Lets talk about the New Testament commandments (No Sabbath Talk Please)...

Loving God with all your strength I see as asking God to give you HIS strength by the working of His power within you to obey His commands and to meditate on them day and night. For without God, we can do nothing (John 15:5). For Scripture says God is our strength. (Exodus 15:2) (Isaiah 12:2) (Isaiah 40:29) (1 Peter 5:10) (Psalms 73:26) (Philippians 4:13).

GDL said:

I tend to watch the "emotionally" issue. In the beginning most naturally tie love together with how we feel. Yes, there is an emotional part of us and, yes, this is connected with love. But Biblical Love for God is mainly how we think and act towards Him.

Click to expand...

I believe that love is an affection that guides us to doing loving actions. For can a husband not have affection for his wife, and just love her in deed alone? It makes no sense. For God so loved the world that He GAVE His only begotten Son. This means God had an affection for the world whereby it led to action. 1 Corinthians 13 talks about how if we give all our possessions to the poor and have not love (i.e. affection) we are nothing. Jesus even wept. This is affection or love. For to say that John 14:15 is saying that if you love me, keep my commandments makes no sense to say if it meant instead, “if you obey my commands” (i.e. love), keep my commandments. There needs to be an affection (love) first before one can act in love.

GDL said:

I agree that God's strength is ultimately behind ours and I too take the John15:5 seriously in many facets.

I also note that this is collaborative as the language in the greatest commandment personalizes all 4 components - thus your strength/capability. I think the command in Phil2:12 tied to God's "energeo" in us to will & do what pleases Him also draws out this collaboration. We do our part - He does His part - apart from Him we do nothing, etc...

Click to expand...

Right, it's synergistic. I agree.
I believe the 1st greatest commandment has 5 components or 5 parts to it (i.e. a 5 part instruction).

As mentioned before, Mark 12:29-30 gives us the full version of the 1st greatest commandment.
The first part of the instruction of this command (which is usually ignored) is:

Hear O' Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord.

We can be a Jew inwardly (Romans 2:28-29). So I believe God is calling spiritual Israelites to obey this command (Which would include the church, i.e. us). The part that says to have one Lord in our life is to put away any lords or idols out of our lives. For the Jews repeatedly had problems with idolatry and in chasing after other gods. God wants us to make Him the one and only Lord of His life. So I see this instruction as constantly analyzing our life in making sure not to make anything an idol or lord over our life instead of the Lord our God.

GDL said:

This verse is taken a couple different ways based upon the grammar. Affection is not clear.

NET John 3:16 For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

NIV John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

NKJ John 14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

I think Jesus here clarifies the issue of affection in 14:15. It's not that He's stripping affection out of this, but that He's clarifying that this is more than an issue of affection, or how one feels. As Jesus makes clear here, and John makes clear in 1 John 5:3, love is keeping God's commandments.

Click to expand...

I am not sure what you are trying to argue here. Are you for affection leading a person to obey God's commands or not? I believe if one does not have affection, then one cannot properly obey God. 1 Corinthians 13 makes this clear. If I give my body to be burned and give all my goods to the poor and have not love, I am nothing. This has to be about affection for God. We are not vulcans or mindless robots obeying.

You said:

Not really, even though it sounds logical.

I can feel not too loving, but still act in love. I don't have to feel affection for a Christian sibling or neighbor in order to act towards them as God commands me to. In fact love neighbor in Lev19:18 is in the context of properly rebuking a neighbor when necessary and not taking vengeance.

Click to expand...

While I am sure you can do that, it would not be in line with 1 Corinthians 13 (i.e. the love chapter).

You said:

I'm not making a case for stripping affection out of the equation, but just putting it into its proper place. I don't see our emotions as being our leader in most of these lessons.

Click to expand...

I disagree. I married my wife because I love her. I do things for her based on my affection for her.
To not have affection and yet act in love is to act without love. It is to be heartless and without affection and yet go through the motions mindlessly like a robot or vulcan. Jesus wept.

You said:

I will say that I recall doing a study on love and that Hebrew has 2 words that I recall that deal with love. One has the concept of affection & the other of commitment/loyalty. So, yes, they're both to be considered. Greek has more than 2 words that can be translated with "love" in the translation.

Click to expand...

I believe one flows out of the other. Action without affection (love) is no real love at all. See again 1 Corinthians 13, brother.

GDL said:

A couple things:

- 12:1 & 2 are more than related. They're tied together with the word "and." So, 12:2 continues the the thought from 12:1.

- Actually there is no command in 12:1 and this is one of the examples of why I started including what I call an "Apostolic Summons" into my list of commands. I'm looking at 9 English translations on my screen and they all pick up this summons concept with varying words.

- I do see how you're distinguishing the various components of the 1st greatest commandment.

