No wild man diatribe today. Let's just talk about love. Hopefully you've read one of my previous blogs entitled "Christianity is Hard (like gangsta hard)." A simple yet lonely call to bring back the concept of tough love. I don't want to minimize the importance of that so I do encourage you to read it. But I'd like to soften things up a bit.
I often tell those around me that I know the meaning of life. As long as they don't suspect me of pulling out a Bible and proselytizing on the spot, they usually bite. "What is the meaning of life?" they scoff. Then I tell them what I'll tell you now. "Two words and they mean the same thing: Love and God. That's the meaning of life."
After going all "Deepak Chopra" on their behinds, they usually want me to explain myself. But inevitably, we get to the God of the Bible and my intent audience runs for the exits. So how do I elaborate and explain such a lofty statement? "Two words and they mean the same thing: Love and God. That's the meaning of life." Can I explain it? I can try. But after years as a disciple of Christ, I've (reluctantly) come to the conclusion that I can't argue, explain, preach, or reason anyone into the kingdom of God. My words only do so much. Everything begins and ends with love and that's the only true way in which we can draw others into the kingdom.
28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving[a] that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”
29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’[b] This is the first commandment.[c] 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’[d] There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Speaking to my brothers and sisters in Christ (as I am prophesying), you may be very familiar with this passage. You may have heard sermons illustrating each of the elements of love towards God. Your heart, soul, mind and strength. And if you haven't, go google it now. It's great stuff. However, I'd like to draw your attention to the question asked and the manner in which it was answered. The scribe asked him quite plainly, "Out of ALL the commandments, which ONE is the greatest?" So in response, Jesus gives number one and then can't help but give number two. It's almost as if they're inseparable. And in a sense, they are inseparable because out of your intense, all out, full blown love for your Creator God, you inevitably love your neighbor as yourself. But here's some info that might be of interest to you. News flash: Christianity is not about self. Maybe you've heard it taught that to "love your neighbor as yourself" you must take care of their basic needs. Simply, as you care for your hunger, your need for shelter, etc., so you should as well care for your neighbors'. I will contend, though, that it is deeper than that.
Jesus died and resurrected. We died to be born again. We're born again to be one with the Lord: we were adopted into our Father's family and are now in His bloodline; the Holy Spirit is alive in us; and as the bride of Christ we are in/under Jesus. We are no longer "ourselves" because we've been bought with His blood. The connection I make is this. We should not just love our neighbors as ourselves, but we should love them as we love Jesus.
Am I committing an atrocious heresy here by adding to scripture? No siree.
Matthew 25:37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
Pretty self explanatory. Now let's use some algebraic skills and redefine some things in a Christian post resurrection context. If the second greatest commandment is inseparable from the first greatest commandment and defined as "like it" or "similar" and serving your neighbor is like/similar to serving Christ and you are no longer your own person and you are to love your neighbor as yourself..whew...then logically the command is more like the following: love your neighbor as you love Jesus. Notice now how it makes more sense when Jesus answers the scribe's question. Jesus, being God, naturally follows (or teams with) the commandment to love the Lord your God with everything you have.
Back to the original topic--don't worry we haven't strayed in the least. What's the meaning of life? Two words but they mean the same: God and Love. Sure I can sum this all up with 1John 4:8 stating "God is Love." But still, for those non Christians following along, it's still pretty vague. Let's try this...
1 Corinthians 13:4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails.
Ah, the characteristics of true love. Slapping modern day definitions of love in the face, and then bending them over for a spanking just for good measure. It confesses the shortcomings of all humans and our inability to treat anyone decently. We'll fall short, excuse me, we'll sin constantly. Who can keep this list and never fail? That's right. Only God. But look at verse 8. "Love never fails." But which is it, God or Love? Well, both. Love and God--they mean the same thing.
Back to our reevaluation of the second greatest commandment. "Love your neighbor as Jesus" says Lueyduey the uneducated theologian. So what is the meaning of life? Two words: God and Love, but they mean the same thing.
Now a new commandment I give you. Well, not me, but God. Let's hear it Lord:
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.
If you haven't already jumped to conclusions...how is this commandment different from what we've examined? It may seem crazy but Christ was able to elevate the call to love even higher than "love your neighbor as yourself" or "love your neighbor as Jesus." How so? Well now he asks us Christians to love one another as Christ loved us. Remember again the real meaning of love as defined by 1 Corinthians 13. Is any fallen human able to perfectly love as the passage calls us to. Can you "think no evil" or as some versions say "keep no record of wrongs"? No. Again only God can. And He's calling us to have this love for our brethren.
So on one level God calls us to love our neighbor as we love Him. Whatever our humanity will allow. But now the love that we should have for our brothers and sisters in Christ, should exceed that. Whatever we have left, whatever we are able to tap into, we are to attempt to love perfectly like Jesus loved us--when it comes to the church. Let's break it down.
1. Love God with your heart, mind, soul, and strength.
2. Love your neighbor as you love Christ.
?. Love the church as Christ loves you.
What is the meaning of life? Two words and they mean the same thing: Love and God. That's the meaning of life. You were put here on this earth to love. The truest form of that was exemplified when Jesus went to the cross to die for our sins. Please understand that I'm not alluding to some mushy feeling when I speak of love. I'm talking about self sacrifice. The only reason you were created was to spend eternity with God. The only reason you were given life was to sacrifice it. The only reason you were created was to love and be in Love. They all mean the same thing.
