Is "Love Thy Neighbor" Even Possible?

[Jan001]

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.

1 John 5:3
In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, niv

 

[Jan001]

"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?

Good points.


I heard a rabbi say that "to love your neighbor as yourself" means "to do for your neighbor what you'd expect him to do for you if it were you who needed help.

Government aid is the most inefficient type of aid. There was no government aid 2000 years ago for the world's poor.

Neighbor helping neighbor is what Jesus commands of all of us. Jesus did not command that government take money from one person to give to another person.

 

[Jan001]

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!

Good works are necessary in order to maintain one's justification!

Matthew 21:43
Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you (Jews) and given to a nation (Gentiles) producing the fruits of it.” rsv


Titus 3:8
The saying is sure. I desire you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds; these are excellent and profitable to men. rsv

Revelation 3:15-17
I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing; not knowing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. rsv

Matthew 25:31-46
“When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. 34 Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? 38 And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? 39 And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’ 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?’ 45 Then he will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’ 46 And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” rsv

​

 

[fhansen]

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?

It's kind of funny that it's often easier to love our dog than our neighbor, even easier to love our neighbor's dog! But dogs are never in competition with us; they don't try to prove how great they are and how irrelevant we are by comparison; they aren't ashamed of any of their or our normal biological functions, common to all animals. Unlike us they sort of obey God's will- that which is ordained according to their nature's, without effort. We, OTOH, seem to almost effortlessly operate outside that will. To the extent that we don't love very, very "well", we seem to love pretty poorly; but it's a difficult world to love well in either way.

In any case it seems that, in fallen man, when free will rather than pure instinct is involved everyone automatically gravitates to a selfishness beyond what even dogs and other such beasts experience, sometimes leading to acts so atrocious they might even cause a savage animal to blush if possible. And our love of neighbor, or lack of it, is even a sign of our love or lack of love for God. "What you do for the least of these..."

Anyway, just to begin to be "normal" we need communion with God, 'apart from whom we can do nothing', and to be holier yet we need to be transformed further by Him into His image, the image of love. That's always been the goal; that's what faith is meant to lead to; love is the full definition of man's justice. 1 Cor 13 describes what this virtue looks like pretty well even, though it's really a supernatural virtue, which words fail at describing completely, and one that comes strictly, to the degree we need it and that God desires us to have it, by grace. We have to keep seeing our need for it, and praying and striving for it, for this "higher level" that causes us to see past people's faults, and see the good or potential for it in them.

"Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many." Heb 7-15

"The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love." 1John 4

Pretty challenging stuff alright.

 

[Buggins]

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.

Good stuff. There is at present in the Church a warped, warm and fluffy, 'Christian lite' concept and application of compassion that is doing great harm to the Church. It substitutes this compassion for the real commandment to preach the Gospel and make disciples.
Thus Christianity becomes humanism in robes and rituals.

 

[coolbluestar]

It's a hard teaching. Remember the rich, young ruler who approached Jesus Christ. (Mark 10:17-27). The young ruler has everything. He even an obedient person and follow all the ten commandements. And when Jesus suggested him what to do to enherit eternal life, sadly, he turned, walked away sad. Because he couldn't give up everything he owns.

Who says Christian life is easy? Unless, you're willing to give up everything and follow Jesus path, then - the course is easy.

We can't call ourselves Christian or Jesus disciple, when we still have this feeling of restoring wealth on earth rather than in heaven.

 

[geiroffenberg]

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?

id like to remond you that the grammar in this command is very different than what we are told in western reasoning based theology. Jesus never said to love the next person as much as you love yourself. The whole context is a very different and much deeper revelation. He is trying to talk abou the command that start with "hear israel, god is one" "and you shall love your got with alll...your soul and all your strength"

Now, think about it, if you love God with all your love strength and soul, there is no love left for anyone.

But God is one.

