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The truth sets you free. This is what Jesus Christ of Nazareth said. If one believes the truth, in truth , it will set them free.What does the “ true” part mean?
I hear this term- what does it mean?
Yes the grain among allll the weeds. Metamorphosis of this existence into something new will only occur for those who create the proper chrysalis while we are yet caterpillars. Butterflies only, no moths allowed.are thus invested in trying to work towards becoming Christian in their actions and thoughts.
The bible uses "the world" in various ways. Barnes in his commentary wrote, "The term [world] seems to be used in the Scriptures in three senses;being a friend to the earth we live on is bad?
dont conform to anything not specifically approved by God?
“ Contradidtinguished”. First time I heard that word! Our words are allThe bible uses "the world" in various ways. Barnes in his commentary wrote, "The term [world] seems to be used in the Scriptures in three senses;
(1,) As denoting the physical universe; the world as it appears to the eye; the world considered as the work of God, as a material creation.
(2.) The world as applied to the people that reside in it — " the world of mankind."
(3.) As the dwellers on the earth are by nature without religion, and act under a set of maxims, aims, and principles that have reference only to this life, the term comes to be used with reference to that community; that is, to the objects which [they] peculiarly seek, and the principles by which they are actuated, Considered with reference to the first sense of the word, it is not improper to love the world as the work of God, and as illustrating his perfections; for we may suppose that God loves his own works, and it is not wrong that we should find pleasure in their contemplation. Considered with reference to the second sense of the word, it is not wrong to love the people of the world with a love of benevolence, and to have attachment to our kindred and friends who constitute a part of it, though they are not Christians. It is only with reference to the word as used in the third sense that the command here can be understood to be applicable, or that the love of the world is forbidden; with reference to the objects sought, the maxims that prevail, the principles that reign in that community that lives for this world as contradistinguished from the world to come. The meaning is, that we are not to fix our affections on worldly objects — on what the world can furnish — as our portion, with the spirit with which they do who live only for this world, regardless of the life to come. We are not to make this world the object of our chief affection; we are not to be influenced by the maxims and feelings which prevail among those who do. "
I would agree with Barnes that it is the third meaning that is meant when John writes that Christians are not to love the world.
For me there's a far more important question... how am I to recognize this 'true' Christian?
Here, we don’t say “ I love you”.I think the standard is whether Christians love as Christ loves.
Jesus: I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
It's odd that one's beliefs should be argued for as the primary standard that marks a "true Christian" since beliefs are not observable by others and love is given by Jesus as the mark of the Christ-follower. But it's much easier to say "I believe" than to love both our fellow Christ-followers and our enemies (and Jesus teaches us to love both).
Here, we don’t say “ I love you”.
The way westerners use the word rings hollow, insincere, meaningless.
like your song “ hello,i love you, won’t you tell me your name”
To us love is in what you do, steady, loyal, devoted, a product of time and
understanding.
to me,Jesus was speaking to his disciples, not to all of humankind to
love each other.
when a Christian says he loves everyone…well, he doesn’t. It’s impossible.No offense to anyone intended, that’s just my culture, my perspective.
Very good response. Deserves better than I can give it.Are you a fan of the Doors?! If not, I am. If you are, then I am, too!
I agree that "love" gets thrown around easily in these parts so that it becomes vacuous, but I think us westerners, at our best, would agree that love is what one does. It's steady, loyal, and often a product of time and understanding. I don't think we're so different on that account; although, y'all might do it better than some of us.
Although that particular commandment was for his followers to love each other, that was not meant to limit the love of Christ-followers so much as to ensure love was their mark of discipleship. As I mentioned, he also taught his followers to love their enemies. That was also not meant to be a limit. It's not like he wanted his followers to love only those who were fellow followers and those who were enemies as if he did not intend his followers to love those who did not fall into either of those groups.
Another of the commandments we've been given is to love our neighbors as ourselves. I agree that it's impossible to love everyone since what we do (love is a matter of action and not mere feeling) and who it effects is limited in scope. But we should be able to potentially love anyone. Jesus never limited our love to certain groups or individuals.
When Jesus iterated the commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves, a Judean lawyer asked, "Who is my neighbor?" Basically, he wanted to carve humanity into two groups: those he had to love and those he didn't have to love. Jesus replied with a story where a Samaritan helped a Judean in desperate need of help (these two groups hated each other). Clearly, the Samaritan loved the Judean by his actions. The point: we cannot carve humanity into groups we must love and groups we need not love. In Christ there is no difference between Judean, Samaritan, Chinese, or American. We are all worthy of being loved by each other. And if I desire and do good things for myself, then I know how to love my neighbor, i.e., potentially anyone, even if I just met them.
