What is Love, According to God?

Bro.tan

Inactive
One will find in the scriptures that the fundamental duty of man is to love God as well as to love his neighbor. Man has not understood the significance or the implications of not adhering to this duty. The word love in itself is beyond definition and it implies different things to different people. And because of this ambiguity man has decided to apply his definition of love to God commandment to love rather than finding out the meaning of love according to God standards. Man as a whole has never fully understood the word love as God defines it in His commandments and one can confirm that by simply looking at the condition of the world. People relate love to emotions and they base it on terms of feeling. The problem with this is when feeling change so does ones love. The love that God requires of man is one of will. And this love is a deliberate attitude whereas circumstances and changes in situations do not impact ones actions. In examining the scriptures one will find that God is clear in describing how man is to love Him. And while the bible shows a broad spectrum of love the love that God requires from man is well defined and is based on obedience.



The religious leaders were constantly questioning Jesus in order to test Him and on this occasion a lawyer asked Jesus what is the great commandment?

Matthew (22:35) Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

(36) Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Jesus reply was the 1st great commandment was to love God and the 2nd was to love ones neighbor. These were given as a commandment for man to love.

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.

(38) This is the first and great commandment.

(39) And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

One should note that by following the 1st and 2nd great commandment they will be adhering to the 10 commandments issued by Moses. If they love the Lord they won't have any other Gods before him, or make any graven images or take his name in vain, they will remember his Sabbath and if they love their neighbor they will honor their Father and Mother and they won't kill or commit adultery or steal or bear false witness nor will they covet. This is why Jesus goes on to state that on these two commandments hang the law and the prophets. Because by fulfilling these two commandments one fulfills the law.

(40) On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Jesus stated that these 2 commandments where the 2 great commandments however the following verses will show that these commandments were not new and that the Jews Jesus was speaking to were aware of them. These were the same ones issued to Israel by Moses.

Deuteronomy (6:5) And thy shall love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Leviticus (19:18) Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

Now that it has been established that man was commanded to love one needs to examine the scriptures to get an understanding of the love required in these great commandments
 
In the following verses Moses is telling the Israelites that God chose them strictly out of His love for them.

Deuteronomy (7:7) The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

(8) But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

(9) Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

Note in verse (9) Moses states a condition that God requires in order for Him to keep covenant and have mercy. And that is an individual must love God and keep His commandments. The scriptures will show that there is only one way to love God and that is by keeping His commandments.

Note that Jesus states in the following verse that in order to love Him one has to keep His commandments.

John (14:15) If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Jesus further defines the love He requires when He states in the following verse that those who have His commandments and keep them are those that love Him. One does not have to guess at Jesus definition of love He made it clear.

John (14:21) He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Jesus also reinforced what was said in Deuteronomy verse (9) by adding that those that love Him will be loved by the Father. How does one love Jesus? by keeping His commandments and Moses said God will keep covenant and have mercy with those who keep His commandments. So therefore by following Jesus one shall receive love from Him as well as mercy from the Father.

Note in these scriptures it did not say those who profess their love for Jesus or those that claim that Jesus knows what in their heart.

Jesus made a clear and direct statement if one has His commandments and keeps them they are the ones who love Him. The statement that Jesus made as well as the condition Moses gave in Deuteronomy verse (9) were based on behalf of an individuals actions not their feeling or emotions or conditions. To exhibit love towards Jesus one must engage in a specific action and that action is being obedience to the word of God. And one will see that they are to be obedient regardless of their feeling or the surrounding circumstances.

Jesus states again in the following verses what is required of an individual to receive His love.

John (15:9) As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

(10) If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

The above verse shows to be loved of Jesus one needs to be obedient. Jesus also states in verse (10) that He was obedient to the Father by keeping His commandments and therefore abides in His love.
 
Note that Jesus states in the following verse that in order to love Him one has to keep His commandments.

John (14:15) If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Jesus further defines the love He requires when He states in the following verse that those who have His commandments and keep them are those that love Him. One does not have to guess at Jesus definition of love He made it clear.

