"And a man's foes shall be those of his own household" (Matthew 10:36), said Jesus. These words of Him, among many others, were a puzzle to people since they were uttered. And yet, they give us a key to powerful demonstrations of Christ life in us and through us - if we only understand and apply them in a right way.

I would like to give at least four reasons why, to my opinion, they should not be interpreted literally - just like His remarks about plucking out our eyes and cutting off our hands and feet.

First, I've seen negative effect that these words, taken as they are, had in lives of many young believers. When those people had misunderstandings or disputes in their families, they were apt to call it "persecution" and "oppression", referring to the scripture that we quoted. They often felt justified for not seeking agreement and reconciliation, putting all the blame on others.

Second, speaking on "enemies in our household", Jesus seems to be all-inclusive. He didn't say that this problem could arise in some families, but not in others. But there are many households, where people are tolerant and kind to each other, although they have different religious convictions and lifestyles. Are they wrong? Did Jesus imply that His followers should look for a conflict and expect a conflict, even if there is none? It doesn't seem logical.

Third, I don't believe that thinking of people in terms of "enemies" is a good thing to do. In essence, we do not have enemies - every person that came to our life, has been attracted for a special reason and purpose. No matter how people seem to behave, no matter how rude and mean they could be to us, they are our teachers, sent from God with special lessons. They may not know this fact, but we should be aware of it. We live in an orderly universe, where there are no accidents or mistakes.

Fourth, all the messages of Jesus speak of "the Kingdom of God within" - the inward realm of every person. When we take this viewpoint, the gospel becomes simple and clear. Much of its complexities and mysteries disappear.

By "enmity" in our "household", Jesus described the conflict which takes place within our mind as Christ ideas are invited to enter in.

"Enemies" are thoughts, attitudes, and established mental states which are opposite to God's Truth. Those "enemies" arise immediately after we decide to learn and to apply the truth of our being. Why? They want to keep the control over our mind and heart as long as possible. Seeing that new thoughts are threatening to their dominion, they are eager to expel newcomers.

However, their power is gone. The Truth of God is all-powerful, all-prevailing. "Every knee should bow and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" (Philippians 2:10,11), in other words, every idea should completely submit to the Christ idea.

There is still a resistance, and we need to take our part in dealing with those mental "enemies". But in order to do it successfully, we need to realize that the victory already belongs to us.

(to be continued)