What are his commandments?

[Webers.Home]

.
234» Col 3:19 . . Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

The Greek verb translated "love" doesn't necessarily pertain to either
affection and/or fondness. It's more about civility than emotion. This is the
kind of love that we extend to everyone-- friend, foe, and stranger alike -
regardless of how we might feel about them. It's the very same love that
Jesus taught in Matt 5:44 which reads:

"You have heard that it was said: You shall love your neighbor, and hate
your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies,"

In other words; you don't especially have to like your enemies, but you do
have to be civil with them, i.e. courteous, kind, charitable, tolerant, patient,
diplomatic, tactful, gentle, reasonable, fair, deferent, approachable, cordial,
genial, affable, sociable, helpful, thoughtful, sympathetic, considerate, and
cooperative, etc.

I readily admit the difficulty of being nice to people who rub us the wrong
way; but still, Christian men whose marriages resemble an on-going cold
war would greatly ease the tensions in their homes, and make the situation
bearable for both sides of the bed, were they to simply be courteous.

"Harsh" can be exemplified any number of ways.

Abrasive
Abusive
Snapping
Critical
Cruel
Demanding
Fault Finding
Giving Her No Say In Important Decisions
Hostile
Impatient
Explosive
Insensitive
Intolerant
Laying Down The Law
Loud
Marginalizing
Mockery
Money Rationing
Nit Picking
Oppression
Penny Pinching
Public Scolding
Remarks About Her Appearance
Rough
Uncivil
Unfriendly
Obtuse
Unyielding

Those behaviors are very effective at making a Christian wife's existence
bitter, i.e. a living hell; especially a Christian wife who's making an honest
effort to comply with Col 3:18.
_

 

[Webers.Home]

.
235» Col 3:20 . . Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases
The Lord.

That command pertains only to Christian kids; not to just any kid who
happens to be looking in. And it needs to be said that not every kid in a
Christian home is a Christian kid. Some are demon seeds: that's just a fact
of life and it can't be helped.

The Greek word for "obey" in that verse is somewhat ambiguous. It can
mean, variously, to hear under (as a subordinate), i.e. to listen attentively;
by implication, to heed or conform to a command or authority.

Too many movies and television sit-coms today portray kids who don't listen
to their parents. But of course those sit-com kids are typically indifferent to
pleasing The Lord so it's to be expected they'd be more like fallen angels
than the holy.
_

 

[Webers.Home]

.
236» Col 3:21 . . Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become
discouraged.

The Greek word translated "discouraged" has to do with breaking the spirit.
Really bad cases can cause a child to lose the will to excel; sometimes even
the will to live, i.e. suicidal.
_

 

[Webers.Home]

.
236» Col 3:22-25 . . Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and
do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with
sincerity of heart and reverence for The Lord. Whatever you do, work at it
with all your heart, as working for The Lord, not for men.

It's sometimes easy to forget that we live in a fishbowl wherein nothing
escapes God's notice, so then:

● 1Pet 1:13-17 . . Be self-controlled . . . as obedient children, do not
conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as
He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: Be holy,
because I am holy. Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work
impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.
_

 

[Webers.Home]

.
237» Col 4:1 . . Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair,
because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

I have yet to find a passage in the Bible condemning slavery as a moral evil.
I'm not saying that such a passage doesn't exist; only that in my 52 years
as an ongoing Bible student via sermons, books, seminars, lectures, Sunday
school classes, radio programs, and personal study, I've yet to run across
one. The Bible's primary issue with slavery is the treatment of slaves.

The master in heaven is providential. In other words: Christian masters have
a sacred obligation to house their slaves in decent accommodations, clothe
them with adequate garments, and nourish them with good food too
because slave masters are a father to the souls in their house; they depend
on him to care for them; there's no one else; and according to Gen 1:27 and
Matt 12:11-12, people deserve to be treated better than an animal.