John (14:21) He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
.........

I think there is also great to learn in between the verses 15 to 21 mentioned...

John 14:15-21New King James Version (NKJV)

Jesus Promises Another Helper

15 “If you love Me, keep[a] My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

Indwelling of the Father and the Son

19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
 
One will find in the scriptures that the fundamental duty of man is to love God as well as to love his neighbor. Man has not understood the significance or the implications of not adhering to this duty. The word love in itself is beyond definition and it implies different things to different people. And because of this ambiguity man has decided to apply his definition of love to God commandment to love rather than finding out the meaning of love according to God standards. Man as a whole has never fully understood the word love as God defines it in His commandments and one can confirm that by simply looking at the condition of the world. People relate love to emotions and they base it on terms of feeling. The problem with this is when feeling change so does ones love. The love that God requires of man is one of will. And this love is a deliberate attitude whereas circumstances and changes in situations do not impact ones actions. In examining the scriptures one will find that God is clear in describing how man is to love Him. And while the bible shows a broad spectrum of love the love that God requires from man is well defined and is based on obedience.



The religious leaders were constantly questioning Jesus in order to test Him and on this occasion a lawyer asked Jesus what is the great commandment?

Matthew (22:35) Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

(36) Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Jesus reply was the 1st great commandment was to love God and the 2nd was to love ones neighbor. These were given as a commandment for man to love.

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.

(38) This is the first and great commandment.

(39) And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

One should note that by following the 1st and 2nd great commandment they will be adhering to the 10 commandments issued by Moses. If they love the Lord they won't have any other Gods before him, or make any graven images or take his name in vain, they will remember his Sabbath and if they love their neighbor they will honor their Father and Mother and they won't kill or commit adultery or steal or bear false witness nor will they covet. This is why Jesus goes on to state that on these two commandments hang the law and the prophets. Because by fulfilling these two commandments one fulfills the law.

(40) On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Jesus stated that these 2 commandments where the 2 great commandments however the following verses will show that these commandments were not new and that the Jews Jesus was speaking to were aware of them. These were the same ones issued to Israel by Moses.

Deuteronomy (6:5) And thy shall love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Leviticus (19:18) Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

Now that it has been established that man was commanded to love one needs to examine the scriptures to get an understanding of the love required in these great commandments

Bro. Tan. I know you mean well and you work really hard to prove that man must keep God's Law to be saved, but I can not and will not ever be able to agree with you on this teaching.

If you would attain to eternal life by keeping the law, then keep the law. Just do it and live.
There is only one problem. Have you ever done it? Have you kept the whole law every day, every hour of your life without ever failing?

The LORD God is holy and righteous. He expects perfect holiness. 99.99% is failure in His holy eyes.

James 2:10 says........
"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all."

We have all gotten an "F" on our spiritual report card.

1 John 1:10 says...........
"If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us".

The Apostle Paul summarized the first two chapters of his indictment to all mankind with these words from the Psalmist n Rom. 3:10.........
"There is none righteous, not even one".

Moreover, the Bible is clear when it says that to be saved by keeping the law requires that a person keep the whole law perfectly, all the time. No exception is allowed. The law must be kept, all of it, without any omission, or failures, or exceptions, all of the time, twenty-four hours a day, all of your life.

Only one person has ever kept the law perfectly. Jesus Christ the Son of God was without sin. He never personally experienced sin. His heavenly Father declared three times, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."

No one is saved by law keeping!!!!

Romans 3:20 can not be any clearer...........
"By the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His [God's] sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin." Sinful man can not live up to the holy demands of God's law. No one is righteous in the eyes of God.

Again, Paul gives a summary statement when he writes in Rom. 3:23...............
"There is no distinction; all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God".

Then consider Romans 7:1-7.............
"Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives? For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released [Abolished: Strongs #2673 same as Eph 2:15] from the law concerning the husband. So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man. Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released [Abolished: Strongs #2673 same as Eph 2:15] from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter. What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "You shall not covet.""