Therefore, gods love works in this sense: we are one spirit with the lord...this is not new age, this is a direct quote from the bible. So we can only love ourself while we give all our love to god. Since this is also true for every person, as in him we all live and have our being (also a dreict quote from the bible) it follows that love for our neghbour CAN ONLY BE in the same saene we love ourself, by loving god with all our strength. We love our niegbour AS OURSELF. that is literally waht he is saying. Because loving god is loving ourself and our neighbour.

This is also what joh means when he says in his letter, how can you love god who you have not seen, when you do not love your brother (or neghbour) who you have seen.

This last concept is not understood by christians, becaue they think it is perfectly ok to love god and not love everyone else....

That is not possible. God is one, he is the breath that is the spirit of life in me and you. I can only love me by loving god, and i can only love you by loving you as myself, by loving god. This all makes sense because "god is one"....and as pauls said in eph 4..there is one baptism, one god, one spirit, one father that is over all, in all and trough all.

This concept can nto be received by the carnal mind of western chrsitians, becaue thjey only go by the fallen mind. This however is the spiritual mind of christ that he talks from and to. Christians can only end up denying this and accusing it as a eastern concept of eastern religion, which they do all the time forgetting that jesus was not a westerner, and the old judastic doctrines o´he spoke to was far from western.

In short:
We must repent or the bible will never make sense to us.

 

[geiroffenberg]

It's a hard teaching. Remember the rich, young ruler who approached Jesus Christ. (Mark 10:17-27). The young ruler has everything. He even an obedient person and follow all the ten commandements. And when Jesus suggested him what to do to enherit eternal life, sadly, he turned, walked away sad. Because he couldn't give up everything he owns.

Who says Christian life is easy? Unless, you're willing to give up everything and follow Jesus path, then - the course is easy.

We can't call ourselves Christian or Jesus disciple, when we still have this feeling of restoring wealth on earth rather than in heaven.

you are foolish. It is not hard. True rightouesness comes by faith, not by giving up all i have and so forth. If its hard then jsut the best can do it, but its the SAME for all, and even children and totally unlearned ppl can walk the path of faith.
If you udnerstand faith and repentance you would know that jesus never told everyone to give up all their belingins or their wealth. That would not make sens as all the ppl god blessed became rich, and jesus even said they would gain houses, cattle, friends etc multiplied "in this life". Would God bless his chidlren with all these good gifts only so that they should "give them up"? what is wrong with you christians? dont you read your own bible? Abraham was the richest man on the planet in his times, and he was very powerful defeated one time 5 kings at the same time. The bible says he was rich and powerful because of the blessing of abraham. well guess what, galataisn 3 says we are supposed to haev and walk in the belssing of abraham.
The rich young ruler was selfrightous and trusted in money, and jesus used the law of moses to reveal his heart to him. Thats why he walksed abay with sorrow, because its called repentance and the law is given to the selfrigtoues "to show everyone guilty before god" as paul says in romans 3 so taht they can repent and come to faith. I feel not only sorry for anyone who adds religious deeds to the gospel, but it makes me literally angry because you say you have the key to heaven but dont use it and by this false teaching refuse others to use it.

 

[PollyJetix]

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?

The only way a human can become freed from self-domination, is by becoming born again. We must be remade into His image.

When mankind fell into sin, we became like Lucifer, who said, "I WILL exalt my throne... I WILL, I WILL, I WILL."

We naturally gravitate toward trying to dominate others, like Lucifer does, even if it hurts them.
God never told Adam to dominate Eve.
Instead God told both Adam and Eve to dominate nature. (Genesis 1:28)

No human should seek to establish his own kingdom over other humans.
Only God should be Lord.

Once we truly repent of our sins, we have died with Christ.
And when we identify with Him, we rise from that death, with Him.

And it is only then that we can truly...
"Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind, and strength."
Because that's putting God in the place self held before.

Once self is dethroned, and God is on the throne of the heart,
then we can love others as we love ourselves.

