Emphasis on the Two Greatest Commandments

[Valen]

Evil is the natural drive or desire of man that keeps him away from God because God is good. God's punishment is swift for those who are away from Him. Evil results in destruction, confusion or chaos.

Love teaches us:
1. respect - respect God, God's name, God's holiness especially the Sabbath, and God's creation.
2. not to kill - kill not your neighbour or yourself.
3. not to lie - lie not to your neighbour or yourself.
4. not to steal - steal not to your neighbour or yourself.
5. not to envy, jealous, or desire evil or earthly things
6. love others - reveal this love to others
7. strive towards holiness - you should be perfect as the Father is perfect

The two Greatest Commandments:
1. Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength - remind yourself of this all the time.
2. Love thy neighbour as you love yourself - your neighbour is any living thing near us. Therefore we need to preserve plant and animal life and most importantly not to take the life of man other than God's will.

All crimes that violate these things are no exception.

The Devil's Test
Beware of the Devil for he is going to do everything in his power to keep us away from God. Jesus teaches us patience, love, and faith in dealing with the Devil. If the Devil breaks his Oath to God, he increases his crimes.

May the Holy Spirit bestow His power to us all!
Amen

 

[Allen2]

Good summary of THE basic issue for the believer, especially for the believer today. When we debate and discuss and can't manage to tackle an issue without dissing someone(at a distance), how will we demonstrate love and unity in local churches when we are right up close? Thanx, Al

 

[duster1az]

Valen writes: "2. Love thy neighbour as you love yourself - your neighbour is any living thing near us. Therefore we need to preserve plant and animal life and most importantly not to take the life of man other than God's will."

If the above is a commandment for the Church what do we do with Jesus' statement in (John 13:34)? "A new commandment I give you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you love one another."

In Christ,
Tracey

 

[Outspoken]

"All crimes that violate these things are no exception."

Exactly!! You also see that these 2 are the summation of the 10.

"your neighbour is any living thing near us."

I like tracey, question this one. We are to use these resources well, and treat them with respect, yes, but we are given authority over them by God, and use them as we see fit. I DO agree that we should preserve them and the like. A wasted and polluted environment is not being a good steward.

 

[cbk]

2. Love thy neighbour as you love yourself - your neighbour is any living thing near us. Therefore we need to preserve plant and animal life and most importantly not to take the life of man other than God's will.

All crimes that violate these things are no exception.

Amen

I believe we are to be good stewards of plant and animal life, for this demonstrates our love for others and future generations, if any are to come.

But, I am not extemist in this approach. We are given dominion over plants and animals. Christ demonstrated this to the poor fig tree that withered and died. Certainly, Christ did not violate the law of Love by destroying a fig tree!

Therefore, I see that your neighbors are human beings and not plants and animals.

 

[duster1az]

Outspoken writes: "I like tracey, question this one. We are to use these resources well, and treat them with respect, yes, but we are given authority over them by God, and use them as we see fit. I DO agree that we should preserve them and the like. A wasted and polluted environment is not being a good steward."

I don't believe the intended meaning of (Matt. 22:39) includes the environment, but my question was not meant to foster discussion on whether or not we're suppose to be good stewards of God's resources.

I would like your thoughts regarding whether or not this commandment is meant as a rule of life for the Christian? If you beleive it is, then what do we do with (John 13:34)?

In Christ,
Tracey

 

[Outspoken]

"I would like your thoughts regarding whether or not this commandment is meant as a rule of life for the Christian? If you beleive it is, then what do we do with (John 13:34)? "

I do not think it includes plant and "animal" life..only humans.

 

[cbk]

Outspoken writes: "I like tracey, question this one. We are to use these resources well, and treat them with respect, yes, but we are given authority over them by God, and use them as we see fit. I DO agree that we should preserve them and the like. A wasted and polluted environment is not being a good steward."

I don't believe the intended meaning of (Matt. 22:39) includes the environment, but my question was not meant to foster discussion on whether or not we're suppose to be good stewards of God's resources.

I would like your thoughts regarding whether or not this commandment is meant as a rule of life for the Christian? If you beleive it is, then what do we do with (John 13:34)?

In Christ,
Tracey

I don't see any contridiction between Matt 22:39 and John 13:34. In both we are to love others. "Neighbors" could be seen as restrictive, but Christians are to follow the way of Christ. I believe we are to love ALL man.

However, I do not believe that this means that I, as an individual, am expected to treat everyone equally or in the same manner when I am expressing this love. The love I have for one may lead me to comfort them. The love I have for another may lead me to rebuke them.