Tune in next time when I link all this crazy love stuff with...evangelism. Gasp.
I often tell those around me that I know the meaning of life. As long as they don't suspect me of pulling out a Bible and proselytizing on the spot, they usually bite. "What is the meaning of life?" they scoff. Then I tell them what I'll tell you now. "Two words and they mean the same thing: Love and God. That's the meaning of life."
After going all "Deepak Chopra" on their behinds, they usually want me to explain myself. But inevitably, we get to the God of the Bible and my intent audience runs for the exits. So how do I elaborate and explain such a lofty statement? "Two words and they mean the same thing: Love and God. That's the meaning of life." Can I explain it? I can try. But after years as a disciple of Christ, I've (reluctantly) come to the conclusion that I can't argue, explain, preach, or reason anyone into the kingdom of God. My words only do so much. Everything begins and ends with love and that's the only true way in which we can draw others into the kingdom.
28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving[a] that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”
29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’[b] This is the first commandment.[c] 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’[d] There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Speaking to my brothers and sisters in Christ (as I am prophesying), you may be very familiar with this passage. You may have heard sermons illustrating each of the elements of love towards God. Your heart, soul, mind and strength. And if you haven't, go google it now. It's great stuff. However, I'd like to draw your attention to the question asked and the manner in which it was answered. The scribe asked him quite plainly, "Out of ALL the commandments, which ONE is the greatest?" So in response, Jesus gives number one and then can't help but give number two. It's almost as if they're inseparable. And in a sense, they are inseparable because out of your intense, all out, full blown love for your Creator God, you inevitably love your neighbor as yourself. But here's some info that might be of interest to you. News flash: Christianity is not about self. Maybe you've heard it taught that to "love your neighbor as yourself" you must take care of their basic needs. Simply, as you care for your hunger, your need for shelter, etc., so you should as well care for your neighbors'. I will contend, though, that it is deeper than that.
Jesus died and resurrected. We died to be born again. We're born again to be one with the Lord: we were adopted into our Father's family and are now in His bloodline; the Holy Spirit is alive in us; and as the bride of Christ we are in/under Jesus. We are no longer "ourselves" because we've been bought with His blood. The connection I make is this. We should not just love our neighbors as ourselves, but we should love them as we love Jesus.
Am I committing an atrocious heresy here by adding to scripture? No siree.
Matthew 25:37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
Pretty self explanatory. Now let's use some algebraic skills and redefine some things in a Christian post resurrection context. If the second greatest commandment is inseparable from the first greatest commandment and defined as "like it" or "similar" and serving your neighbor is like/similar to serving Christ and you are no longer your own person and you are to love your neighbor as yourself..whew...then logically the command is more like the following: love your neighbor as you love Jesus. Notice now how it makes more sense when Jesus answers the scribe's question. Jesus, being God, naturally follows (or teams with) the commandment to love the Lord your God with everything you have.
Back to the original topic--don't worry we haven't strayed in the least. What's the meaning of life? Two words but they mean the same: God and Love. Sure I can sum this all up with 1John 4:8 stating "God is Love." But still, for those non Christians following along, it's still pretty vague. Let's try this...
1 Corinthians 13:4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails.
Ah, the characteristics of true love. Slapping modern day definitions of love in the face, and then bending them over for a spanking just for good measure. It confesses the shortcomings of all humans and our inability to treat anyone decently. We'll fall short, excuse me, we'll sin constantly. Who can keep this list and never fail? That's right. Only God. But look at verse 8. "Love never fails." But which is it, God or Love? Well, both. Love and God--they mean the same thing.
Back to our reevaluation of the second greatest commandment. "Love your neighbor as Jesus" says Lueyduey the uneducated theologian. So what is the meaning of life? Two words: God and Love, but they mean the same thing.
Now a new commandment I give you. Well, not me, but God. Let's hear it Lord:
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.
If you haven't already jumped to conclusions...how is this commandment different from what we've examined? It may seem crazy but Christ was able to elevate the call to love even higher than "love your neighbor as yourself" or "love your neighbor as Jesus." How so? Well now he asks us Christians to love one another as Christ loved us. Remember again the real meaning of love as defined by 1 Corinthians 13. Is any fallen human able to perfectly love as the passage calls us to. Can you "think no evil" or as some versions say "keep no record of wrongs"? No. Again only God can. And He's calling us to have this love for our brethren.
So on one level God calls us to love our neighbor as we love Him. Whatever our humanity will allow. But now the love that we should have for our brothers and sisters in Christ, should exceed that. Whatever we have left, whatever we are able to tap into, we are to attempt to love perfectly like Jesus loved us--when it comes to the church. Let's break it down.
1. Love God with your heart, mind, soul, and strength.
2. Love your neighbor as you love Christ.
?. Love the church as Christ loves you.
What is the meaning of life? Two words and they mean the same thing: Love and God. That's the meaning of life. You were put here on this earth to love. The truest form of that was exemplified when Jesus went to the cross to die for our sins. Please understand that I'm not alluding to some mushy feeling when I speak of love. I'm talking about self sacrifice. The only reason you were created was to spend eternity with God. The only reason you were given life was to sacrifice it. The only reason you were created was to love and be in Love. They all mean the same thing.
Tune in next time when I link all this crazy love stuff with...evangelism. Gasp.
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