Same Greek word for Abolished used in Romans 7 and Eph 2:15:

The exact same word is used twice in Romans 7:2,6 for abolished that is used in Eph 2:15
Some well meaning people say the it was the ceremonial law that was abolished in Eph 2:15
Problem is Romans 7:1-7 uses the exact same Greek word for abolished, as in Eph 2:15
 
Bro. Tan. I know you mean well and you work really hard to prove that man must keep God's Law to be saved, but I can not and will not ever be able to agree with you on this teaching.

If you would attain to eternal life by keeping the law, then keep the law. Just do it and live.
There is only one problem. Have you ever done it? Have you kept the whole law every day, every hour of your life without ever failing?

The LORD God is holy and righteous. He expects perfect holiness. 99.99% is failure in His holy eyes.

James 2:10 says........
"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all."

We have all gotten an "F" on our spiritual report card.

1 John 1:10 says...........
"If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us".

The Apostle Paul summarized the first two chapters of his indictment to all mankind with these words from the Psalmist n Rom. 3:10.........
"There is none righteous, not even one".

Moreover, the Bible is clear when it says that to be saved by keeping the law requires that a person keep the whole law perfectly, all the time. No exception is allowed. The law must be kept, all of it, without any omission, or failures, or exceptions, all of the time, twenty-four hours a day, all of your life.

Only one person has ever kept the law perfectly. Jesus Christ the Son of God was without sin. He never personally experienced sin. His heavenly Father declared three times, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."

No one is saved by law keeping!!!!

Romans 3:20 can not be any clearer...........
"By the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His [God's] sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin." Sinful man can not live up to the holy demands of God's law. No one is righteous in the eyes of God.

Again, Paul gives a summary statement when he writes in Rom. 3:23...............
"There is no distinction; all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God".

Then consider Romans 7:1-7.............
"Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives? For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released [Abolished: Strongs #2673 same as Eph 2:15] from the law concerning the husband. So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man. Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released [Abolished: Strongs #2673 same as Eph 2:15] from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter. What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "You shall not covet.""

Same Greek word for Abolished used in Romans 7 and Eph 2:15:

The exact same word is used twice in Romans 7:2,6 for abolished that is used in Eph 2:15
Some well meaning people say the it was the ceremonial law that was abolished in Eph 2:15
Problem is Romans 7:1-7 uses the exact same Greek word for abolished, as in Eph 2:15


God had Peter to clearly warn you about some of Paul’s writing. (2 Peter:3:15-16) (v.15) And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; (v.16) As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Now you need to take heed to this warning, you can’t ignore all the bible and just concentrate on one or two verse out of the writings of Paul. Because some of Paul’s writing is hard to be understood.

Grace is nothing more than a free gift. And that free gift is our access back to the tree of life (Jesus) which Adam caused us to lose by disobeying God. But to maintain your grace you must keep the law. (1John 3:4) Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Now we have just read the biblical definition of sin, the transgression (breaking) of the law (commandments.) It doesn't matter what you or I think sin is, it’s what God says sin is that counts.

Paul said in (Rom. 3:23-25) (v.23) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (v.24) Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (v.25) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. So the bible tells you to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus. And by doing so you come up under his precious blood and then you are saved from your sins that are past, not present or future sins but for sins that are past. We were all locked under death by Adam’s sin, even the second death. But when Jesus became (he was God in the beginning) man and died for the sins of the world, he gave us access back to the tree of life (himself) which Adam had caused us to lose. That’s what grace is, our free gift our access back to the tree of life but that’s another lesson for another time. So by coming under the blood of Jesus you are saved from your past sins. And if you are saved now, it is on a day to day basis. Because all have sinned, and if you continue to live you will sin again. It is the willful sinning that you need to put in check. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. (Hebrews 10:26,27)
 
Now Jesus is the example man is to follow and just as He was obedient to the word of God we have to be obedient to God word.

Paul said in Philippians (2:5) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

(6) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

(7) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

(8) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Remember Jesus walked this earth as a man and as human nature He did not want to die but he was obedient to the will of God even until death. The following verses show that Jesus dying on the cross was God will.

