Strange Bedfellows: Understanding My Enemy’s Enemy

All is not actually fair in love and war. And the enemy of my enemy is likely not to be a trustworthy ally. Some years ago I had the occasion to speak to a group of pro-lifers on ministering outside abortion mills. My desire was to explore how the gospel is what is needed at the gates of hell. I wanted folks to understand we are not there to protest, to affirm, “We oppose what you are doing. We are offended, and we insist you stop.”

Neither, however, are we there merely to plead that we can meet their immediate needs, that if they will not abort, we will ensure their life is good. Rather we are there calling sinners to repent, to trust in the finished work of Christ alone. The need of the “gospel” isn’t some vague expression of the tender love of Jesus. It is instead the call to repentance, and the promise of forgiveness by His shed blood. If we cannot speak of His blood in the killing fields, where can we?

As part of the meetings at which I spoke the movie Babies Are Murdered Here was shown. It’s an outstanding movie, and can be seen here. Before it could begin, however, one attendee cornered me to express his concerns with the movie- he liked it generally, and even wanted to show it at his church, but felt he couldn’t because the film was “anti-Catholic.” Suddenly, the simple “co-belligerency” argument grew more complicated.

It has been my conviction that I am happy to work with anyone who opposes abortion. Some years ago I spoke at a local March for Life with the local Roman Catholic bishop, and felt no guilt whatsoever. I would, indeed, march with Satanists for Life if such a group existed. But there is a great difference between marching and preaching. When we preach we preach the gospel. And Rome preaches a different gospel. I cannot, I will not, set aside the life-saving message of Christ in order to fight a consequence of our sin, no matter how dreadful and evil.

Trouble is we are often so focused on our enemy that we lose sight of who our friends are. That they hate the ones we hate may be a good sign, or a bad one. Maybe they hate my enemy because they are in competition with him. Maybe they hate my enemy for not hating me more. Maybe they hate my enemy because I have lied about him, and if they knew the truth, they’d hate me.

We are on dangerous ground when we judge people on the basis of their friends. We are on still more dangerous ground when we judge them on the basis of their enemies. Our loyalty, from beginning to end, needs to be toward Jesus, for His Word, and with His people. We need to stand with those with whom He stands. We need to set aside our alliances, our parties and our cliques, and learn to judge with wisdom. We need to understand that when we sidle up to the enemy of our enemy, we have just made friends with a maker of enemies. We will be next.