Matthew 5:43-48
From verse 43 we see that the instruction to follow is in regard to how one should treat his enemies. This entire passage is individual in its scope. And when we make the individual application we have no trouble understanding it or harmonizing it with other scriptures. But when we try to make it congregational in application (as many are doing in an attempt to justify their having put the church into the field of general benevolence) the difficulty begins. Who would the enemy of the congregation be? If the passage is congregational in scope, then the enemy of the congregation would of necessity be another congregation that taught false doctrine, a denomination. Now let us see how the instruction agrees with other scriptures when we give it this application.
A congregation that stands for the truth is to love, bless, do good unto, and pray for a false religious system, a denomination that cursed the true congregation because it teaches the true doctrine of Christ. And if a true congregation must also love a false religious system in spite of the fact that we should hate every false way. See Psalm 119:104,128. As you can readily see, this interpretation is contrary to the truth of the oneness of the true church.
If one makes the argument that the same difficulty is at hand when we apply it individually, I answer: Such is not true; for the individual enemy of a Christian does have a God given right to exist. Therefore we as individuals are to love, bless, do good unto, and pray for him. But the false religious system does not have a God given right to exist. Its very existence is a denial of the wisdom of God and the all-sufficiency of the one church that Christ purchased with His own blood. The church of the Lord is not to love, bless, do good unto, and pray for a false religious system. But rather, she is to stand firm for the unity of the faith that is by Christ Jesus and against every false way.
I, as an individual Christian, am to try to reform my sinner enemy with the gospel of Christ. But a true congregation must not try to reform a false religious body, but rather she must try to bring the false religious body to naught and turn its members to the true body of Christ.
Anyone who does not have an idol in his heart that he is trying to justify with this passage should have no trouble seeing it is individual in application.