Puritan Author George Downame writes:

“Too much friendship makes way for hatred. Yea, in truth there is no enmity so dangerous as that which has its foundations upon the ruins of love. And as in nature, the purest substance is turned into the most loathsome corruption; so the hottest love, which has no other ground but carnal respect, degenerates oftentimes into the most deadly and hurtful enmity… A traitor is much more dangerous than a professed enemy.”

When I read this, I had to sit back and say, “huh.”

Downame is discussing Christians’ casual friendships unbelievers. Although I think I disagree with his conclusion, the points he makes leading up to it are, at the least, thought provoking.

There are only one or two people (that I know of) who really don’t like me. Not bloodthirst or anything. But in the world of civilized living, it’s up there. All of them were, at one time, very close friends. The love that existed in the friendship unquestionably is the fuel that keeps the continuing enmity alive.

I can even see in my own life and behavior. To my shame, close friends who scorned me in some particularly devastating way received far worse in return than any stranger might have.

But in a larger sense, I think it’s seen most clearly in the relationships cultivated and ultimately destroyed by the Church.

I wager that there aren’t very many people who stand in opposition to the church who weren’t at one point part of the church. In fact, science and Christianity may be a perfect example of this.

Christian societies played a huge part in many of the first major scientific advances by encouraging the research. This is because Christianity holds that God created a natural system which, if studied, all fits together and makes sense. Unlike other religions which attribute existence to God, but not a natural order.

But look where things are now?

I think the commands to “Live at peace with everyone,” have more intention than we might think at first.