No one ever hates himself. God says so. Ephesians 5:29.



Satan whispers to us that we hate ourselves, to make us more consumed with ourselves.
He tells us no one loves us... and it makes us sad... because we want to be loved.
We believe his LIES, telling us we are unloved and unlovable. It's all a lie.

We already love ourselves.
So, when God told us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves,
He was NOT telling us to love ourselves.
Instead, he was acknowledging that we already do love ourselves!
He made us that way.
Babies come out screaming, because they love themselves. They are uncomfortable, and want to be comforted and to feel safe. It's natural and normal self-love.
And He was also telling us that it's okay to love ourselves!

As long as we don't have self on the throne.

But it takes a spiritual miracle, to get God back where He belongs, on the throne of the heart.

And that's the New Birth.

 

[geiroffenberg]

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.

i absolutely agree with the meaning of your post. HOWEVER it is not true that neighbour in biblical sense is anyone that happens to be near you in the moment. It is also not true that we are commanded to treat them exactly like we treat ourselves...if you go into detail in this, we would soon se how ridicolous it would be if we let others have the same privelegues that we have...ask you wife it she agrees.

However, jesus is quotiong levitticus 19, ane neghibour has its definition, its any associate in your life in any sense, from close family to ppl u see now and then on your street. Its ppl in your personal world. Of course YOU can make your world larger and make more neighours. But however we look at it, in lev 19 the neghbours are finally defined as any ppl in the land, even streangers in the land, so it basically means all ppl. But since we dont have any conscious realtion to all person in the world, its better to thing of the pple taht are in our personal worlds. We are commanded to not see them as enemies and revenage ourselfs on anyone, but love them all as ourself: "
Lev 19:18 “‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh.
"

And love her also, is not a actino based word at all, it literally means affection or having a positive welcoming affectinoat attitude to words someone. Look it up, its what it means. Deepest all jesus is saying is we are all one in God so whoever it is, whether its your spuse or some isis terrorist that tried to blow up the train station, DEEPEST we can not go on and hate anyone of them becaue theya re fo the same god and have the same life in them so if we look at ourself taht wea, we must also look at them that way,. That doesnt mean im not going to beat the c r a p out of that isis guy if i see him....u get my drift?

 

[sixpointer]

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.

The Jews saw Jesus as an imposter but Jesus was not saying anything different to what they already knew in this regard see Deaut. 6. There has only ever been one way for ppl to come into a right relationship with God and that is through imputation of righteousness and is why Abraham is spoken of as the father of all who believe. The Jews thought their law keeping AND the fact of their national connection who do it but that's only physical in the same way that eg RC claim that baptism as administered by RC will do it but they fail to understand that baptism is the outward sign of regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Anyway I digress.

 

[Monk Brendan]

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.

If God CALLS you to feed the poor, clothe the naked, etc., then do it, But listen to Him and see if He will give you a time when to do these things. Fr. Basil and I listen to God (perhaps imperfectly--but we still listen). If someone is standing outside of a fast food place--or if they come in--and they ask for food, then, if God tells us to do it, we will go into the fast food place with the person asking for food, ask what he would like, and then buy it for them. Other times we have bought daily bus passes and hand them over to the charitable ladies at St. John of the Desert, and they put them into blessing bags, which the parishioners pass out to someone who is begging on the side of the street.

However, if we notice someone standing outside that same fast food place, and they ask for money, then we listen to God. Sometimes, He says yes, and other times He says no.

If you have spare money in your bank account, however... LOL

 

[sixpointer]

The only way a human can become freed from self-domination, is by becoming born again. We must be remade into His image.

When mankind fell into sin, we became like Lucifer, who said, "I WILL exalt my throne... I WILL, I WILL, I WILL."

