Is "Love Thy Neighbor" Even Possible?

[SkyWriting]

Haha there is only one Bible friend. Babies are not capable of devolped thinking. The OP does not fall into that category. I usually try and think before I speak so as to not embarrass myself. A good preacher helped me out with that years ago and it really helped me grow as a person.

"Babies" also refers to new believers in Christ or those who are not aware of Jesus at all.
The Bible is not required for salvation though.

Romans 2:1
Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.

Romans 1:20
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

 

[Dwight55]

I'm still baffled about this one Commandment asking that we love our neighbor as our self, which is something we absolutely cannot do. We will always fall short of this instruction.

I have money in my bank account that I don't actually need, that could do a lot for others. I have clothes hanging in my closet that I'm not currently wearing that could go to others. I have spare rooms in my house that nobody sleeps in, that I could give to a homeless person. I've thrown food away that could have fed others.

I love myself very much. I take good care of myself. I am simply not willing to do as much for others as I am for myself. And as much as nobody likes to say it, I think the way I live my life is fairly common.

So how do we then justify this Commandment that seeks to create equality among Man?

For starters, you are going about it all wrong. Your motive is good, your effort has great features, . . . but you have misunderstood the statement.

"Love thy neighbor" is an action phrase that is centered on you doing for THE person who is your "present moment" neighbor, . . . the person who is standing, sitting, walking, or riding closest to you at this present moment. THAT is the person upon whom the love is to be shared, . . . how some ever it is needed. Clothing? Food? Shelter? As needed, take care of it. Go to the parable of the good Samaritan, . . . he did not go to the ghetto to find a person to help, . . . to the soup kitchen to find someone to feed: no, he helped the one with whom he had contact at that moment.

That is all God wants us to do. If you feel like giving more, being more charitable, . . . go for it, . . . but don't beat yourself up over the items you mentioned, . . . it's a guilt trip laid on you by some someone who does not understand what God wants us to do.

 

[patdee]

I'm still baffled about this one Commandment asking that we love our neighbor as our self, which is something we absolutely cannot do. We will always fall short of this instruction.

I have money in my bank account that I don't actually need, that could do a lot for others. I have clothes hanging in my closet that I'm not currently wearing that could go to others. I have spare rooms in my house that nobody sleeps in, that I could give to a homeless person. I've thrown food away that could have fed others.

I love myself very much. I take good care of myself. I am simply not willing to do as much for others as I am for myself. And as much as nobody likes to say it, I think the way I live my life is fairly common.

So how do we then justify this Commandment that seeks to create equality among Man?

Since WHEN do "we" justify ANY commandment? When Jesus (God) gives a commandment, we should NOT question it or in any way "judge" it. For ANY thing Jesus says, does or commands is perfect in EVERY way.; whether we think it is or not. Period. More succinctly: It is perfectly "OK" to ask Jesus questions; but it is NEVER "ok" to question Him. If you do not know the difference, "yuz" needs to get on your knees "YESTERDAY" and beg for forgiveness, wisdom and knowledge!

In addition:

You are 100% correct when you implied NO one has ever obeyed that commandment. But that is simply NOT the point. Follow along:

"Thy neighbor" is ANY one on earth in the eyes of our Lord in the context He said it. Remember that. In addition:

The commandment that says, we are to love thy neighbor as thyself was the "2nd greatest commandment". The first was: "To love the Lord thy God (Jesus) with all of thy heart, soul and mind". The reason for Jesus giving these 2 greatest commandments, was because He was asked, "What is the greatest commandment.

Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Matthew 22:38 This is the first and great commandment. Matthew 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Sadly, NO one has ever obeyed (in they eyes of Jesus) either commandment. Nor have we ever obeyed (in the eyes of Jesus) any other commandment. Further: He added, "For all the other commandments hang on those two".

Matthew 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

This is crucial to understand the depth of meaning in His words, concerning obeying the commandments.

Also: Jesus said, "It is written, thou shall not commit adultery (7th commandment of the 10 commandments); but I say unto you that if a man lusts for a woman; he has committed adultery with her already in his heart".