Matthews (26:36) Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

(37) And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

(38) Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

(39) And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

God in His plan for the salvation of man had decided to offer Jesus as a sacrifice. Remember the love God requires is based on obedience not feeling or circumstances. Verse (39) lets you know that Jesus did not feel like or want to participate in the event which was to occur and that was His crucifixion. Now certainly if there were ever a situation or circumstance that could cause an individual to be disobedient it would be the facing of ones own death. But as stated earlier to love God means to be obedient regardless of ones feeling or circumstances. And Jesus demonstrated that love by being obedient to the will of the Father even tho it meant Him dying.

Jesus in the following verses confirms that He came to do God will.

Hebrews (10:4) For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

(5) Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

(6) Then said I, Lo, I come ( in the volume of the book it is written of me, ) to do thy will, O God.

Isaiah gave more insight into what Jesus had to endure and in order to do God=s will. Jesus endured suffering and affliction yet He remained obedience.

Isaiah (53:3) He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

(4) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

(5) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

(7) He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

(8) He was taken from prison and from judgement: and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he striken.

(9) And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Remember Jesus stated in John 15:10 that I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
 
God had Peter to clearly warn you about some of Paul’s writing. (2 Peter:3:15-16) (v.15) And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; (v.16) As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Now you need to take heed to this warning, you can’t ignore all the bible and just concentrate on one or two verse out of the writings of Paul. Because some of Paul’s writing is hard to be understood.

Grace is nothing more than a free gift. And that free gift is our access back to the tree of life (Jesus) which Adam caused us to lose by disobeying God. But to maintain your grace you must keep the law. (1John 3:4) Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Now we have just read the biblical definition of sin, the transgression (breaking) of the law (commandments.) It doesn't matter what you or I think sin is, it’s what God says sin is that counts.

Paul said in (Rom. 3:23-25) (v.23) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (v.24) Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (v.25) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. So the bible tells you to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus. And by doing so you come up under his precious blood and then you are saved from your sins that are past, not present or future sins but for sins that are past. We were all locked under death by Adam’s sin, even the second death. But when Jesus became (he was God in the beginning) man and died for the sins of the world, he gave us access back to the tree of life (himself) which Adam had caused us to lose. That’s what grace is, our free gift our access back to the tree of life but that’s another lesson for another time. So by coming under the blood of Jesus you are saved from your past sins. And if you are saved now, it is on a day to day basis. Because all have sinned, and if you continue to live you will sin again. It is the willful sinning that you need to put in check. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. (Hebrews 10:26,27)

Bro. tan. You are too much and once again I have to disagree with you.

Peter did NOT write to warn anyone of Paul's writings!!!! You have totally misunderstood the passage that you have posted.

2 Peter 3:15-16 actually was given to encourage believers to recognize the fact that just because God's day has not yet come, the people should not follow false teachers into believing that it is not going to come. The fact is......Peter draws support from Paul saying that he taught the same thing!!!

The ones that had trouble with Paul's writings were the unlearned and is the same Greek word that means the opposite of a "disciple". Some of Paul's difficult passages are also a problem for the "unstable" meaning that those people need some support in their faith.
 
Bro. tan. You are too much and once again I have to disagree with you.

Peter did NOT write to warn anyone of Paul's writings!!!! You have totally misunderstood the passage that you have posted.

2 Peter 3:15-16 actually was given to encourage believers to recognize the fact that just because God's day has not yet come, the people should not follow false teachers into believing that it is not going to come. The fact is......Peter draws support from Paul saying that he taught the same thing!!!

The ones that had trouble with Paul's writings were the unlearned and is the same Greek word that means the opposite of a "disciple". Some of Paul's difficult passages are also a problem for the "unstable" meaning that those people need some support in their faith.

The Greeks are Gentiles, your are a Gentiles, from the seed japheth. In the scriptures its written in Proverbs 9:8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. 9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.


