S
Graybeard you are amazing, I Love you, and God Loves you! I just posted this on a similar thread and thought it would be helpful here too:
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I am going to spend some time writing to everyone about what a real Christian is:
John 13:35(NASB)(emphasis mine)
[FONT="]35[/FONT]"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
In the original Greek:
35ἐν τούτῳ γνώσονται πάντες ὅτι ἐμοὶ μαθηταί ἐστε ἐὰν ἀγάπην ἔχητε ἐν ἀλλήλοις
ἀγάπη [FONT="]= agapē[/FONT] (a form of the word [FONT="]agapaō
[/FONT]
John 13:34(NASB)(emphasis mine)
[FONT="]34[/FONT]"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
In the original Greek:
34ἐντολὴν καινὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν ἵνα ἀγαπᾶτε ἀλλήλους καθὼς ἠγάπησα ὑμᾶς ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀγαπᾶτε ἀλλήλους
ἀγαπᾶτε = [FONT="]agapaō[/FONT]
Where else is this word for Love used in the Bible? Jesus uses this word as the word for His Love, and it is used 147 times in the Bible in the following verses:
Matthew 5:43,5:44,5:46,6:24,19:19,22:37,22:39
Mark 10:21,12:30,12:31,12:33
Luke 6:27,6:32,6:35,7:5,7:42,7:47,10:27,11:43,16:13
John 3:16,3:19,3:35,8:42,10:17,11:5,12:43,13:1,13:23,13 :34,14:15,14:21,14:23,14:24,14:28,
14:31,15:9,15:12,15:17,17:23,17:24,17:26,19:26,21: 7,21:15,21:16,21:20
Romans 8:28,8:37,9:13,9:25,13:8,13:9,
1 Corinthians 2:9,8:3,13:1,13:2,13:3,13:4,13:8,13:13
2 Corinthians 9:7,11:11,12:15
Galatians 2:20,5:14,
Ephesians 1;6,2:4,5:2,5:25,5:28,5:33,6:24
Colossians 3:12,3:19
1 Thessalonians 1:4,4:9
2 Thessalonians 2:13,2:16
2 Timothy 4:8,4:10
Hebrews 1:9,12:6
James 1:12,2:5,2:8
1 Peter 1:8,1:22,2:17,3:10
2 Peter 2:15
1 John 2:10,2:15,3:11,3:14,3:18,3:23,4:7,4:8,4:10,4:11,4: 12,4:19,4:20,4:21,5:1,5:2
2 John 1:1,1:5
3 John 1:1
Revelation 1:5,3:9,12:11,20:9
What is the bottom line? If you have taken the time to read even half of these verses, you will realize that Jesus expects us to Love each other with His Love, not the “Love” that we are capable of ourselves. So, what does this mean? If you aren’t willing to give your life and die for the person you are responding to in this thread and every brother and sister in Christ on this website, then you don’t truly know Jesus(1 John 4:7-12,1 John 3:10-11,1 John 3:23, 1 John 4:21, Eph 6:24, Galatians 5:14, James 2:8)
So in other words if we think we are in a place to correct others and are not loving each other in exactly the same way God Loves us, then we are deceived.
I know many of may be pulling your hair out right now, maybe even ready to stone me. But if you read the Bible in the original language, this is what it says. There is no way around this. If you are enraged or angry about this post, then there is probably pride in you, because you have relied on your knowledge of the Lord and your Love for your knowledge of the Lord, rather than Love for the Lord Himself. Most of the time this is due to attributing your righteousness to your knowledge of the Bible and of God.
If you are worried because of the standard Jesus set, about whether you are even capable of being a Christian, you are in a good place and need not worry if you are a good Christian:
Matthew 5:3(NASB)
[FONT="]3[/FONT][FONT="]"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.[/FONT]
James 4:6(NASB)(emphasis mine)
6[FONT="]But He gives a greater grace. Therefore {it} says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."[/FONT]
It is in this attitude of humility, realizing that you can’t take credit for even one inch of your walk or relationship with God(John 6:44, 1 John 4:19, Romans 12:3), that God grants us the Grace to walk with Him. When you walk in pride, God opposes you. But to those who are humble He grants His Grace, and His Holy Spirit gives His fruit to you(Galatians 5:22) to be able to Love and do as He commanded. It is by positioning your heart to allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in you, that you are even capable of Loving like God Loves.
Though it is true that those who have not intentionally, in their hearts, invited Jesus into their life as their Lord and Savior; have no atonement for their sin, you can also be deceived as a Christian and have your efforts mean nothing to God. And whether you are Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, or "Christian”, without actually knowing Jesus(evidenced by God’s Love in you for others), your efforts mean nothing.