Matthew 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

This means: that If we even think about doing it, we HAVE already done it in the eyes of God (Jesus). Thus the statements that we have disobeyed ALL the commandments.

In a word; To think it is to do it. So we have ALL committed premeditated murder, and every other wicked thing known from birth to death, in our hearts. To Jesus that is the SAME as actually doing it. Oh indeed yes. Believe it or not.

I hold as prima facie evidence that your statement, "I love myself very much. I take good care of myself. I am simply not willing to do as much for others as I am for myself", proves beyond a shadow of a doubt why you, nor I, nor anyone else will ever obey the commandments; and that is because we come out of the womb an ego-led, arrogant, haughty prided beast. Whether any one believes it or not!

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Not to mention: Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

This is why Jesus had to come to this earth in human form; to save us from our ego's, arrogance and haughty pride (leading to all manner of sins); that is sending us ALL to hell. For If He had not done what He did; in the sacrificing of His self; then ALL would justifiably be cast into hell on Judgment Day. On indeed yes.

Summarizing: Ever since God (Jesus) made man an "image of Himself"; and thus gave us "freewill and reasoning"; we have USED that freewill and reasoning to "do it OUR way". And this is the problem from day one. Which He knew BEFORE creation. But......................

Those who believe IN Him, will receive a full pardon in spite of our sinful selves; even though we ALL deserve to go to hell. And all who did not believe IN Him will be cast into a "burning lake of fire".

Praise His Holy Name, for His mercy and love to do such an awesome thing; that is 100% free. Praise His holy name.

May He richly bless you and yours always.

 

[Dr Bruce Atkinson]

I'm still baffled about this one Commandment asking that we love our neighbor as our self, which is something we absolutely cannot do. We will always fall short of this instruction.

I have money in my bank account that I don't actually need, that could do a lot for others. I have clothes hanging in my closet that I'm not currently wearing that could go to others. I have spare rooms in my house that nobody sleeps in, that I could give to a homeless person. I've thrown food away that could have fed others.

I love myself very much. I take good care of myself. I am simply not willing to do as much for others as I am for myself. And as much as nobody likes to say it, I think the way I live my life is fairly common.

So how do we then justify this Commandment that seeks to create equality among Man?

Of course we cannot perfectly love God with all heart, soul, mind and strength .... and our neighbor as ourselves. If we could do these things in our own power, then Jesus would not have needed to come from heaven and die for our sins and for our salvation. But we are to seek to obey. The first thing God does when we truly believe is to change our hearts so at least we now WANT to love God and neighbor. If you look inside and do not see such a changed heart, then it is highly likely that you have not been "born again" from above. God empowers His true believers through His Spirit to increasingly love the Lord and also neighbors. In our own strength it is impossible. The transformation to being able to fully obey is a gradual process of spiritual growth. We may not be fully perfected until we are Resurrected.

 

[FireDragon76]

Loving your neighbor involves doing justice and loving mercy, which for the Hebrew mind always involved concrete persons, not abstractions of justice or love.

 

[Robienfold Papenfuse]

"Babies" also refers to new believers in Christ or those who are not aware of Jesus at all.
The Bible is not required for salvation though.

Romans 2:1
Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.

Romans 1:20
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Those verses have almost nothing to do with what we were discussing, you are just defining babies. You said "Only the ones you are aware of. Ignorance is also forgiven.
This is why babies don't end up in Hell"

The verses you provided say nothing about babies not going to hell or about ignorance being forgiven. It seems that you attempted to switch the topic of our conversation, also known as a straw man.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

I've only met 10% of the neighbours in my street. They are nice but we both respect each others' privacy so dont bother each other.
Very different to my childhood, when I knew everyone in the neighbourhood. Mind you, that was a small country town.
I believe love they neighbour is possible though. I witnessed my father do it. He knew the Gospels instinctively it seems to me. He never read nor cited a verse of the Bible. Some people just walk and never talk.