 

[Allen2]

This mutual love is best seen in the rough and tumble of life together in the local church. Americans are too impatient, so when they see or experience hurt or strife they go to another church; however, they are only taking the issues God was dealing with in the other church. If brother Sandpaper or Priscilla Prickly make your dream church uncomfortable, that means God wants you at THAT church...growth is slow and sometimes uncomfortable. If our fellow members make us irritable, perhaps it is because they resemble us, each of them a work in progress. So stick around, Oh thou with itchy feet: the best is yet to come. Al

 

[duster1az]

cbk writes: " don't see any contridiction between Matt 22:39 and John 13:34. In both we are to love others."

Is there not a difference in the degree to which we are to love? Under the Law the rule was to love others as youself, but under grace the rule is to love others as Jesus loved us. Under the Law there was no enablement provided for adherence other than the flesh, but under grace enablement is provided as long as we're walking by the Spirit.

If Christians are supposed to walk by the Spirit and not the flesh, how can commands addressed to those under the Law be expected to apply to us today?

In Christ,
Tracey

 

[mingmeister]

cbk writes: " don't see any contridiction between Matt 22:39 and John 13:34. In both we are to love others."

Is there not a difference in the degree to which we are to love? Under the Law the rule was to love others as youself, but under grace the rule is to love others as Jesus loved us. Under the Law there was no enablement provided for adherence other than the flesh, but under grace enablement is provided as long as we're walking by the Spirit.

If Christians are supposed to walk by the Spirit and not the flesh, how can commands addressed to those under the Law be expected to apply to us today?

In Christ,
Tracey

Hey Tracey,

Interesting point - yes we do operate under Grace, not under the law ...but...

Check out Mt 5v17

17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

mmm - so grace isn't a replacement for law, but a fulfillment of it - that which applied in the OT still applies - only with the extra piece which was missing - Grace (through the blood of Jesus)!

So - we are to love others as we love ourselves!

But - what if we don't love ourselves? This is at the root of loads of problems for Christians - especially young people. It takes faith to love yourself - If God loves me - I am accepted. If I am accepted, then I am liked by God. Yes I have faults, but I have been made righteous by the Blood of Jesus So why don't I like myself? Unbelief - I don't always believe that God/Jesus loves me!!

When that one gets sorted out - my capacity to love others jumps into orbit because if I can believe that God loves me and start to love myself, then I can apply that to the people around me so much more easily!!

So is it a rule - YES - but more than that, its a LIFESTYLE - A CHOICE!!!

Stay blessed guys!!

 

[cbk]

cbk writes: " don't see any contridiction between Matt 22:39 and John 13:34. In both we are to love others."

Is there not a difference in the degree to which we are to love? Under the Law the rule was to love others as youself, but under grace the rule is to love others as Jesus loved us. Under the Law there was no enablement provided for adherence other than the flesh, but under grace enablement is provided as long as we're walking by the Spirit.

If Christians are supposed to walk by the Spirit and not the flesh, how can commands addressed to those under the Law be expected to apply to us today?

In Christ,
Tracey

Well, if Christ loved everyone in the spirit while he lived under the law (which I believe he did), then it would be good to look at how Christ expressed his love on an individual basis to the peoples of his time.

Some he rebuked, out of his love for them. IE, Peter (at a time), the leaders of the temple, and the merchants in the temple. He rebuked them out of love, but they probably thought that he hated them.

Some he showed great compassion. IE, those he healed.

Some he displayed a mixture. IE, to those he told to go and sin no more.

This was his example of love in the spirit.

In regards to love under the law, I will research the Old Testament, but I am quite sure I studied this a few years back and found that love under the Old Law was originally the same as it was to be today. That it was no different. The only thing that changed was man distorting the old law and changing it over time to conform to man's ways and not God's.

This was also done in other aspects of the Old Law that brought conflict between Jesus and the leaders of Jesus' times (who believed that much of what Jesus did was sinfully, when his actions were not).

 

[duster1az]

mingmeister writes: "So - we are to love others as we love ourselves!"

I don't agree. God's Word has given further revelation and Christ specifically states, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another" (John 13:34).

The standards of conduct under grace are more difficult to maintain than those prescribed under law (2 Cor. 10:5; 1 Pet. 2:9; Eph. 4:1, 5:2, 5:20; 1 John 1:7; Gal. 5:16; 1 Thes. 5:19). There's no question about the superhuman character of these demands. What human resource is able to reproduce these virtues? Is anyone able to give thanks always or live in a manner that doesn't grieve or quinch the Holy Spirit?

The new commandment in (John 13:34) is in contrast to the old commandment of Moses. The standard under the Mosaic Law was to the degree in which we love ourselves, but under grace the degree is to be that of which Christ loved us and gave His life for us. One is a higher standard than the other. One is to be accomplished under the power of the flesh, while the other is attainable only as we walk by the Spirit.

In Christ,
Tracey