JaiDW Posted November 30, 2015 Group: Junior Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 76 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 76 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/28/2015 Status: Offline Share Posted November 30, 2015 I was recently reading a devotional it was pretty basic, yet good, excpet this one implication that loving God and your neighbor is counter cultural. Im inclined to halfway dissagree with this statement. I agree with the first half that loving God and in particular Jesus is counter cultural. Its the loving your neighbor part that I feel from observing my small community is all people want to do. It seems to be what others want as well. Would it be more sufficient to say loving your neighbor Gods way is counter cultural. God brings balance in His love. It corrects and edifies. His love sacrifices. Keeps no record of wrong. Gods love is more of an attitude Idk i dont want to ramble.....what do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaiDW Posted November 30, 2015 Group: Junior Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 76 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 76 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/28/2015 Status: Offline Author Share Posted November 30, 2015 This is true when compared to God but Paul also says that we know in part. So God does impart some wisdom i believe specifically to those that believe. But that doesn't fully add to my question is loving others counter cultural. Again i think people crave love and acceptance but my strong belief is tat ot cone from the Father who is love and who has accepted us in the beloved. Not from people which is the worlds way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Patriot21 Posted November 30, 2015 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 28 Topic Count: 338 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 15,710 Content Per Day: 2.45 Reputation: 8,526 Days Won: 39 Joined: 10/25/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/27/1985 Share Posted November 30, 2015 let me add a few points as to why I think loving your neighbor is counter cultural. first, a lot depends on where your at, in smaller communities especially, its still the norm to love your neighbor...However, theres still the definition of neighbor. Sure, the people in your town, but how about the strangers coming through, or perhaps a town with a rival sports team? even then, depending on the town, it still maybe true. Second, most of america isnt small town america. If you go to Denver or New York city or any major population center, or even the town I live in thats only 30,000 people, you find a lot more self centered people. Some its just plain selfishness, others its just the size of the town with that many people its hard to get out and interact, especially for a christian, seeing as so many people would rather hit the party scene and a christian does not. One actually has to make a conscious effort to go out and love the people of the town, and witness to them, and show them that there is a God-then in a small town. third, humans are, by nature selfish. So, loving others-especially others that arnt in your family or dont do anything for you-goes against human nature. And if human nature is selfish, then so will the culture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaiDW Posted November 30, 2015 Group: Junior Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 76 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 76 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/28/2015 Status: Offline Author Share Posted November 30, 2015 Hey Patriot thanks for adding to the discussion. I agree what it sounds like to me is that ur describing Agape love. Which to me is what ur saying, loving the unlovable. Loving on purpose not for selfish gain. Not limiting love to whom one picks and chooses but to all whom you may encounter. I agree with defining whose neighbor and it also seems to me you may also be implying defining what is love. I think ur comments add to my statement that the world wants to love and be loved but doing it Gods way is counter cultural. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezra Posted November 30, 2015 Group: Royal Member Followers: 16 Topic Count: 134 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 8,142 Content Per Day: 2.35 Reputation: 6,612 Days Won: 20 Joined: 11/02/2014 Status: Offline Share Posted November 30, 2015 God's ways are not man's ways, and His thoughts are not man's thoughts. So the Gospel, Christ, and Bible Christianity will always be the opposite of any culture. That is a given. Christ said that the world hated Him and would hate Christians (Jn 15:18-25). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Patriot21 Posted December 1, 2015 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 28 Topic Count: 338 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 15,710 Content Per Day: 2.45 Reputation: 8,526 Days Won: 39 Joined: 10/25/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/27/1985 Share Posted December 1, 2015 Pretty much dw. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaiDW Posted December 1, 2015 Group: Junior Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 76 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 76 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/28/2015 Status: Offline Author Share Posted December 1, 2015 4 hours ago, Ezra said: God's ways are not man's ways, and His thoughts are not man's thoughts. So the Gospel, Christ, and Bible Christianity will always be the opposite of any culture. That is a given. Christ said that the world hated Him and would hate Christians (Jn 15:18-25). Thank u Ezra, its true i the statement loving ur neighbor all by itself is not counter cultural so far we all agree that Gods way of loving a neighbor is very much counter cultural. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaiDW Posted December 1, 2015 Group: Junior Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 76 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 76 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/28/2015 Status: Offline Author Share Posted December 1, 2015 1 hour ago, the_patriot2015 said: Pretty much dw. :-) Cool?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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