 

[Emmy]

Dear Kimchie Expert. Jesus Himself gave us this Commandment, in Matthew 20:35-40.
We must love our neighbour as we love ourselves. Treat others, as we would love to be treated. It sounds good, and can be done in time. In Matthew 7:7-10: we are told:
" ask and you shall receive." We ask God for Love, then thank God and share all Love with our neighbour. That sounds a bit hard, but it can be done in time. God is Love, and God wants loving sons and daughters. Heaven will be our home for eternity, and Love will be with us for ever. Let us ask therefore, and expect and share all Love from God, our Heavenly Father. We will change from selfish and unloving to loving and caring and follow Jesus our Saviour all the way, Jesus is the WAY. I say this with love, Kimchie Expert. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[Buggins]

I'm still baffled about this one Commandment asking that we love our neighbor as our self, which is something we absolutely cannot do. We will always fall short of this instruction.

I have money in my bank account that I don't actually need, that could do a lot for others. I have clothes hanging in my closet that I'm not currently wearing that could go to others. I have spare rooms in my house that nobody sleeps in, that I could give to a homeless person. I've thrown food away that could have fed others.

I love myself very much. I take good care of myself. I am simply not willing to do as much for others as I am for myself. And as much as nobody likes to say it, I think the way I live my life is fairly common.

So how do we then justify this Commandment that seeks to create equality among Man?

"I have money in my bank account that I don't actually need, that could do a lot for others. I have clothes hanging in my closet that I'm not currently wearing that could go to others. "
Hmm...
I'll send you my address...!
Isn't it about loving your neighbour as yourself? Those you come into contact with, those you read about and feel prompted to support. That's on the individual level.
Where it gets tricky (to my mind anyway) is on a societal, national level. Should we invite the world's poor to come into our nation, in the full knowledge that some may want to do us harm, some may not want to accept the values that inspired your (national)act of compassion, and who may not wish to integrate but rather to change your nation and its values?
Is that what Jesus meant?
I don't think so.
Jesus was born a Jew and knew the Law.. intimately.
He knew that the Jewish people were told not to go after foreign gods and their practices, and that they had to defend their country from its enemies. Strangers within the gate were expected to honour the laws and practices of the Jewish faith and to integrate. Not colonise, integrate.
Also you and I are stewards of all we have and it is to be at our Lord's disposal for the Kingdom of God. Have you ever noticed that the New Testament always speaks about offerings for Christians in need, first and foremost? It talks about caring for widows and orphans in the faith more than it does about the unbelievers outside. That doesn't mean we don't care about non Christians, but our priority should be the household of faith..
Comments anyone?

 

[sixpointer]

"I have money in my bank account that I don't actually need, that could do a lot for others. I have clothes hanging in my closet that I'm not currently wearing that could go to others. "
Hmm...
I'll send you my address...!
Isn't it about loving your neighbour as yourself? Those you come into contact with, those you read about and feel prompted to support. That's on the individual level.
Where it gets tricky (to my mind anyway) is on a societal, national level. Should we invite the world's poor to come into our nation, in the full knowledge that some may want to do us harm, some may not want to accept the values that inspired your (national)act of compassion, and who may not wish to integrate but rather to change your nation and its values?
Is that what Jesus meant?
I don't think so.
Jesus was born a Jew and knew the Law.. intimately.
He knew that the Jewish people were told not to go after foreign gods and their practices, and that they had to defend their country from its enemies. Strangers within the gate were expected to honour the laws and practices of the Jewish faith and to integrate. Not colonise, integrate.
Also you and I are stewards of all we have and it is to be at our Lord's disposal for the Kingdom of God. Have you ever noticed that the New Testament always speaks about offerings for Christians in need, first and foremost? It talks about caring for widows and orphans in the faith more than it does about the unbelievers outside. That doesn't mean we don't care about non Christians, but our priority should be the household of faith..
Comments anyone?

Well, you understand the answer to this by considering who Jesus was speaking to and what He said. Some came to Him wondering what they could do to gain eternal life. He does not say do a little good or do much good but rather to keep ALL of the law perfectly! It is not loving not loving your neighbour much BUT all, everyone and God PERFECTLY! That's something no one can do thus the law is NOT given to show what the non Christian can do but cannot do! Thus the law is the schoolmaster to bring ppl to Christ! By the keeping of the law NO flesh shall be justified. Justification is a legal pronouncement of no longer guilty: acquittal. Now the justified soul is one who was justified due to the works of another: Christ but what follows IS works NOT to earn justification or favour but because this is part of God's will and it is out of gratitude and obedience to that persons new Master, Saviour and King!

