Love and Love

[st. Worm]

quote:

If we are to love the Lord with all our hearts, minds and soul, and we are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, what is stopping us?

SW:

Eric touched on it but the answer is Sin. The love that is required of us is the Law. It is exactly what we cannot fulfill. Sinners, which we all are, cannot do the Law to the extent God demands. The Law's demands are endless and they cannot be met by any of us. The Law shows us our sin. The gospel however offers forgiveness. It says God loves and forgives us for the sake of Christ, not because we love him in the way He demands.

[Guest jckduboise]

quote:

If we are to love the Lord with all our hearts, minds and soul, and we are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, what is stopping us?

SW:

Eric touched on it but the answer is Sin. The love that is required of us is the Law. It is exactly what we cannot fulfill. Sinners, which we all are, cannot do the Law to the extent God demands. The Law's demands are endless and they cannot be met by any of us. The Law shows us our sin. The gospel however offers forgiveness. It says God loves and forgives us for the sake of Christ, not because we love him in the way He demands.

And He is wonderful in this gracious gift to us. I for one do NOT always love my neighbors (as you have experienced) and I most certainly don't show God the love that I know should be at the top of my priority list. Unfortunately, being the human I am. I usually love me, love God and I might love my neighbor. Try as I much as I want, I still fail in these commands.

God forgive me.

[st. Worm]

jackie, to quote Luther once again from thesis 1 in his Heidelberg Disputation, "The Law of God, the most salutary doctrine of life, cannot advance humans on their way to righteousness, but rather hinders them."

The Law is no remedy for sin and the harder we try to keep the Law the worse it gets. This is a hard pill for the Old Adam and Eve in believers to swallow but good works done in obedience to divine Law is not the way to God. We all agree evil works are not the way but we struggle with the idea that our good works are just as worthless in that regard. We simply cannot force outselves to love God and neighbor.

blessings,

sw

[Guest jckduboise]

I have come to the belief that we are unable to follow these laws because we do not uderstand nor know the depth of the Love that God has for us.

We live in a world that is loveless because we reject the true love of God. We spend all of our time worrying about what this or that means, when the simplicity of it all is LOVE..there are exactly 227 verses in the bible that give us the description of God's love for us. Each one different but ultimately the same. There are an additional 39 verses that talk about being Loved.

To know God is to know Love, To know Love is to know God. If we knew without ever doubting the complete fullness of God's love for us we COULD return that love to Him in the manner He has requested and we would never fail at loving ourselves or our neighbor because we love the Lord and His creation.

This is why we don't keep these commandments. Anyone who has a complete understanding of this and is able to follow it would be without sin.....and anyone who says that they are able to keep this commandment would be in heaven with Him because he would be without sin..

Perfect examples of the failure to keep these commandments are written on every face of every man. The ministry of God is to love as He loves because love is what draws us to Him in the first place. If we had the ability to carry this love from Him to others in the way that Jesus carried it to the multitudes..we would heal, we would teach, we would prosper, we would move MOUNTAINS!!!!!

[SwordFish]

how can you love others as we love ourselves, IF we dont love ourselves....

if someone has low self esteem and hates themselves does that mean they are incapaple of loving others??

Hannah

I would say "no" to your question In fact I think people in this way are capable of having great love to give unto others as they know what it is to feel great pain and it makes them compassionate for others. The only deal here with this type person is they cut themselves off from recieving the same love and compassion in which they so desperately need in their lives.

so you ask How can you love others as we love ourselves. IF we don't love ourselves--"answer--" it is out of your own pain that you will reach out hopefully unto others as you will feel inside of yourself somewhat of what they feel and are going through and hopefully you'll throw your arms around them pat them on the back and be there to bring comfort to their lives

which is the love of God that some do not think they have. If you have Christ then you have His love abiding in you for He has shed His love abroad in our hearts.

SwordFish

[InternalFlame]

I think it's an issue of trust. People have a very hard time trusting, and admitting that you love God mind, soul, and spirit means you trust Him completely to lead you. To completely give yourself over to love is an unknown to most humans, therefor frightening.

[David H.]

What stops us from loving others as ourselves?

The judgment in our hearts. We cannot love what we stand in judgment over. To the extent that we stand in judgment over ourselves or over humanity, we find humanity unlovable. That is the meat of the matter.

That, in fact, is why "The Law is no remedy for sin and the harder we try to keep the Law the worse it gets." St. Worm is right.

That is why judgment must be God's providence. Only he can handle it and still love.

--David