We naturally gravitate toward trying to dominate others, like Lucifer does, even if it hurts them.
God never told Adam to dominate Eve.
Instead God told both Adam and Eve to dominate nature. (Genesis 1:28)

No human should seek to establish his own kingdom over other humans.
Only God should be Lord.

Once we truly repent of our sins, we have died with Christ.
And when we identify with Him, we rise from that death, with Him.

And it is only then that we can truly...
"Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind, and strength."
Because that's putting God in the place self held before.

Once self is dethroned, and God is on the throne of the heart,
then we can love others as we love ourselves.

No one ever hates himself. God says so. Ephesians 5:29.



Satan whispers to us that we hate ourselves, to make us more consumed with ourselves.
He tells us no one loves us... and it makes us sad... because we want to be loved.
We believe his LIES, telling us we are unloved and unlovable. It's all a lie.

We already love ourselves.
So, when God told us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves,
He was NOT telling us to love ourselves.
Instead, he was acknowledging that we already do love ourselves!
He made us that way.
Babies come out screaming, because they love themselves. They are uncomfortable, and want to be comforted and to feel safe. It's natural and normal self-love.
And He was also telling us that it's okay to love ourselves!

As long as we don't have self on the throne.

But it takes a spiritual miracle, to get God back where He belongs, on the throne of the heart.

And that's the New Birth.

Yes, born again! And that is a supernatural work of God. Hey, I never asked to be born. I was passive. And actually, the spiritual rebirth is likewise passive on our behalf... after all, we were dead. Once you get your head around the new birth preceding repentance and faith in Christ, well, it is VERY liberating. I love Him because He first loved me. Yes, and the new nature means that what will dominate my thinking and actions will be a desire to follow Christ, not perfectly though perfectly is the standard to go for, see 1 Peter 1: be holy as I am holy. However this is NOT to try to obtain favour but because of my union with God.

 

[GTW27]

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?

How can we not love, when He first loved us? Does He not show us His Love, every day on our walk? Do we not know that He equipped us all, to be able to love our neighbors, as well as our enemies? It is called Him in us, and us in Him. You see, when we learn to deny ourselves, and the lust of this world, and pick up our cross daily, He will increase in us and we will decrease. All the good works that I have ever done since the beginning of my journey have been by Him in me. It is by His love(which is unfathonable) that causes me to act when there is a need. It is He that turns the car around for the stranger with the flat tire. I no longer have a choice in that matter, nor do I want one. So is possible to love your neighbor as our self? Yes it is, when learn to die to self, so that He lives through us. He gave us everything we need to the point of making the impossible possible. Blessings in Christ Jesus!

 

[Open Heart]

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?

You can't justify the way you are living your life. You have a problem, and it has serious consequences, and now the Lord is opening your eyes to it, which means he will hold you responsible.

What excuse do you have for not dropping those extra clothes off at the Salvation Army? Or the extra food off at a food bank? You get the idea.

I'm not saying not to take care of yourself. There is nothing wrong with saving up money for retirement -- that's just being responsible. But scripture teaches us that all our money belongs not to us but to God, and that he has entrusted a part of it to us on behalf of the poor -- our job is to give it away. (Tzedakah)

In as much as you do to the least of these my brethren, you do it unto me. And the ONLY difference between the sheep and the goats was what they did and didn't DO. What happened to those goats?

What other Christians do is not an excuse for YOU. Your eyes have been opened. Most Christians sin in all sorts of ways -- the fact that it is common doesn't make it less sinful. It is each of our responsibility to follow God to the best of our ability. If "ME" is what we are about, then we are not headed for heaven. We need to Love God, and our neighbor as ourselves. 1 John 5:3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.

 

[ColoRaydo]

Another poster a few pages ago put it best in saying that this very issue shows the futility of earning one's way to salvation. This is an impossible command to keep. The answers to this question have ranged from draining one's bank account, closet and pantry to simply wishing good cheer to one's neighbor. They both can't be right. Help the homeless but don't enable them to not work. Give to the poor, but save for retirement. Where's the cutoff?