Whether the above rule should be taken to apply in normal labor relations
can be disputed, but in my judicious estimation; Christian employers really
ought to pay their workers a living wage-- augmented with timely
adjustments for inflation --rather than just paying them the least they can in
order to keep profits up and overhead down. (Just saying)
_

 

[Webers.Home]

.
238» Col 4:2 . . Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

The Greek word translated "devote" means to persevere; viz: not give up
and/or lose interest.

● Luke 18:1 . . And he spoke a parable unto them to this end: that people
ought always to pray, and not lose heart.

For many of us, prayer is a last resort; a grasping at straws because we
simply have nowhere else to turn. We wish for success with prayer, while
not really expecting it because we already know from plenty of experience
that prayer too often leads into a cul-de-sac of perplexity and
discouragement; so then, what's the use? In other words: prayer is very
difficult for some Christians because it's often so futile.

Why doesn't God respond? And if He's not going to respond, then why keep
on making a fool of ourselves trying to get through to an imaginary
playmate when all the while its phone is off the hook?

It was this very issue that led Mother Teresa of Calcutta to question whether
there really is a God out there. During virtually her entire five decades in
India, Teresa felt not the slightest glimmer of The Lord's presence and
suffered a good deal of anxiety wondering why Christ abandoned her.

In one of Teresa's private letters, penned to a Father Picachy, Teresa
complained: "I am told God loves me; and yet the reality of darkness &
coldness & emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul."

In yet another letter, Teresa complained: "When I try to raise my thoughts
to Heaven, there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts
return like sharp knives and hurt my very soul. How painful is this unknown
pain-- I have no faith."

If the most pious nun the 20th century ever produced found heaven's phone
off the hook for virtually five decades, then why should John Que and Jane
Doe pew warmer persist with prayer? Well; primarily because it's
commanded. I would suppose that's reason enough for most. I mean; were
God to ask us to throw a baseball at the Moon every so often; wouldn't we
comply just to please Him, even knowing we couldn't possibly hit it?
_

 

[Webers.Home]

.
239» Col 4:3-4 . . And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our
message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in
chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

Proclaiming the mystery of Christ clearly as one should means to avoid
sophisticated intellectualism. (1Cor 2:1-5)

For example: when physicist Stephen Hawking set out to write his fabulously
popular book "A Brief History Of Time" he determined to make an effort to
speak of complicated cosmological concepts for a layman's ears. Well; he
succeeded, and consequently just about anybody with an average IQ and
the ability to read can pick up Stephen's book and get something out of it.

When the Bible is taught with too many uncommon words, the result isn't
much different than speaking in a foreign language. So to avoid a language
barrier, I suggest keeping one's presentation colloquial, i.e. informal.

● 1Cor 14:19 . . In the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to
instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
_

 

[Webers.Home]

.
240» Col 4:5 . . Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most
of every opportunity.

Christian wisdom should consist of Christian moral values, Christian conduct,
and Christian character.

I once heard a story about a well-meaning sidewalk evangelist who was
handing out Gospel tracts. A man came by and asked the side-walker what
he was doing. The side-walker handed the man a tract and said: Here, read
this. Well, the man was illiterate. So he told the side-walker: I can't read
your tract, so I'll just watch your tracks.

In other words; don't just talk the talk; walk the walk too-- live it because
for some people, your life speaks volumes.
_

 

[Burn1986]

1 John 2:3-5
King James Version
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

So what are his commandments?

I would say John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

I would say that Jesus’s command for us is to lay down our lives in prayer and obedience so that we can see success in the lives of all the people around us and people we come in contact with. Obeying God has an effect on the lives of all of these people. If I obey God on something I know I need to do, then I will see breakthroughs in those people I’m praying for and in close contact with- family, friends, co-workers.

 

[Webers.Home]

.
241» Col 4:6 . . Let your speech be always full of grace, seasoned with salt

Grace can be defined as kind, courteous, gentle, patient, lenient, inclined to
good will, generous, charitable, altruistic, compassionate, sympathetic,
thoughtful, cordial, affable, genial, sociable, cheerful, warm, sensitive,
hospitable, considerate, and tactful.

