“Unconditional love is contrary to the Bible. The charge of the young prophet Jehu, the son of Hanani, to King Jehoshaphat was blunt: “Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD” (II Chronicles 19:2). The commandment is, “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil” (Psalm 97:10), and the prophet Amos repeated it: “Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate (i.e., in the city council)” (Amos 5:15). David could therefore say of himself, in speaking of his obedience, “Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with a perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies” (Psalm 139:21,22).
We are told to love our enemies, that is, those who offend us personally on non-religious and non-moral issues. When the cause of division is petty and personal, we must rise above it with an attitude of law and justice; we must continue to extend to all such persons the full protection of the law from injustice, malice, and false witness. But the enemies of God’s justice and God’s law, of fundamental law and order, must not be loved. To love them in to condone their evil. The accusation of the psalmist is to the point: “When you see a thief, you delight to associate with him, and you take part with adulterers” (Psalm 5O:18, Berkeley Version). What we condone morally, we also approve of or delight in.
St. John forbad hospitality to those who were trying to subvert the faith: “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (II John 10,11). Those who preach unconditional love are simply trying to disarm godly people in order that evil may triumph.”
~R. J. Rushdoony, Chalcedon Report #30 (1968)
Matt. 5:43-48 addresses personal enemies, those who offend us on non-moral, non-religious issues. We are to rise above petty squabbles and love our neighbors as ourselves (e.g. returning their stray cow, not lying about them, etc.) not just staying inside our clique of comfortable friends.
We are commanded to love our enemies, pray for them to repent, and keep the law towards them. One is to be kind to an enemy; but we are not to set our affections on them and make them our bosom buddy.
Some politicians brag that about having close friends who are Sodomites. They're obviously not rebuking sin, if they were they would be promptly "de-friended." Such are not friends. Friends rebuke in love; souls are at stake! Two cannot walk together unless they are united in faith in God. Parents of apostate children must rebuke sin, and not condone it.