Not my quote, but "If you don't need help, why do you need the helper?"

This is the absolute best reason why our salvation comes via grace. What can make me good enough?

Today I spent the first 30 minutes in devotion and prayer. (Sounds good, right?) An hour taking my elderly mom grocery shopping. (What a nice son!) 4 hours working on my house. 90 minute nap. And the rest of the time doing whatever. I talked to two of my neighbors. I didn't ask either one if they needed any money, food, clothes, or prayer.

So the total so far today is:

God: 20 minutes
Mom: 60 minutes
Me: 11 hours
Everyone else: Zero (wife and kids out of town)

If that's my balance sheet to get into heaven, clearly it's not good enough. That's why Jesus's blood makes my futile attempt at proving my merit useless. It is useless. Only HE makes me worthy.

 

[sixpointer]

How can we not love, when He first loved us? Does He not show us His Love, every day on our walk? Do we not know that He equipped us all, to be able to love our neighbors, as well as our enemies? It is called Him in us, and us in Him. You see, when we learn to deny ourselves, and the lust of this world, and pick up our cross daily, He will increase in us and we will decrease. All the good works that I have ever done since the beginning of my journey have been by Him in me. It is by His love(which is unfathonable) that causes me to act when there is a need. It is He that turns the car around for the stranger with the flat tire. I no longer have a choice in that matter, nor do I want one. So is possible to love your neighbor as our self? Yes it is, when learn to die to self, so that He lives through us. He gave us everything we need to the point of making the impossible possible. Blessings in Christ Jesus!

Yes I totally understand what you are saying. It is being in Christ and He in me which makes the difference. I turn the car around but it is because of my desire to help others. Well ideally so and often is the case. Not always though since we are not perfect and whether we see it or not at times it can be a mixture eg pride. The heart of man is desperately wicked and this is not fully extinguished in the Christian and is why we are called to battle the flesh. God has given us the armour and He promises to be with us but there is a fight nonetheless.

 

[Rhonda Loeblein]

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?

Always seek first Christ Jesus and he will put His light on it and pray to Him that you may gain wisdom and see what He would do and give you instruction.....you only need to press into Him for the way and the truth in things of this world.

 

[Buggins]

If God CALLS you to feed the poor, clothe the naked, etc., then do it, But listen to Him and see if He will give you a time when to do these things. Fr. Basil and I listen to God (perhaps imperfectly--but we still listen). If someone is standing outside of a fast food place--or if they come in--and they ask for food, then, if God tells us to do it, we will go into the fast food place with the person asking for food, ask what he would like, and then buy it for them. Other times we have bought daily bus passes and hand them over to the charitable ladies at St. John of the Desert, and they put them into blessing bags, which the parishioners pass out to someone who is begging on the side of the street.

However, if we notice someone standing outside that same fast food place, and they ask for money, then we listen to God. Sometimes, He says yes, and other times He says no.

If you have spare money in your bank account, however... LOL

Amen, Amen!
Be led by the Holy Spirit in all things.
(Mine's a Big Mac btw.)

 

[Emmy]

Dear bettercallPaul. God gave us the Commandment: Love thy neighbour as thyself. That is straight forward and easy understood. Jesus told us: The first Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: Love thy neighbour as thyself. Easily understood, and straightforward to follow.
Who is our neighbour? all we know and all we meet, friend and not friend. Treat all as we would love to be treated, with friendly words and kind deeds. Love is very catching, and God is LOVE, we will soon change into to men and women which God wants us to be. Let us therefore change this imperfect world into a world, where Jesus will lead us the right way, and we are always as God wants us to be.
The Bible tells us: " Give up our selfish wishes and wants, and start be as Jesus shows us to be, then follow Jesus back to God, our Heavenly Father. Let us strive to be
Christians, and start to love and be helpful, and always friendly to each other.
I say this with love, bettercallPaul. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.