Lets read it again.....God had Peter to clearly warn you about some of Paul’s writing. (2 Peter:3:15-16) (v.15) And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; (v.16) As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Now you need to take heed to this warning, you can’t ignore all the bible and just concentrate on one or two verse out of the writings of Paul. Because some of Paul’s writing is hard to be understood.
 
Paul tells us the same thing by stating that Jesus was without sin in the following verse.

II Corinthians (5:21) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

By stating that Jesus was without sin Paul was saying that Jesus had kept the commandments of God because as stated in the following verse sin is the transgression of the law.

I John (3:16) Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

We know that Jesus was obedient to God commandments because He had no sin in other words he had not disobeyed any of God's commandments.

Jesus tells us to demonstrate this same love in regards to our neighbor a love which is not based on feeling or situations but a love based on will.

Matthews (5:43) Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

(44) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

(45) That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

(46) For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

(47) And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

(48) Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Again, to understand God's love, to or an individual, is not demonstrated based on feeling or situations. Jesus said to love ones enemies and to do good unto those that hate you. Jesus is saying an individual should do that which is right at all times, not just when it to ones benefit or to their convenience or to their liking. Jesus stated for us to be perfect like our Father in heaven. While we know we are not perfect as human being our task is to strive to become perfect. We need to try and acquire the mind of God when it comes to demonstrating love and adopt God definition of love and not rely on mans. We need to adopt the kind of love Jesus displayed. A love based on obedience.
 
The Greeks are Gentiles, your are a Gentiles, from the seed japheth. In the scriptures its written in Proverbs 9:8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. 9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.


Lets read it again.....God had Peter to clearly warn you about some of Paul’s writing. (2 Peter:3:15-16) (v.15) And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; (v.16) As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Now you need to take heed to this warning, you can’t ignore all the bible and just concentrate on one or two verse out of the writings of Paul. Because some of Paul’s writing is hard to be understood.

As usual Tan we are not going to agree. You are still trying to interject Law with grace to be saved and IMO that is totally incorrect.

There is no need to have batteling Scriptures because that is not the problem.
 
Deuteronomy (7:7) The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:...

Bro.tan...
This would work a whole lot better if you would work on developing your arguments and thoughts a little better.... Unfortunately, you are mixing up a whole lot of stuff that does better if it's kept separate....

You need to make a clear differentiation between "Redemption" and "Inheritance".....

Redemption is something God does that has no strings... God pays the price, there is nothing you can do to EARN Redemption... That's Deut 7:7-8 you quoted....

Inheritance - Yes... There may be strings attached to certain inheritances..... That's Deut 7:9 and others...

But.. When you mix them all up together and don't differentiate - you make a mess of the gospel...

Curious about the difference.....

The FIRST generation of Israel was REDEEMED out of Egypt... God brought them out by an outstretched arm.... He brought them out in faithlessness.....

They were REDEEMED - but they did not INHERIT..... Why? Faithlessness....

The Second generation... They were also REDEEMED... but they DID Inherit... Why? They were Faithful to the "Commands, statutes, and judgements"....

But, notice... Redemption is a Pre-condition... You can't Inherit unless you are REDEEMED first....

Thanks
 
Bro. Tan. I know you mean well and you work really hard to prove that man must keep God's Law to be saved, but I can not and will not ever be able to agree with you on this teaching.

If you would attain to eternal life by keeping the law, then keep the law. Just do it and live.
There is only one problem. Have you ever done it? Have you kept the whole law every day, every hour of your life without ever failing?

The LORD God is holy and righteous. He expects perfect holiness. 99.99% is failure in His holy eyes.

James 2:10 says........
"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all."

We have all gotten an "F" on our spiritual report card.

1 John 1:10 says...........
"If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us".

The Apostle Paul summarized the first two chapters of his indictment to all mankind with these words from the Psalmist n Rom. 3:10.........
"There is none righteous, not even one".

