Love

[MoreCoffee]

There's something that the Lord said that deserves some attention; most Christians think that everything that Jesus said deserves attention but some things have more impact than others and some make a stronger call on how Christians ought to live than others. So here is the quote

Matthew 22:34-40 But the Pharisees, hearing that he had caused the Sadducees to be silent, came together as one. 35 And one of them, a doctor of the law, questioned him, to test him: 36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37 Jesus said to him: " "You shall love the Lord your God from all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind." 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 But the second is similar to it: "You shall love your neighbour as yourself." 40 On these two commandments the entire law depends, and also the prophets."​

Is it reasonable to ask that Christians do these two things?

 

[MennoSota]

There's something that the Lord said that deserves some attention; most Christians think that everything that Jesus said deserves attention but some things have more impact than others and some make a stronger call on how Christians ought to live than others. So here is the quote

Matthew 22:34-40 But the Pharisees, hearing that he had caused the Sadducees to be silent, came together as one. 35 And one of them, a doctor of the law, questioned him, to test him: 36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37 Jesus said to him: " "You shall love the Lord your God from all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind." 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 But the second is similar to it: "You shall love your neighbour as yourself." 40 On these two commandments the entire law depends, and also the prophets."​

Is it reasonable to ask that Christians do these two things?

Do you understand why Jesus answered the Pharisees in this manner?

 

[MoreCoffee]

Do you understand why Jesus answered the Pharisees in this manner?

Did you understand the question in the original post?

Is it reasonable to ask that Christians do these two things?

 

[MennoSota]

Did you understand the question in the original post?

Is it reasonable to ask that Christians do these two things?

Do you understand why Jesus answered the Pharisees in this manner?

 

[ValleyGal]

Is it reasonable to ask that Christians do these two things?

I don't think it's unreasonable to ask. It might be unreasonable to expect that all Christians will do this all the time.

 

[MoreCoffee]

I don't think it's unreasonable to ask. It might be unreasonable to expect that all Christians will do this all the time.

Do you know anybody who does it any time?

 

[ValleyGal]

Do you know anybody who does it any time?

The love of God is far greater than our itty-bitty minds can even begin to ponder. I do believe there are those who love to the best of their capacity at least some of the time.

 

[MoreCoffee]

The love of God is far greater than our itty-bitty minds can even begin to ponder.

I agree that God's love for us is unfathomably deep and incomprehensibly great. It is our love for God that is in question in the passage. The call is to love God with all one's heart, mind, soul, and strength. All of it. So I wonder if anybody does that.

I do believe there are those who love to the best of their capacity at least some of the time.

I agree, some do love very deeply and very profoundly. I am a little unsure if I am one. I may be mistaken in wondering if others that I chat with (here and face to face) manage to do what the Lord calls for.

 

[atpollard]

There's something that the Lord said that deserves some attention; most Christians think that everything that Jesus said deserves attention but some things have more impact than others and some make a stronger call on how Christians ought to live than others. So here is the quote

Matthew 22:34-40 But the Pharisees, hearing that he had caused the Sadducees to be silent, came together as one. 35 And one of them, a doctor of the law, questioned him, to test him: 36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37 Jesus said to him: " "You shall love the Lord your God from all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind." 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 But the second is similar to it: "You shall love your neighbour as yourself." 40 On these two commandments the entire law depends, and also the prophets."​

Is it reasonable to ask that Christians do these two things?

Yes.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Yes.

What if they don't do as asked?

 

[atpollard]

What if they don't do as asked?

[John 10:26-30 NASB] 26 "But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 "My Father, who has given [them] to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father's hand. 30 "I and the Father are one."

[James 2:14-20 NASB] 14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for [their] body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, [being] by itself. 18 But someone may [well] say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." 19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?

 

[Arsenios]

What if they don't do as asked?

It is commanded...

That is why there is the discipling of the faithful...

It is not something one simply decides to do one day...

And then just goes on ahead and does it that afternoon...


Arsenios

 

[MoreCoffee]

[John 10:26-30 NASB] 26 "But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 "My Father, who has given [them] to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father's hand. 30 "I and the Father are one."

[James 2:14-20 NASB] 14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for [their] body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, [being] by itself. 18 But someone may [well] say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." 19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?

So saint James was right; a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. Good of you to make the point even if later the point is denied by other posts.

 

[MoreCoffee]

It is commanded...

That is why there is the discipling of the faithful...

It is not something one simply decides to do one day...

And then just goes on ahead and does it that afternoon...


Arsenios

It is something that one decides to do.

 

[MennoSota]

So saint James was right; a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. Good of you to make the point even if later the point is denied by other posts.

atpollard simply shared scripture. You are projecting your theology.

 

[MoreCoffee]

atpollard simply shared scripture.

Quite right, the scripture that says that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone - remember Context!!! That is what Love means, to trust and obey because there's no other way to be joyfully incorporated into Jesus Christ than to trust and obey.

 

[MennoSota]

Quite right, the scripture that says that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone - remember Context!!! That is what Love means, to trust and obey because there's no other way to he joyfully incorporated into Jesus Christ than to trust and obey.

I do remember context. I also recall many passages about faith and how faith is given. I also know what God tells us about justification.
Do you believe all scripture is inspired and thus all scripture defines how we interpret one verse?

 

[MoreCoffee]

I do remember context.

Excellent. Then you know, because of context, that the faithful are called to trust and obey because they are justified by works and not by faith alone. Their love extends to obedience as well as the warm feelings associated with love. As the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Lord as well as the saviour of the faithful said, if you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love.

 

[MennoSota]

Excellent. Then you know, because of context, that the faithful are called to trust and obey because they are justified by works and not by faith alone.

Here is where you struggle. We are saved by faith alone. Faith expresses itself in the works that God prepared beforehand that the faithful should do.
You attempt to separate the two as though they are not symbiotic.
Faith causes. Works are the effect.

Their love extends to obedience as well as the warm feelings associated with love.

Warm feelings? Sounds like a bladder problem.

As the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Lord as well as the saviour of the faithful said, if you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love.

Can those who have faith, not keep Jesus commandments? Faith causes good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should do.
I notice that you ignored the rest of my response.

 

[MoreCoffee]

God tells me that the faithful are justified by works and not by faith alone.