[FONT="]John 13:35(NASB)[/FONT]
[FONT="]35[/FONT]"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
1 Corinthians 13:2(NASB)
2If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
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I am going to spend some time writing to everyone about what a real Christian is:
John 13:35(NASB)(emphasis mine)
[FONT="]35[/FONT]"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
In the original Greek:
35ἐν τούτῳ γνώσονται πάντες ὅτι ἐμοὶ μαθηταί ἐστε ἐὰν ἀγάπην ἔχητε ἐν ἀλλήλοις
ἀγάπη [FONT="]= agapē[/FONT] (a form of the word [FONT="]agapaō
[/FONT]John 13:34(NASB)(emphasis mine)
[FONT="]34[/FONT]"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
In the original Greek:
34ἐντολὴν καινὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν ἵνα ἀγαπᾶτε ἀλλήλους καθὼς ἠγάπησα ὑμᾶς ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀγαπᾶτε ἀλλήλους
ἀγαπᾶτε = [FONT="]agapaō[/FONT]
Where else is this word for Love used in the Bible? Jesus uses this word as the word for His Love, and it is used 147 times in the Bible in the following verses:
Matthew 5:43,5:44,5:46,6:24,19:19,22:37,22:39
Mark 10:21,12:30,12:31,12:33
Luke 6:27,6:32,6:35,7:5,7:42,7:47,10:27,11:43,16:13
John 3:16,3:19,3:35,8:42,10:17,11:5,12:43,13:1,13:23,13 :34,14:15,14:21,14:23,14:24,14:28,
14:31,15:9,15:12,15:17,17:23,17:24,17:26,19:26,21: 7,21:15,21:16,21:20
Romans 8:28,8:37,9:13,9:25,13:8,13:9,
1 Corinthians 2:9,8:3,13:1,13:2,13:3,13:4,13:8,13:13
2 Corinthians 9:7,11:11,12:15
Galatians 2:20,5:14,
Ephesians 1;6,2:4,5:2,5:25,5:28,5:33,6:24
Colossians 3:12,3:19
1 Thessalonians 1:4,4:9
2 Thessalonians 2:13,2:16
2 Timothy 4:8,4:10
Hebrews 1:9,12:6
James 1:12,2:5,2:8
1 Peter 1:8,1:22,2:17,3:10
2 Peter 2:15
1 John 2:10,2:15,3:11,3:14,3:18,3:23,4:7,4:8,4:10,4:11,4: 12,4:19,4:20,4:21,5:1,5:2
2 John 1:1,1:5
3 John 1:1
Revelation 1:5,3:9,12:11,20:9
What is the bottom line? If you have taken the time to read even half of these verses, you will realize that Jesus expects us to Love each other with His Love, not the “Love” that we are capable of ourselves. So, what does this mean? If you aren’t willing to give your life and die for the person you are responding to in this thread and every brother and sister in Christ on this website, then you don’t truly know Jesus(1 John 4:7-12,1 John 3:10-11,1 John 3:23, 1 John 4:21, Eph 6:24, Galatians 5:14, James 2:8)
So in other words if we think we are in a place to correct others and are not loving each other in exactly the same way God Loves us, then we are deceived.
I know many of may be pulling your hair out right now, maybe even ready to stone me. But if you read the Bible in the original language, this is what it says. There is no way around this. If you are enraged or angry about this post, then there is probably pride in you, because you have relied on your knowledge of the Lord and your Love for your knowledge of the Lord, rather than Love for the Lord Himself. Most of the time this is due to attributing your righteousness to your knowledge of the Bible and of God.
If you are worried because of the standard Jesus set, about whether you are even capable of being a Christian, you are in a good place and need not worry if you are a good Christian:
Matthew 5:3(NASB)
[FONT="]3[/FONT][FONT="]"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.[/FONT]
James 4:6(NASB)(emphasis mine)
6[FONT="]But He gives a greater grace. Therefore {it} says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."[/FONT]
It is in this attitude of humility, realizing that you can’t take credit for even one inch of your walk or relationship with God(John 6:44, 1 John 4:19, Romans 12:3), that God grants us the Grace to walk with Him. When you walk in pride, God opposes you. But to those who are humble He grants His Grace, and His Holy Spirit gives His fruit to you(Galatians 5:22) to be able to Love and do as He commanded. It is by positioning your heart to allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in you, that you are even capable of Loving like God Loves.
Though it is true that those who have not intentionally, in their hearts, invited Jesus into their life as their Lord and Savior; have no atonement for their sin, you can also be deceived as a Christian and have your efforts mean nothing to God. And whether you are Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, or "Christian”, without actually knowing Jesus(evidenced by God’s Love in you for others), your efforts mean nothing.
[FONT="]John 13:35(NASB)[/FONT]
[FONT="]35[/FONT]"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
1 Corinthians 13:2(NASB)
2If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; (KJV)
5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. (Amplified)
Love discerns evil but does not think in terms of evil. Love is not easily provoked and does not keep track of the evil done unto it. This is just as much a part of the love of God as anything that you have mentioned, but you left this out. Did you do it on purpose or was it just an oversight? Do you have any idea what it means for love to think no evil? Do you know what evil is? You also left out verses 6 & 7.
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. (KJV)
6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.
7Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, * is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. (Amp)
* love believes the best according to the truth that it rejoices in, not outside the truth.
Every time we preach the truth we rejoice in it, we don't apologize for it and say it was hard and difficult but we had to do it.
People don't want to relate to these verses concerning how love behaves, because that requires discipline and conviction of the truth. If you love without the truth, your love will be without truth. We can't worship God without the truth either / John 6:63. So don't try to convince people of the love of God without the truth. This verse about love did not make your list either.
Phil 1:9 And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight [that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment]. (Amp)
Our love must abound in knowledge and judgment. God forbid that our love grow in judgment so that we can discern what is of the truth and what is not. We don't want believers to have that kind of discerning love because we want to love everyone no matter how good or evil they are, even to our brothers in Christ, RIGHT?
Love lays its life down according to the truth. Jesus came by grace and truth and He laid his life down according to that grace and truth. We ought to lay our life down for one another in the same manner, according to grace and truth. When we do it according to truth we do not compromise and say, it's okay if you believe that way we love you anyways. That's not how Christ laid His life down for His friends. He laid it down according to the truth, that died and shed His blood for sinners so that they could live in the righteousness of God instead of their own. To walk in love you have to walk in the light of truth or it's not the love of God.