Moreover, the Bible is clear when it says that to be saved by keeping the law requires that a person keep the whole law perfectly, all the time. No exception is allowed. The law must be kept, all of it, without any omission, or failures, or exceptions, all of the time, twenty-four hours a day, all of your life.

Only one person has ever kept the law perfectly. Jesus Christ the Son of God was without sin. He never personally experienced sin. His heavenly Father declared three times, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."

No one is saved by law keeping!!!!

Romans 3:20 can not be any clearer...........
"By the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His [God's] sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin." Sinful man can not live up to the holy demands of God's law. No one is righteous in the eyes of God.

Again, Paul gives a summary statement when he writes in Rom. 3:23...............
"There is no distinction; all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God".

Then consider Romans 7:1-7.............
"Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives? For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released [Abolished: Strongs #2673 same as Eph 2:15] from the law concerning the husband. So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man. Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released [Abolished: Strongs #2673 same as Eph 2:15] from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter. What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "You shall not covet.""

Same Greek word for Abolished used in Romans 7 and Eph 2:15:

The exact same word is used twice in Romans 7:2,6 for abolished that is used in Eph 2:15
Some well meaning people say the it was the ceremonial law that was abolished in Eph 2:15
Problem is Romans 7:1-7 uses the exact same Greek word for abolished, as in Eph 2:15

So true! Thanks Major....
 
[QUOTE="Bro.tan, post: 373169, member: 5582"]For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. (Hebrews 10:26,27)[/QUOTE]

And herewith Bro. Tan has assured his definite irreversible condemnation...for even NOW he has sin in his life...since he chooses to live BY the law and cannot and has not EVER fulfilled the law then he must endure the curse of the law.
 
Life was our second gift.

"Haha!" you think. "How can life be our second gift?"

Life can be our second gift because God's love was our very first gift. In fact, God had love in store for us even before we were placed on this Earth, before we had even the smallest gift of life. Millions of years ago God had each and every one of in mind, he already had a deep and profound love for us, his creations. So, what is love according to God? Love, love is fervor and adherence to God's will and power. For all we know, "Life could be nothing but a shout into a void!" (The Fault in our Stars, John Green). Although we do not know that love is not just that, our souls know that love is more than that. Love is sacrifice and we know that because God loves us, Jesus Christ loves us. And what did they do? God sacrificed his son. Jesus Christ sacrificed himself. God must have passion, because if he didn't, would we be here? Would we? No. God most obviously has passion and if we can't see that then we are truly blind to him and ourselves. From scripture we know he is powerful, more powerful than all the men on this planet working together. More powerful than all. God. Our Lord, sees love as what it is because he is the creator of it.

Love is passion and sacrifice and power, our God is love. That is how we know that is what love is, because those are just a handful of words that can be used to describe our Lord.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 - Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

^That is love according to God^
 
Bro.tan...
This would work a whole lot better if you would work on developing your arguments and thoughts a little better.... Unfortunately, you are mixing up a whole lot of stuff that does better if it's kept separate....

You need to make a clear differentiation between "Redemption" and "Inheritance".....

Redemption is something God does that has no strings... God pays the price, there is nothing you can do to EARN Redemption... That's Deut 7:7-8 you quoted....

Inheritance - Yes... There may be strings attached to certain inheritances..... That's Deut 7:9 and others...

But.. When you mix them all up together and don't differentiate - you make a mess of the gospel...

Curious about the difference.....

The FIRST generation of Israel was REDEEMED out of Egypt... God brought them out by an outstretched arm.... He brought them out in faithlessness.....

They were REDEEMED - but they did not INHERIT..... Why? Faithlessness....

The Second generation... They were also REDEEMED... but they DID Inherit... Why? They were Faithful to the "Commands, statutes, and judgements"....

But, notice... Redemption is a Pre-condition... You can't Inherit unless you are REDEEMED first....

