The Golden Rule-what is your take on it?

[Mr. M]

Matthew 7:12. Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them,
for this is the Law and the Prophets.

How does the Gospel lead us to actions that reflect this statement?

 

[St_Worm2]

Hello @Minister Monardo, WOW, what an amazing verse Matthew 7:12 is, yes, as it is a concise summation (in a very real sense) of everything that God is trying to teach us in the Law and the Prophets (at least where the horizontal is concerned anyway).

CF's debate boards are GREAT places to find out how close or faraway you are from operating as a Matthew 7:12 Christian, because Jesus us commands us to ~ALWAYS~ treat others the way that we would want/expect/hope to be treated by them .. with no concern whatsoever for how badly they may actually be treating us in the moment.

The Apostle Paul makes a similar statement .. Galatians 5:14, but I think Matthew 7:12 is a better statement, in a sense (because Matthew 7:12 gives us some very practical advice about ~how~ to love your neighbor as yourself ).

It is one of my very favorite verses of all

God bless you!

--David

 

[Danigt22]

"Dont be an hypocrite, I wrote you the law and gave you prophets for you to know it" my guess in what Gods means by it. We no longer go to hell since there is no longer the sting of death the law brings. Nevertheless the law is still our moral compass, we should obey it either way.

 

[Mr. M]

"Dont be an hypocrite, I wrote you the law and gave you prophets for you to know it" my guess in what Gods means by it. We no longer go to hell since there is no longer the sting of death the law brings. Nevertheless the law is still our moral compass, we should obey it either way.

I am not sure I understand you here. Is this your understanding of this verse:
Matthew 7:12. Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you,
do also to them,
for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Or, how do we express love for others in practical terms?

 

[Danigt22]

I am not sure I understand you here. Is this your understanding of this verse:
Matthew 7:12. Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you,
do also to them,
for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Or, how do we express love for others in practical terms?

Yeah, I mean. Its not cool when you tell people to do something you yourself cant. Like the pharisees teaching about the law when they didnt obey it.

 

[Blade]

"In everything then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is [the essense] of the Law and the prophets".

Something I have always lived be. When I was a kid I believed it.. and the great great joy I got was when I read it in the bible. So yes amen! So I will also treat them as Christ has is treating me

 

[Mr. M]

Yeah, I mean. Its not cool when you tell people to do something you yourself cant. Like the pharisees teaching about the law when they didnt obey it.

One suggestion I wanted to make as a starting point would be this Word:
Matthew 6:
14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

 

[Danigt22]

One suggestion I wanted to make as a starting point would be this Word:
Matthew 6:
14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

I mean this has nothing to do with the law. Since there is no law against such things. This could be a reason why so many are blinded so they cant find the truth.
1 Timothy 5:8
“But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”

 

[RDKirk]

Matthew 7:12. Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them,
for this is the Law and the Prophets.

How does the Gospel lead us toward a comprehension of this statement?

I don't understand why there is a question. It carries through several religions. Even atheists understand and generally agree with that sentiment.

 

[Mr. M]

I don't understand why there is a question. It carries through several religions. Even atheists understand and generally agree with that sentiment.

Sentiment without action is not religion, just philosophy.
James 1:
26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue
but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.
27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans
and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

How do we express love for others in practical terms?
One suggestion I wanted to make:
Matthew 6:
14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

 

[Mr. M]

I mean this has nothing to do with the law. Since there is no law against such things. This could be a reason why so many are blinded so they cant find the truth.
1 Timothy 5:8
“But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”

Matthew 6:
14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

To me, this sounds like a Law of the Kingdom of Heaven. Do we want to be a part of that kingdom?
It starts with forgiving as we have been forgiven. See Matthew 18 parable of the ungrateful servant

 

[RDKirk]

Sentiment without action is not religion, just philosophy.
James 1:
26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue
but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.
27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans
and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

How do we express love for others in practical terms?
One suggestion I wanted to make:
Matthew 6:
14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Your question seemed to be how can the sentiment be comprehended. Or how the gospel can lead us to comprehending it.

The sentiment is comprehensible on its face.

 

[Mr. M]

Your question seemed to be how can the sentiment be comprehended. Or how the gospel can lead us to comprehending it.

The sentiment is comprehensible on its face.

Okay, I changed the question in OP#1

How does the Gospel lead us to actions that reflect this statement?

I have since made one suggestion to answer this hopefully better stated question.

Sentiment without action is not religion, just philosophy.
James 1:
26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue
but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.
27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans
and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

How do we express love for others in practical terms?
One suggestion I wanted to make:
Matthew 6:
14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

 

[Danigt22]

To me, this sounds like a Law of the Kingdom of Heaven. Do we want to be a part of that kingdom?
It starts with forgiving as we have been forgiven. See Matthew 18 parable of the ungrateful servant

The problem with that, is that it contradicts many other scriptures in how we are save and the gospel teached in the letter to the Corinthians. So the context needs to be another one.

 

[grasping the after wind]

There is a not so subtle difference between doing unto others as you would want them to do unto you and doing for others as you do for yourself. I submit that Matt. 7:12 is, as RD Kirk suggests, just a reasonable request that even atheists would agree with. IMO the more difficult commandment, and the less difficult of the two great ones, love your neighbor as yourself is the goal set forward for the followers of Christ and that an atheist would reject it as an unreasonable request.

Mark 12:30-31
30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31The second is This: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.

 

[Mr. M]

There is a not so subtle difference between doing unto others as you would want them to do unto you and doing for others as you do for yourself. I submit that Matt. 7:12 is, as RD Kirk suggests, just a reasonable request that even atheists would agree with. IMO the more difficult commandment, and the less difficult of the two great ones, love your neighbor as yourself is the goal set forward for the followers of Christ and that an atheist would reject it as an unreasonable request.

Mark 12:30-31
30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31The second is This: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.

1 John 4:
20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love
his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

 

[RDKirk]

There is a not so subtle difference between doing unto others as you would want them to do unto you and doing for others as you do for yourself. I submit that Matt. 7:12 is, as RD Kirk suggests, just a reasonable request that even atheists would agree with. IMO the more difficult commandment, and the less difficult of the two great ones, love your neighbor as yourself is the goal set forward for the followers of Christ and that an atheist would reject it as an unreasonable request.

Mark 12:30-31
30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31The second is This: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.

I agree. Agape is difficult, even incomprehensible, in the flesh.

 

[Victor in Christ]

The Lord's Prayer with a true and contrite heart

 

[bling]

Matthew 7:12. Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them,
for this is the Law and the Prophets.

How does the Gospel lead us to actions that reflect this statement?

You can take any "command" given in scripture and call it "Man's objective" and have biblical support for saying that. All commands are subordinate to the two commands of Loving God and Loving others secondly. Our "Mission Statement" seems to be Love God and secondly others with all your heart, soul, mind and energy. The problem is with obtaining this unique unbelievable Godly type Love.

 

[Mr. M]

You can take any "command" given in scripture and call it "Man's objective" and have biblical support for saying that. All commands are subordinate to the two commands of Loving God and Loving others secondly. Our "Mission Statement" seems to be Love God and secondly others with all your heart, soul, mind and energy. The problem is with obtaining this unique unbelievable Godly type Love.

John 13:
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you,
that you also love one another.
35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

Is this command to fulfill the Law, or the Love of Christ that surpasses knowledge? Ephesians 3:14-21