It seems to me from the language and grammar of Matt 5:13, Mark 9:50,
and Luke 14:34 that the primary purpose of salt is to enhance flavor and
make otherwise naturally insipid and/or bad-tasting things palatable, viz:
salt can be thought of as diplomacy; roughly defined as conversation that
makes an effort to maintain peace rather than provoke conflict and/or annoy
people and make them uncomfortable.
_

 

[Webers.Home]

.
242» Col 4:16 . . After this letter has been read to you, see that it is
also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and that you in turn read the
letter from Laodicea.

The cities of Colossae and Laodicea weren't all that far from each other so it
was convenient for them to share information.

Ironically, the Christians at Laodicea are immortalized in the New Testament
as examples of a church very nearly gone off the rails. (Rev 3:14-22)

Paul's instructions have little application today except to point out that the
epistles are meant to be learned in every Christian assembly; not just
special Christian churches and/or denominations.
_

 

[Webers.Home]

.
243» 1Thess 4:1-2 . . Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort
you in The Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us instruction as to how
you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you
may excel still more. For you know what commandments we gave you by
the authority of The Lord Jesus.

The commandments instituted in the apostle Paul's letters are given to the
Lord's followers for the purpose of taking the guess work out of walking with,
and pleasing God; viz: nobody should expect to excel in The Lord's commandments
when they don't even know what they are.

"Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of
God: I speak this to your shame." (1Cor 15:34)
_

 

[Webers.Home]

.
244» 1Thess 4:3-5 . . It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that
you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to
control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate
lust like the heathen, who do not know God;

The Greek word translated "sanctified" speaks of purity, i.e. clean living.

Some folk, not quite understanding the nature of the Spirit birth about which
John wrote in John 1:12-13 and about which Christ spoke in John 3:3-8,
have been led to believe that born-again Christians are supposed to be free
of their libido and their romantic impulses. Well, obviously not, or why else
would it be God's will to control them?

● 1Thess 4:7 . . . and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or
take advantage of him.

"this matter" refers not only to fornication, but also to adultery.

● Heb 13:4 . . Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept
pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

Christians commit adultery with Christians? Haw! Does that even need to be
answered? Of course they do; and it goes on all the time, even among
church officers; who by all rights should be setting the example for the rank
and file.

My wife was once friends with the wife of a counselor in a very big church in
a large California city. She confided with my wife (on the QT of course) that
it was amazing the number of church officers and their wives involved in
affairs.
_

 

[Webers.Home]

.
245» 1Thess 4:6b-8 . . God has called us to be holy, not to live impure lives.
Anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human rules but
is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Why "gives" the Spirit instead of gave? Well; although Christ's believing
followers are all equally endowed with the Spirit (1Cor 6:19, Eph 1:13) its
benefits are doled.

His holy Spirit is depicted as a source of living water.

● John 7:37-39 . . On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and
said in a loud voice: If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.
Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said: streams of living water
will flow from within him. By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who
believed in him were later to receive.

When Christ's followers go rogue, and allow human nature to dominate their
lives instead of complying with Christ's commandments; the water is
withheld. Consequently it's possible for them to dry up. (Rom 8:5-13)
_

 

[Webers.Home]

.
246» 1Thess 4:11a . . Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life,

I highly recommend avoiding political activism like the plague.
Demonstrations, protests, marches, and the like are not what I call a quiet
life; and they sometimes result in violence and civil disobedience; which are
really bad things for Christ's believing followers. (cf. 2Tim 2:4)

● 1Thess 4:11b . . and tend your own business.

Getting one's self involved with stuff that doesn't pertain to you whilst
neglecting your obligations. commitments, and responsibilities is
irresponsible.

I think this rule may be intended to regulate meddling too; which in my
opinion is a very annoying habit practiced by people who honestly believe
they know how to live your life better than you. Well; maybe they do; but if
there is one thing I and quite a few others really despise it's unsolicited
counseling.
_

 

[Burn1986]

1 John 2:3-5
King James Version
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

So what are his commandments?