Thanks



Again.....Paul said in (Rom. 3:23-25) (v.23) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (v.24) Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (v.25) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. So the bible tells you to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus. And by doing so you come up under his precious blood and then you are saved from your sins that are past, not present or future sins but for sins that are past. We were all locked under death by Adam’s sin, even the second death. But when Jesus became (he was God in the beginning) man and died for the sins of the world, he gave us access back to the tree of life (himself) which Adam had caused us to lose. That’s what grace is, our free gift our access back to the tree of life but that’s another lesson for another time. So by coming under the blood of Jesus you are saved from your past sins. And if you are saved now, it is on a day to day basis. Because all have sinned, and if you continue to live you will sin again. It is the willful sinning that you need to put in check. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. (Hebrews 10:26,27)

Paul said in (Rom. 11:22) Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. You had better continue in God’s goodness or you will be cut off. This is also the writing of thee Apostle Paul. You must continue to keep God’s laws if you expect to receive salvation.
 
[QUOTE="Bro.tan, post: 373169, member: 5582"]For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. (Hebrews 10:26,27)[/QUOTE]

And herewith Bro. Tan has assured his definite irreversible condemnation...for even NOW he has sin in his life...since he chooses to live BY the law and cannot and has not EVER fulfilled the law then he must endure the curse of the law.


Paul said in (Colo. 1:22-23) (v.22) In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: (v.23) If ye continue in the faith grounded and settle, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister. You must continue in the faith and not be moved by the cares of the world. It’s more than confessing the name of Jesus, salvation is a work in progress you must take it one day at a time. It is a sad thing to believe that once you say that you believe on Christ your journey is done. You have only taken the first steps toward learning about the true and living God.
 
As usual Tan we are not going to agree. You are still trying to interject Law with grace to be saved and IMO that is totally incorrect.

There is no need to have batteling Scriptures because that is not the problem.


Paul said in (Rom. 7:7, 12) (v.7) What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, THOU SHALT NOT COVET. Paul asked a question, is the law sin? He said God forbid, he said the only way that he knew what sin was, was by the law. (v.12) Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Why in the world would a Christian want to do away with something that God said is holy and good?
 
You must continue to keep God’s laws if you expect to receive salvation.

Galatians 3:3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the SPIRIT, are you now being made perfect in the flesh?

Galatians 3:5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the Law,or by the hearing of faith?

You are mixing up Obedience to GOD with obedience to the LAW... The LAW is NOT God!

We are called to be Obedient to GOD....

What specific guidance does God give over 30 times in the Torah? Today, Obey... Today, Hear...

What is the FIRST Command?
HEAR, O Israel!

What are we to hear?
We are to HEAR The Lord, Our GOD.

What prevented the First Generation of Israel from Inheriting the Land? Was it that they did not follow the Levitical Law? That they did not keep dietary laws? That they did not sacrifice properly or observe proper moral standards? That they had contact with unclean things? That they broke the 10 commandments?

NO - it was NONE of those things.....

It was that they FAILED to keep the Command of God when God said "Go up THIS DAY and inherit the land".... THEY FAILED to heed the command of God TODAY! They failed to HEAR GOD!

And.. Notice.... Conspicuously, Following the Law afterward did not EMPOWER that generation to take the land after they had failed to HEAR the Command of God.

There was NO way for that first generation to EARN their inheritance back by Following the Law. PERIOD. The only way Israel could gain their inheritance was by HEARING FAITH!

That's what God is asking for you to do now..... Heed HIS call today.... Be obedient to HIM Today.....

If God is calling YOU to observe the law as a witness to Jews, or to extend your life, or to make you more healthy or whatever... Fine.. Great... Go DO IT.... But.. Understand that your task is NOT to be obedient to the law - it's to be Obedient to GOD....

Thanks
 
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Paul said in (Colo. 1:22-23) (v.22) In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: (v.23) If ye continue in the faith grounded and settle, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister. You must continue in the faith and not be moved by the cares of the world. It’s more than confessing the name of Jesus, salvation is a work in progress you must take it one day at a time. It is a sad thing to believe that once you say that you believe on Christ your journey is done. You have only taken the first steps toward learning about the true and living God.

I do agree with that...it is indeed sad when one thinks that's all there is to it!
 
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