 

[Buggins]

Well, you understand the answer to this by considering who Jesus was speaking to and what He said. Some came to Him wondering what they could do to gain eternal life. He does not say do a little good or do much good but rather to keep ALL of the law perfectly! It is not loving not loving your neighbour much BUT all, everyone and God PERFECTLY! That's something no one can do thus the law is NOT given to show what the non Christian can do but cannot do! Thus the law is the schoolmaster to bring ppl to Christ! By the keeping of the law NO flesh shall be justified. Justification is a legal pronouncement of no longer guilty: acquittal. Now the justified soul is one who was justified due to the works of another: Christ but what follows IS works NOT to earn justification or favour but because this is part of God's will and it is out of gratitude and obedience to that persons new Master, Saviour and King!

True, but those who came to Him were also Jews, that's why they argued with Him over His interpretation of points of the law. . Only a very few were Samaritans a few Romans, and in one instance some Greeks.

 

[noam burde]

I'm still baffled about this one Commandment asking that we love our neighbor as our self, which is something we absolutely cannot do. We will always fall short of this instruction.

I have money in my bank account that I don't actually need, that could do a lot for others. I have clothes hanging in my closet that I'm not currently wearing that could go to others. I have spare rooms in my house that nobody sleeps in, that I could give to a homeless person. I've thrown food away that could have fed others.

I love myself very much. I take good care of myself. I am simply not willing to do as much for others as I am for myself. And as much as nobody likes to say it, I think the way I live my life is fairly common.

So how do we then justify this Commandment that seeks to create equality among Man?

this exactly why God used the word "רעך" which means "someone that loves you" (which was wrongly translated into Greek and then from that to other languages as "you your neighbor"). not שכנך which means your neighbor.
so the commandment says "love those that love you as yourself". "וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ, אֲנִי ה"
not "love your neighbor as yourself". because this something we can actually do.
you can also see this is the meaning of the word in Matthew 5 43-46:
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor (fellow man) and hate your enemy.’ 44 “But I say to you, n]'>[n]love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may [show yourselves to] be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous [those who are morally upright] and the unrighteous [the unrepentant, those who oppose Him]. 46 For if you love [only] those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that?

you can understand from the context the word translated to neighbor meant "those who love you".
so the God is saying love those who love you as yourself. and love other people also to what ever extent you can.
he recognize it is unreasonable to ask more than this.

 

[Buggins]

this exactly why God used the word "רעך" which means "someone that loves you" (which was wrongly translated into Greek and then from that to other languages as "you your neighbor"). not שכנך which means your neighbor.
so the commandment says "love those that love you as yourself". "וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ, אֲנִי ה"
not "love your neighbor as yourself". because this something we can actually do.
you can also see this is the meaning of the word in Matthew 5 43-46:
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor (fellow man) and hate your enemy.’ 44 “But I say to you, n]'>[n]love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may [show yourselves to] be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous [those who are morally upright] and the unrighteous [the unrepentant, those who oppose Him]. 46 For if you love [only] those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that?

you can understand from the context the word translated to neighbor meant "those who love you".
so the God is saying love those who love you as yourself. and love other people also to what ever extent you can.
he recognize it is unreasonable to ask more than this.

this exactly why God used the word "רעך" which means "someone that loves you" (which was wrongly translated into Greek and then from that to other languages as "you your neighbor"). not שכנך which means your neighbor.
so the commandment says "love those that love you as yourself". "וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ, אֲנִי ה"
not "love your neighbor as yourself". because this something we can actually do.
you can also see this is the meaning of the word in Matthew 5 43-46:
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor (fellow man) and hate your enemy.’ 44 “But I say to you, n]'>[n]love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may [show yourselves to] be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous [those who are morally upright] and the unrighteous [the unrepentant, those who oppose Him]. 46 For if you love [only] those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that?

you can understand from the context the word translated to neighbor meant "those who love you".
so the God is saying love those who love you as yourself. and love other people also to what ever extent you can.
he recognize it is unreasonable to ask more than this.