Deut 28:1-14.

 

[montana123]

1 John 2:3-5
King James Version
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

So what are his commandments?

The 2 greatest laws, love God, and love people, which do not offend God, and do not offend people.

Paul said we do not void out the law through faith, but we establish the law.

Which the law is spiritual, holy, just, and good, which are the moral laws, laws of love.

Which the Bible says love is the fulfilling of the law.

Paul said out of faith, hope, and charity, love in action, that charity is the greatest, and faith works by love.

Love is the fulfilling of the law.

That is why when the rich man asked Jesus how can he inherit eternal life He said keep the commandments that have to do with loving people, but the rich man said he does that so Jesus said sell all you have and give to the poor, and then you will be perfect to enter heaven.

Paul said if any person teaches that godliness is gain from such withdraw yourselves having food and clothing be content.

For the love of money is the root of all evil for it neglects the poor and needy, and love is the fulfilling of the law.

Paul said if they do not have charity they are nothing, and erred from the faith, and James said their faith is dead, and John said the love of God does not dwell in them.

Jesus said love your enemies, and feed and clothe your enemies.

If you do not love your brother you are in darkness.

1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
1Jn 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Creation testifies of a God and of His attributes which one of them is love for He provided food, and the means to make clothing, and shelter, and testifies of the 2 greatest laws, love God, and love people, which if God created us and provided for our needs then He loves people so people should love God, and people, so there is no excuse.

People that preach the prosperity Gospel believe they get blessed with their wants, and above their needs, and violates the love of money is the root of all evil.

Like Joel Osteen, or Kenneth Copeland, or Joyce Meyer, that preaches the prosperity Gospel, but they do not go by their needs but heap millions of dollars to themselves neglecting the poor and needy.

The early Church sold all they had that was not a necessity, and distributed the money to those that had need.

His commandments is to love for love is the fulfilling of the law.

Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Rev 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Th antichrist will make war with the saints, and prevail against them, and they are not to fight back for then they are acting like the world that does not love all people, and fights physically for their beliefs.

 

[Webers.Home]

.
247» 1Thess 4:11c-12 . . Work with your own hands, just as we instructed
you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders; and so that you
will not be dependent on anybody.

In times of economic stress-- e.g. the 2008 Wall Street collapse, downsizing,
wage reductions, corporations expatriating for tax advantages and/or
outsourcing and moving their manufacturing offshore to take advantage of
cheap labor and skimpy government controls, and the covid-19 virus chaos
-a pretty large percentage of America's employable Christians were, and
have been, out of work not because they were lazy free-loaders; but
because their opportunities for full time work with decent wages and benefits
evaporated.

So tread lightly when services like unemployment benefits, SNAP, and TANF,
etc, come up in conversations. Innocent people's feeling might get hurt if
you become too critical of those kinds of relief systems. And don't ever
assume that you are immune to poverty. It can happen to anyone; even
overnight and then you'll be looking around for assistance; maybe even from
the very agencies that you at one time thought were below you.
_

 

[PaulThomson]

1 John 2:3-5
King James Version
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

So what are his commandments?

4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5¶I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9¶As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
11¶These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

12This is my commandment, so that (Greek: hina) ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
16Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
17These things I command you, that ye love one another.

Every spiritual blessing flows from abiding in His love for us.

7¶Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
9In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
12¶No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
16And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
17¶Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
19We love him, because he first loved us.
20¶If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
21And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

 

[Webers.Home]

.
248» 1Thess 4:18 . . Encourage each other with these words.

Below are the words to which Paul referred

● 1Thess 4:13-17 . . Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about
those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.
We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will
bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to The
Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the
coming of The Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.

. . . For The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud
command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God,
and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are
left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet The Lord in
the air. And so we will be with The Lord forever.

In other words: when non Christians and such lose a non Christian loved
one, the loss is assumed permanent; but when Christians lose a Christian
loved one, the loss is presumed temporary.
_