You Are Not My Enemy
During the Savior’s ministry, there was a significant political, cultural, and religious divide between the Jews and Samaritans. The actual reasons for the division date back centuries before Christ’s birth and the animosity was deeply entrenched. Despite this, Christ chose to minister directly to Samaritans, showing the example of how to heal a divide. He also placed Samaritans as the central figure and hero of some of His most profound teachings. The Parable of the Good Samaritan is one example of this.
THE WOMAN AT THE WELL – A LESSON IN BREAKING BARRIERS
This picture, known as Living Water by artist Simon Dewey, hangs over my fireplace. I look at it often and ponder the interaction described in John. Arriving at Jacob’s well, Jesus asks the woman for a drink. She immediately noted the division between their respective heritage, “Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.”[1] The animosity was so deep that even a simple request for help seemed to challenge the entrenched division of the time.
Christ met the Samaritan woman’s response with His gift of living water—the promise of eternal life. He revealed himself as the Messiah and asked her to return and tell her people, some of whom would become His devoted followers. As my daughter recently reminded me, it is believed that this was the first time Jesus directly revealed himself as the Messiah. Christ’s example invites us to reconsider how we engage with those we perceive as ‘other’ and to ask ourselves: Are we following His lead in healing divisions, or are we reinforcing them?
DIVISION IN OUR DAY
We live in a day where division is top of mind. We hear it discussed among friends and neighbors, within communities, on news media, and in various forms of entertainment. Undoubtedly, there is a concerted effort to create and leverage division. Despite this, I do question how much division exists. In my circles, most people get along and care for one another. This includes many who vehemently disagree about hot topics such as politics, religion, value systems, sports loyalties, and many other choices.
Many institutions and influencers profit from political, social, or other divisions by amplifying conflicts that may not be as deep as they suggest. This should prompt us to ask: Are we genuinely as divided as they claim, or are we being conditioned to see one another as adversaries? More importantly, how can we, as disciples of Christ, counteract this narrative with unity and understanding? Regardless of the attempts to seed division, we have the power to choose for ourselves, and fortunately, we have ample gospel teachings to help inform our choices.
THE GOSPEL TEACHES UNITY, NOT DIVISION
Looking at division from a gospel perspective is enlightening and provides insight into whether we choose division or unity. Division is not a new phenomenon for God’s people. The Old Testament is filled with division, the Book of Mormon’s central narrative describes long-standing division starting with Lehi’s family, the New Testament is filled with repeated examples of Christ calling out division, and even the Doctrine and Covenants commands early Latter-Day Saints to repent for seeding division as they attempted to establish a Zion community.
Interestingly, we sometimes use scriptural accounts of division to justify our divisiveness, suggesting righteous people of the past have carried out God’s work in this way. There are two issues with this justification. The first is that most of these scriptural examples occurred under the Law of Moses. This law, a lesser law, called for “breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.”[2] The second issue is that animosity and division directly contradict Christ’s fulfillment of the law, His command to rise above division through love and unity.
Christ’s great commission calls us to leave our insular communities and “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”[3] The second of the two great commandments is to “love thy neighbour as thyself.”[4] Every creature and neighbor includes everyone on this mortal journey with us. It includes individuals of different cultural or ethnic backgrounds, members and leaders of the opposing political party, those of differing faith traditions, the rival team’s fanbase, and more. Every creature is everyone. No exceptions. No justification. No excuses.
I love President Russell M. Nelson's words, “God has invited all to come unto Him. There is room for everyone. We may differ in our cultures, politics, ethnicities, tastes, and many other ways. But as we unite in Jesus Christ, such differences fade in their significance and are superseded by our overriding desire to be one—so that we may be His.”[5] He also emphasized the importance of our interactions when he said, “Today, I am asking us to interact with others in a higher, holier way. Please listen carefully. ‘If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy’ that we can say about another person—whether to his face or behind her back—that should be our standard of communication.”[6]
WE ARE ON THE SAME SIDE
Our pre-mortal existence and the story of Adam and Eve provide an insightful perspective on division. We know relatively little about our existence before this life, but what we know is essential to our earthly experience. Some of this key knowledge includes:
We are sons and daughters of God.[7]
A plan was prepared for us to come to earth and continue our progression.[8]
Key to this plan was agency—the ability to choose without being forced or coerced.[9]
Jehovah (Jesus Christ) was established as the Savior, the central figure to the plan’s promise of redemption.[10]
Lucifer (Satan) fought against the plan by trying to destroy agency.[11]
A group of spirits chose to follow Lucifer.[12]
Those who chose to follow Jehovah were prepared to come to earth to labor for the salvation of others.[13]
Lucifer and his followers were cast out.[14]
God gave Lucifer the power to tempt and try us on this earth.[15]
God placed enmity between Lucifer and those of us who would live on earth.[16]
THE WAR IN HEAVEN – ARE WE FIGHTING THE WRONG ENEMY?