Ata yehudi meshici? שלום לך! אתה יהודי משיחי
מאיפה?
I lived five years in eretz Yisrael.
Not sure what you are saying re- neighbour though. A Christian shows love to all men and helps where he/she can, but because we are also citizens of a society we cannot impose our values on that society. Israel was different. God's covenant people.. Isaiah 49>
6 וַיֹּ֗אמֶר נָקֵ֨ל מִֽהְיוֹתְךָ֥ לִי֙ עֶ֔בֶד לְהָקִים֙ אֶת־שִׁבְטֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב ׳וּנְצִירֵי׳ ״וּנְצוּרֵ֥י״ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְהָשִׁ֑יב וּנְתַתִּ֙יךָ֙ לְא֣וֹר גּוֹיִ֔ם לִֽהְי֥וֹת יְשׁוּעָתִ֖י עַד־קְצֵ֥ה הָאָֽרֶץ׃

 

[ColoRaydo]

I love this quote on the impossibility of Christian living:

Think about this. If we don’t need any help, why send a helper? The promise of the Holy Spirit presupposes that we require assistance. Telling us about His provision was Jesus’ way of tipping us off to one of the most profound truths concerning the Christian life—it’s impossible. The quality of life Jesus expects from His followers is unattainable apart from outside intervention.
The Christian life is not simply difficult. It is not something that gets easier with time. It is not something you grow into. It’s absolutely unattainable. You can’t live it. I can’t live it. And God doesn’t expect us to live it. He knows it’s unfeasible through our own strength.
It is time that we come to grips with this liberating truth—the Christian life is impossible.
You may be thinking, Liberating? Why is this liberating? It sounds depressing to me.
It is freeing because you may be on the verge of understanding why you have failed in your attempts to live the Christian life. It is also liberating from the standpoint where you can be absolutely certain that there is nothing wrong with God’s plan. I meet people all the time who say something to the effect of, “I tried to live the Christian life, but it doesn’t work.”
I’ve got good news. Christianity is not the issue. More than likely, you have been trying to live the abundant life Jesus provided for you apart from the help of the Holy Spirit—and it’s worn you out. But that, my friend, is a problem that can be fixed.


Charles Stanley, The Spirit-Filled Life: Discover the Joy of Surrendering to the Holy Spirit (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2014).

 

[SkyWriting]

A good preacher helped me out with that years ago and it really helped me grow as a person.

Hard to imagine.

 

[SkyWriting]

Haha there is only one Bible friend.

According to scripture, the Bible is not required reading.

19For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.

 

[SkyWriting]

Babies are not capable of developed thinking.

You underestimate the role of the unborn.

Ecclesiastes 11
4He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap. 5Just as you do not know the path of the windand how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, soyou do not know the activity of God who makes all things.

Job 31
14 What then could I do when God arises? And when He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?
15"Did not He who made me in the womb make him,
And the same one fashion us in the womb?

Hosea 12
2 The LORD also has a dispute with Judah, And will punish Jacob according to his ways; He will repay him according to his deeds.
3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel, And in his maturity he contended with God.

Isaiah 49
1 Listen to Me, O islands, And pay attention, you peoples from afar.
The LORD called Me from the womb; From the body of My mother He named Me.

Jeremiah 1
4 Now the word of the LORD came to me saying,
5"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations."

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Loving your neighbor involves doing justice and loving mercy, which for the Hebrew mind always involved concrete persons, not abstractions of justice or love.

Statues ?
.
.

 

[FireDragon76]

Statues ?
.
.

No. It's like the old saying, "I love humanity, it's people I hate". Well, love in the abstract sense is unreal, it's made real only when we treat the people we actually do come into contact with, with justice and mercy.

 

[aCultureWarrior]

I'm still baffled about this one Commandment asking that we love our neighbor as our self, which is something we absolutely cannot do. We will always fall short of this instruction.

It's really quite easy Kimchi. Promote righteous civil laws that hold people up to higher standards for one. Words of encouragement ("Come on man, you're better than this") is another way. I'm not sure why you believe that you have to give away your possessions or share room in your house with a drug addict (which the vast majority of 'homeless' people are).