Click to expand...

I see the two commands below as related, and yet also unique.
I see the word, “and” as starting a new thought in this instance.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service (Romans 12:1).

Be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Romans 12:2).

@GDL

When I think about Romans 12:1 in offering our bodies as a living sacrifice, I think of denying myself things in this life (by taking action), and I think about dying to my old self and living unto Christ by dedicating my life to Christ. I think about being willing to die physically for Christ.

Romans 12:2 (although it is related in putting away the things of this world) is more about figuring out God's will and changing our mind and renewing it. It's more like studying to show yourself approved unto God as mentioned in 2 Timothy 2:15. We need to figure out what His will is by studying His Word and asking God for the understanding. Romans 12:1 (while related) is more about pledging my life to Christ and being willing to die daily. For we may know something is not good for us, and yet, we may not be dying to ourselves on that thing. So both commands need to be obeyed.

GDL said:

I think I was pretty clear. No, I don't think affection has to be the leader and I think the verses I quoted validate this.

I don't think 1Cor13 overrides all other verses that speak of love, but has to harmonize with all instruction on the topic.

In looking at 1Cor13, it might be helpful for you to explain where exactly you see affection specified or described. Here are the descriptive words I see used (NKJ translation):

4 Love:
- suffers long
- is kind;
- does not envy;
- does not parade itself,
- is not puffed up;
- 5 does not behave rudely,
- does not seek its own,
- is not provoked,
- thinks no evil;
- 6 does not rejoice in iniquity,
- rejoices in the truth;
- 7 bears all things,
- believes all things,
- hopes all things,
- endures all things.
- 8 never fails.

Click to expand...

Again, this is just ignoring basic reality of how things work in life and what the Scriptures plainly teach.

We see the emotion of Christ with Him weeping and the Jews made the obvious truth or statement of how Jesus loved Lazarus (based on Christ's emotional, or affectionate response).

For John 11:35-36 says,
“Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!”

As for 1 Corinthians 13:

Based on what you said so far, you are taking the word “love” as obeying God's commands as the basis of the definition of “love” without it being any kind of emotion involved.

But this does not make sense when reading 1 Corinthians 13.

Lets look at a few of the examples in 1 Corinthians 13.

Love (true affectionate love) is kind.
Your interpretation of love (obeying God's commands without any emotion) is kind.

Okay. How can your obedience to God's commands without any emotion lead to an emotionally driven action like being kind? Jesus says, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” (Luke 6:45).
So what you say makes no sense. It makes more sense that when we say we have an affection or emotional love for somebody, it should will then lead to being kind towards others in one's actions (like being gentle with others, and doing nice things for them). For how can you truly love in your actions if you have no love in your heart for them?

Love (true affectionate love) is not puffed up.
Your interpretation of love (obeying God's commands with no emotion) is not puffed up.

Again, your view on this part of Scripture does not make any sense. One is puffed up because they do not have a proper affection. True affectionate love never leads to a person being puffed up towards the other person they have an affection for. To be puffed up is to be proud and boastful and to feel superior over the other person. But to say that “Obeying God's commands (with no emotion) is not be puffed up” (i.e. love) does not make a whole lot of sense. You want emotionless actions to then determine an emotional outcome. Cause and effect. You cannot have an emotional outcome without an emotional cause.

DamianWarS said:

You're going to have list a lot more these commandments to confirm they are generally for all man. You've singled out a conversation between Jesus and Satan so of course when they speak about man it is in general terms.

Click to expand...

Actually, Jesus quoted this truth in Matthew 4:4 found in the Old Testament Scriptures given to Israelite nation. But even if this was an exclusively New Covenant truth alone (Which is it not), the point here is that Jesus was commanding how man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. This is a command for mankind. Meaning, it is for us. To deny this is to deny what the verse says. If it was not an imperative for mankind to not live by bread alone but by every word of God, then Jesus would have said, “While this is not always the case, it is helpful or good if man lives not by bread alone, but by every word of God.” But this is not what Jesus said. So Matthew 4:4 is a command that is spoken in a non-direct way.

For did Jesus command the wind and the waves?

Carl Emerson said:

Can we discuss this important command from Paul...

Gal 5

16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

Click to expand...

I like the King James translation in what it says for this command.

Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).

How do we have an assurance that we are in the Spirit?

Scripture says,
And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.” (Acts of the Apostles 5:32).

I believe when we call upon God's grace, and we seek to obey God and we ask for the Spirit to guide us and to lead our life, we will walk in the Spirit. If we seek to align our life with what the Bible says, we are being also guided by the Spirit, too. For the Scriptures are inspired by the Holy Spirit. But I believe we should ask God (the Holy Spirit) for the understanding, and ask for guidance.