Why is this knowledge so instructive for us? At some level, every person who has lived, is living now, or will live on earth chose God’s plan and followed Jesus Christ. We were on the same side, unified in our effort to carry out the plan of salvation. If we were not divided then, why are we dividing now? I have heard a concerning response to this question. Some suggest that the war fought in heaven continues today, and we must fight against evil just as we did then, implying that those who see the world differently than them are now the adversary. Then, they justify their animosity, suggesting they are on God’s side fighting for righteousness. This plays out frequently in political, religious, and cultural divides.
Yes, the war that started in heaven does continue today, but that war is still against Lucifer and his angels, not our fellow brothers and sisters. God has not withdrawn the plan's effects on His children who live on this earth, even those who may struggle to follow His plan. He continues to love, teach, and invite without adjudicating His final judgment. What makes us think we can or should make such a judgment? He is fighting for each of our souls and will continue to do so until His work is done. We must do the same.
THE ROOTS OF DIVISION – THE ADVERSARY’S DISTRACTION
Enmity is deep-seated hostility, hatred, animosity, or opposition between individuals or groups. It is the action word at the root of division. In the Garden of Eden, God placed enmity between Lucifer and Christ. This extended to their followers. Lucifer, the master of diversion, has carefully used this enmity to get us to focus our hostility, hatred, animosity, and opposition toward one another instead of toward him and his angels.
Once again, we may be tempted to think that our fellow brothers and sisters have switched sides here on earth and are part of the adversary’s followers. Yet, God has not passed that judgment and has commanded us repeatedly not to make such judgments. We do not have the insight or authority to make this type of judgment. So why do we do it? Simply said, Lucifer has used enmity to turn our attention away from him and toward one another.
BE ONE
“Be one, and if ye are not one ye are not mine.”[17] This call for unity is complemented by another call to be peacemakers. Peacemakers actively promote peace and bridge divides. They are not passive onlookers or ambivalent travelers along life’s journey. Ultimately, we have to decide if we are going to gather Israel through peacemaking or scatter Israel through division. “You have your agency to choose contention or reconciliation. I urge you to choose to be a peacemaker, now and always.”6 This wise counsel from President Nelson can help us decide.
For those who see the world differently than I do—you are not my enemy. You are my brother, my sister, and my fellow traveler in this mortal experience. The real battle is not against one another but against the adversary who seeks to divide us. We can reject his appeal and instead choose love over hate, unity over division, and peacemaking over enmity. In doing so, we become like the Good Samaritan, healing wounds instead of widening them.
[1] John 4:9, New Testament, churchofjesuschrist.org
[2] Leviticus 24:20, Old Testament, churchofjesuschrist.org
[3] Mark 16:15, New Testament, churchofjesuschrist.org
[4] Matthew 22:39, New Testament, churchofjesuschrist.org
[5] Nelson, Russell, M., A Pattern for Unity in Jesus Christ (Oct. 2024), churchofjesuschrist.org
[6] Nelson, Russell, M. Peacemakers Needed (Apr. 2023), churchofjesuschrist.org
[7] The Family, A Proclamation to the World, churchofjesuschrist.org
[8] Moses 6:62, Book of Mormon, churchofjesuschrist.org
[9] 2 Nephi 2:27, Book of Mormon, churchofjesuschrist.org
[10] Moses 4:2, Pearl of Great Price, churchofjesuschrist.org
[11] Moses 4:3, Pearl of Great Price, churchofjesuschrist.org
[12] Abraham 3:28, Pearl of Great Price, churchofjesuschrist.org
[13] Doctrine & Covenants 138:56, churchofjesuschrist.org
[14] Revelation 12:9, New Testament, churchofjesuschrist.org
[15] Moses 4:4, Pearl of Great Price, churchofjesuschrist.org
[16] Genesis 3:15, Old Testament, churchofjesuschrist.org
[17] Doctrine & Covenants 38:27, churchofjesuschrist.org