Sorry if that feels like a lecture.I enjoy this kind of discussion but also do not enjoy being annoying.
And that is where they fail in their thinking. Our behaviour is monitored. Do we respect this world and each other or do we take all we can get for self satisfaction. No better one for the latter.We are free to use up this earth as a better one is a coming.
A Christian should understand that everyone is capable of acting in the ways we see others do, good or bad. If someone is off track and using selfishness to the max, we too could have also done the same, but if in not being so, we can offer a way back from the edge. Better still, we can refuse to punish for past offenses those who have made their way back, be it with help or on their own which takes even more effort on their part and should indeed be respected.when a Christian says he loves everyone…well, he doesn’t.
I don’t know if it’s “ failing” biblically.And that is where they fail in their thinking. Our behaviour is monitored. Do we respect this world and each other or do we take all we can get for self satisfaction. No better one for the latter.
A Christian should understand that everyone is capable of acting in the ways we see others do, good or bad. If someone is off track and using selfishness to the max, we too could have also done the same, but if in not being so, we can offer a way back from the edge. Better still, we can refuse to punish for past offenses those who have made their way back, be it with help or on their own which takes even more effort on their part and should indeed be respected.
And again weve greeted the sunrise over the S China Sea, Saturday morning Where it’s always already tomorrow.Are you a fan of the Doors?! If not, I am. If you are, then I am, too!
I agree that "love" gets thrown around easily in these parts so that it becomes vacuous, but I think us westerners, at our best, would agree that love is what one does. It's steady, loyal, and often a product of time and understanding. I don't think we're so different on that account; although, y'all might do it better than some of us.
Although that particular commandment was for his followers to love each other, that was not meant to limit the love of Christ-followers so much as to ensure love was their mark of discipleship. As I mentioned, he also taught his followers to love their enemies. That was also not meant to be a limit. It's not like he wanted his followers to love only those who were fellow followers and those who were enemies as if he did not intend his followers to love those who did not fall into either of those groups.
Another of the commandments we've been given is to love our neighbors as ourselves. I agree that it's impossible to love everyone since what we do (love is a matter of action and not mere feeling) and who it effects is limited in scope. But we should be able to potentially love anyone. Jesus never limited our love to certain groups or individuals.
When Jesus iterated the commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves, a Judean lawyer asked, "Who is my neighbor?" Basically, he wanted to carve humanity into two groups: those he had to love and those he didn't have to love. Jesus replied with a story where a Samaritan helped a Judean in desperate need of help (these two groups hated each other). Clearly, the Samaritan loved the Judean by his actions. The point: we cannot carve humanity into groups we must love and groups we need not love. In Christ there is no difference between Judean, Samaritan, Chinese, or American. We are all worthy of being loved by each other. And if I desire and do good things for myself, then I know how to love my neighbor, i.e., potentially anyone, even if I just met them.
Sorry if that feels like a lecture.I enjoy this kind of discussion but also do not enjoy being annoying.
As for the doors, no. Mom introduced me to dylan and the dead when I was maybe 8:yrs old. As for your post I still don’t know what to say except maybe, “ yes”.
Yes because we live double lives. One involving flesh, another involving spirit. It's a schizophrenic life.
Ascetics are more socially just than those who freely indulge their passions.
The bible uses "the world" in various ways. Barnes in his commentary wrote, "The term [world] seems to be used in the Scriptures in three senses;
(1,) As denoting the physical universe; the world as it appears to the eye; the world considered as the work of God, as a material creation.
(2.) The world as applied to the people that reside in it — " the world of mankind."
(3.) As the dwellers on the earth are by nature without religion, and act under a set of maxims, aims, and principles that have reference only to this life, the term comes to be used with reference to that community; that is, to the objects which [they] peculiarly seek, and the principles by which they are actuated, Considered with reference to the first sense of the word, it is not improper to love the world as the work of God, and as illustrating his perfections; for we may suppose that God loves his own works, and it is not wrong that we should find pleasure in their contemplation. Considered with reference to the second sense of the word, it is not wrong to love the people of the world with a love of benevolence, and to have attachment to our kindred and friends who constitute a part of it, though they are not Christians. It is only with reference to the word as used in the third sense that the command here can be understood to be applicable, or that the love of the world is forbidden; with reference to the objects sought, the maxims that prevail, the principles that reign in that community that lives for this world as contradistinguished from the world to come. The meaning is, that we are not to fix our affections on worldly objects — on what the world can furnish — as our portion, with the spirit with which they do who live only for this world, regardless of the life to come. We are not to make this world the object of our chief affection; we are not to be influenced by the maxims and feelings which prevail among those who do. "
I would agree with Barnes that it is the third meaning that is meant when John writes that Christians are not to love the world.
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