Search the Community

With what sort of love? Omegaman 3.0 6/5/2019 I recently posted in a thread at Worthy Christian Forums, where there seemed to be some disagreement about the nature of the kind of love that Christians are supposed to have. There also seemed to be some disagreement and even questions about whether or not some to the Bible’s statements contradict each other on this topic. I felt compelled to chime in. Not to toot my own horn, but as I developed my reply, I thought some of my comments were worth making a note of here, since they represent my thoughts (which is what a blog is, after all) and some of them arose out of my analysis of what people were disputing, so here it goes: I do not have two cents, but I have a nickel: I certainly see no contradiction between what Jesus said, and what John said, but I will offer my thoughts or opinions, as a sort of unsolicited, under-qualified commentary: First observation: 34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” My comment on that passage is that Jesus said that loving others is a commandment, and He is referring to the Law, so THAT is not new! What was the standard? Love others as you love yourself. Second observation: 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13 My comment on this one is that Jesus said it is new. If He said it is new, then it IS new. What is new about it? Jesus upped the standard. The standard here is not love each other as you love yourself, but love each other has Jesus Himself loved them. How was that? Self-sacrificially, Jesus DIED for them, that is real love. John tells us that when he reports that Jesus also said: Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 So, the NEW commandment you will note, is not to the general public, it was to His disciples. John also noted that Jesus gave his disciples a purpose, the positive side effect: "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:25 So, the new command so far is that disciples are to love other disciples, with the same sort of love, the greatest love, self-sacrificial love, as Jesus demonstrated on the cross, not that we must die, but that is the supreme example of that kind of love. Tradition has it, that all the apostles except Judas and John, died as martyrs, and John was willing. They tried to boil him in oil, it just did not work, so he was banished to Patmos, where he penned the book of Revelation. As a side note, when Peter was told he was to be crucified, Peter asked Jesus about John - well, what about him (John)? Jesus basic answer was, that is none of your business Peter! From what we think we know, John died of "natural" causes, in his old age. So, for the most part, the disciples lived out their mission the obey the commandment, the loved us, all disciples enough to die in their efforts to see that we got Jesus message. At this juncture, I would like to point out something else, from Matthew 28: 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. So, Jesus disciples were told to make other disciples. If you are a believer, you are one of the disciples of disciples of disciples, etc. The disciples were to teach others to obey Jesus. If you are a TRUE disciple, you will seek to, want to, obey Jesus. After all, that is what a disciple is, one who follows their teacher. Our ultimate Teacher then, is Jesus. What is it then, that we are taught to obey then? Among other things: Make more disciples and teach them to obey Jesus, and that includes loving other believers with the unique love that Jesus lavished upon them. So, for the most part, the disciples lived out their mission they obeyed the commandment, the loved us, all disciples enough to die in their efforts to see that we got Jesus message. They practices what they preached, and the preached what Jesus told them to. So many of the quotes I supplied ARE from John, how then is that a contradiction? John knew that there was an Old Testament command, to love others as ourselves. He also was quick to point out that those in the Jesus' church, were to go beyond that sort of love, the easy love that even pagans so. Toward each other, they were to with a supernatural love that is not given to everyone, but believers are given that ability, and are told to exercise it. Love is an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit, the Paul describes in Gal 5:22 and Eph 5:19. (Those are links, by the way) Paul also describes love in 1 Cor 13: 4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. With all of this great information in the Bible (not in my post), the real question is: HOW WELL DO WE ALL MEASURE UP? I also ask, that you consider praying about this in your own lives, that you pray for others also, and not the least, for me also, as we all need it at times. Go forth and love, to the Glory of God!

Today's world seems to be returning to The days of Noah, at a very fast pace,certainly we can see the biblical attributes of right and wrong vanishing as the sinfulness of man is forever trampling all that God declared good. “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5) For this reason God destroyed this earth with a flood.(Genesis 6:13 13 So God said to Noah, "I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.) This wickedness of man will continue as Jesus declares: (Matthew 24:37-39 37As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.) I don't believe their is any question as to the way mankind is behaving, for all We need to do is turn on the news, go to a store, or just look around in our own neighborhood. The days in which We live are clear. The question that is left to asked is; how do Christians live in these times? God has written certain biblical attributes that We (As his children)must follow: Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good;And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly,To love mercy,And to walk humbly with your God. 1. Walk in truth and goodness. John 3:19-21 ...19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” Isaiah 5:20 - Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. Ephesians 2:10 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. 2. Walking in love and forgiveness John 13:34-35 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” 1 John 4:8 (NKJV) He who does not love does not know God, for God is love Colossians 3: 12-17 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. We As children of God are to set an example of these biblical attributes to a lost and dying world. How do we do this? We must have Agape love! Agape love is a little different. It is not a feeling; it's a motivation for action that we are free to choose or reject. Agape is a sacrificial love that voluntarily suffers inconvenience, discomfort, and even death for the benefit of another without expecting anything in return. We are called to agape love through Christ's example: "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:1-2). My friends, we are 2 Corinthians 5:20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. So we must set an example. Jesus is returning, are we about his business? “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” This requires the agape love of God. In short: In my own life, I try and show this magnificent Agape love, to first my God by walking in the spirit. To bring God glory. To first look within myself, repent of my sins, and study to show myself approved. ***I remember to first remove the wood from my own eye, so that I can see clearly to then move on. God then gets all the praise! Walking out this love toward my family. I become a servant. To them I willing serve and am their to help in every way. To my extended family of both Christian and blood, I to become a servant. Serving others, in giving of all that God has equipped me with. To this world, I try and be a light,To apply his principles toward others while I myself decrease and his love increases in me. This goal of being an example to a lost and dying world as well as an encouragement to others (as I walk in the agape love),is something I must begin anew every morning. For it is by his grace, his strength, his love, his mercy,and the holy spirit that I can only begin to take a step toward this goal. I do find that I must have constant fellowship with him, prayer,the word and a willingness to submit to his will are tools of success for me. As we apply this love,and set an example to others, let us also be an encouragement to our brothers and sisters in Christ.That we may all learn and grow together in this wonderful family of God. Please share:How are you being this example and encouragement? Love in Christ, be blessed?

I am posing those two questions, because I believe they have two different answers. I think that as Christians, many of us may have an inaccurate or incomplete understanding of God's love. My hope here is to initiate a conversation, wherein the participants can bring out a fuller understanding of God's love, than many of us currently understand. I feel sure that there are many here, who are mature in the word, and can contribute to this topic. I hope that each post has information to offer, not just an opinion of a yes or know, as if this was a poll. I good read, and an excellent free resource, is by noted New Testament scholar, Don Carson. I reserve the right to close this topic, if it gets ridiculously redundant, bitter, or so long that it is in danger of intimidating new readers because of it's length. I know some will not read threads, when the post count gets really high. They may have an interest in the topic, but do not want to wade through a tedious amount of verbiage. If I decide to close it, I will probably add a final post with a bulleted list of all the points you were able to develop about God's love from the pages of scripture.