Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.' Thus love never harms another person; it fulfills what the law required. Scripture also sets a realistic boundary: 'If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men' (Romans 12:18). So the Bible's command to love does not mean approving of evil or pretending that conflict never exists. Love is to be genuine, evil is to be hated, and peace is to be pursued as far as possible.
Les Feldick emphasizes that love is the very foundation of the Christian faith and the predominating factor in the believer's relationships — with spouses, children, neighbors, and everyone encountered in life. He openly admits his own shortcoming, saying, 'I just don't love the unlovely as much as I should.' For Les, love must be without dissimulation: believers are not to sort people according to social status, but to treat one person just like another. At the same time, he criticizes Christianity for no longer showing hatred for evil, insisting that believers must never stop abhorring what God calls evil. Les teaches that the cross is the ultimate demonstration of love: 'What put Christ on the cross? Love.' Because that same love has been imparted to believers, it becomes their attitude toward the people around them, 'and yes even our enemies if we have such.' He applies this even after church discipline, pointing to 2 Corinthians 2:8 — after a sinning believer is corrected, the church is to 'confirm your love toward him.' In daily life, believers are to please their neighbor for his good to edification, following Christ who pleased not himself. But Les is practical: living peaceably with all men is not always possible because, as he says, 'we're living in a devil's world.'
Les Feldick does not instruct believers to force themselves to like everyone. What he emphasizes is love. He says love has to be without dissimulation and that Christians should treat one person just like another, regardless of social standing or status. At the same time, he stresses that believers must never stop abhorring evil and should not condone what God calls evil. So the practical implication of his teaching is that loving someone does not require liking their behavior or approving of their actions.
The Bible commands both genuine love and active hatred of evil: 'Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good' (Romans 12:9). Les Feldick echoes this when he criticizes Christianity for 'rolling with' evil and condoning it. Yet he also shows that a person's sin does not remove the duty to love him — after the Corinthian church disciplined a sinning member, the instruction was to 'forgive him' and 'confirm your love toward him' (2 Corinthians 2:7-8). This is the practical outworking of hating the wrongdoing while still loving the wrongdoer.
Romans 12:18 says, 'If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.' Les Feldick notes that this is qualified because 'we're living in a devil's world,' and he gives an example of a believer who was cheated by someone who never paid him what he owed. Even in that situation, Les says when love is operating a believer will not take vengeance; he lets God take care of it. Love is the fulfilling of the law. Les also points to Christ, who 'pleased not himself' but went to the cross out of love, and he applies Romans 15:2 — please your neighbor for his good to edification.
Love Is the Predominating Factor
Les says love is the foundation of the Christian faith and should dominate relationships with spouses, kids, neighbors, and unlovely people.
Love Without Dissimulation and Hatred for Evil
Les teaches that believers must not sort people by social status; love must be genuine, and they must never stop abhorring evil rather than condoning it.
Love Extends Even to Enemies
Les says the love that took Christ to the cross becomes the believer's attitude toward others, including enemies; love fulfills the law.
Confirm Your Love After Correction
After a sinning believer is disciplined, Les highlights the instruction to forgive and affirm love toward that person rather than write him off.
Pleasing a Neighbor for Edification
Les teaches that believers are to please their neighbor for that person's good and spiritual growth, following Christ's example of not pleasing Himself.
Live Peaceably As Far As Possible
Les qualifies Romans 12:18 by noting that peace is not always possible in a devil's world; believers still strive for it even when personally wronged.
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Romans 12:9: Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
Shows that genuine love and hatred of evil are commanded side by side.
Romans 12:18: If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
Commands believers to pursue peace with everyone, while acknowledging the possibility that it may not always be attainable.
Romans 13:10: Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Defines love as not harming a neighbor and as the complete satisfaction of the law.
Romans 15:2: Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
Directs believers to act for the benefit and spiritual growth of others.
2 Corinthians 2:8: Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
Exhorts the church to reaffirm love toward a believer after discipline.
1 Corinthians 8:1: Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we have all knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
Contrasts knowledge with love, showing that love builds up rather than puffs up.
Les Feldick focuses on love rather than like. He says love must be without dissimulation and that believers should treat everyone the same, regardless of social standing. He also teaches that believers must never stop abhorring evil, which means you can love a person without liking or approving of their sinful behavior.
Les teaches that love is the fulfilling of the law and that believers are not to avenge themselves but let God take care of it. However, he also acknowledges that living peaceably with all men is not always possible because we live in a devil's world.
Scripture commands you to abhor evil while loving without hypocrisy. Les Feldick shows this by pointing to the church's instruction to forgive and confirm love toward a disciplined believer, and by reminding us that Christ's love took Him to the cross for lost mankind.
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