Principles of agape love first defined in Leviticus

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Leviticus 19:9-10
9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.
10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 23:22 (during the day of Pentecost, the feast of weeks) And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God.

Gleanings = gather (leftover grain or other produce) after a harvest. (do not be selfish with those things God has given you; physically or spiritually.

Let those who want to come to your field (your possession), receive for themselves what you purposefully left for them to consume, both spiritually and physically.

So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. (John 21:15)

“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
(1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? (Luke 11:11)

Love is not self centred. “Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.”
(1 Corinthians 10:24)

For we know that the law is spiritual: (Romans 7:14a)

 

[loveme1]

That reminds me of the story of Ruth.

 

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That reminds me of the story of Ruth.

The book of Ruth is one of the most profound love stories in the Bible. Ruth was a Moabite, and a direct ancestor of Jesus Christ. Now we know that Jesus also had Gentile blood flowing through His veins. How awesome it is, that before the beginning of time, the plan of salvation was for the whole world, including Israel, through Christ Jesus.

 

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Leviticus 19:11 Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.

Steal is also related to hiding and not being honest with others about yourself by implication, to deceive. Being a coward when confronted with the spiritual battle that rages night and day, for stealing is a form of retreating and hiding away from the total truth.

Adam and Eve hid themselves after partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3 NASB)

Dealing falsely is being deceptive, attributed to narcissism, accusations of another to salvage one’s own integrity. It is a relative of gossip, or assumption of another according to a predetermination that has no facts.

Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. (Psalm 19:13)

“Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.” (Luke 3:14b)

To lie is to cheat and be untrue with one’s own words.
“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar:” (1 John 4:20a)
“Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;” (Colossians 3:9)

Without these facts of faith, we render ourselves as thieves and liars, spreading falsehoods of deception. That’s certainly not love.

False doctrine is a form of stealing, and in the end, is a total lie.

1 Corinthians 13:4-6 (NASB)
4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

 

[Joidevivre]

Good definitions of agape love, but none of these will be expressed until God replaces the "heart of stone with a heart of flesh". And that usually begins to happen when a person fully experiences the unconditional love that God has for them.

 

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Good definitions of agape love, but none of these will be expressed until God replaces the "heart of stone with a heart of flesh". And that usually begins to happen when a person fully experiences the unconditional love that God has for them.

Very true!! This reminds me of the circumcision of the heart mentioned twice in the law, once in the prophets, and confirmed in the New Testament.

Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked. (Deuteronomy 10:16)

And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. (Deuteronomy 30:6)

Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.(Jeremiah 4:4)

But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. (Romans 2:29)

 

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Leviticus 19:12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.

There is only one true doctrine, unlike thousands of denominational religions that are missing certain entities in the whole truth of the Gospel. Even with the best of intentions, we can succumb to falsehoods by dismissing certain scriptures as irrelevant to the New testament gospel. These misinterpretations cause many divisions in the church, as we have witnessed.

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. (Ephesians 4:25)

Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, (1 Timothy 1:9)

They “swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness.” (Isiah 48:1b)

If we desire not to be “under the law,” we will acknowledge the law as spiritual, holy, just and good, same a the Apostle Paul.

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, (1 Corinthians 13:4)
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[He_reigns]

Perfect Agape love is love that seeks no expectation of any kind of a return.

 

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Perfect Agape love is love that seeks no expectation of any kind of a return.

Grace comes alive when we understand fully that we do not deserve it. It's only because of "love" that we get it. We should understand that God Almighty has feelings just like we do, because we are created in their image. We can bless Him, or we can make Him cry. Our choice.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! (Matthew 23:37)

We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (James 4:10)

 

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Leviticus 19:13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.

Defraud is to deceitfully distort the truth concerning, or about, another person. Defrauding one another leads to a lack of self control. One “white lie” will lead to more lies, and in the end, a total disregard for others, and self centeredness unchecked. Come to an agreement concerning anything that is due, whether physical or spiritual, withholding no details.

“Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.”
(1 Corinthians 7:5)

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.” (Matthew 23:23-25)

Waste no time giving what is due to another.

Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. (John 7:24)

2 Corinthians 1:3-4
3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Love “Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth:” (1 Corinthians 13:7-8a)

Love supports through all circumstances, believes without wavering, hopes despite the upsets, and endures with consistency.

 

[Nehemiah6]

Leviticus 19:9-10
9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. 10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God.... For we know that the law is spiritual: (Romans 7:14a)

This is a lesson which many Christians need to learn. If every evangelical and fundamentalist church would carefully study Leviticus (and related Scriptures in the Torah) Christians would come to understand that the Law is indeed spiritual, and even the tabernacle, the temple, and all the things pertaining to the OT sacrifices have a reference to Christ and to the Law of Christ (which would come later).

We had one poster in another thread state that all of the Law of Moses was fakery. But God does not deal in fakery or promote fakery. He does give us progressive revelation, hence "For the Law was given by Moses, [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17).

 

[Hizikyah]

1 John 4:20, “"If someone says, "I love Yah," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love Yah whom he has not seen."



1 John 2:3-7, “And by this we know that we know Him, if we guard His commands. The one who says, “I know Him,” and does not guard His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever guards His Word, truly the love of Yah has been perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked. Beloved, I write no fresh command to you, but an old command which you have had from the beginning. The old command is the Word which you heard from the beginning.”


1 John 5:2-3, "By this we know that we love the children of Yah, when we love Yah and guard His commands. For this is the love for Yah, that we guard His commands, and His commands are not heavy."

 

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Leviticus 19:14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the Lord.

Love doesn’t trip the blind or ridicule the deaf.

They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. (Psalm 62:4)

Deep inside, we might say to ourselves...’So what if they can't understand the truth? Big deal. So what if they are spiritually dead? That’s their problem not mine. I’m saved, they aren’t......Is this love? Absolutely not!!

Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. (Romans 14:13)

But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. (1 Corinthians 8:9)

We should be careful how we present ourselves to others, for we might do more damage than good, and do the opposite of glorifying the name of our Saviour.

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12)

1 Corinthians 13:4-5
4 Charity (love) suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

 

[Jackson123]

All the law of God base on love

Man made law, some time not base on love. Some time Our congress make a law, not for the people good, but for the corporation, and big company benefit, and the law maker get a money in return.

so our focus must be in love. The other day one say to me,: Jackson, you only focus in love, not justice?'

I said, when you talk about love, you automatically talk about everything else.

justice system is to support love. God love the weak and do not want the strong kill the weak, to stop killing God make a law, killer must be punish, it will creat deterrent effect.

 

[Hizikyah]

1 Timothy 1:5, “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.”



1 Timothy 1:5-7, " But the goal* of our instruction/command is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions."


*goal is word #G5056 télos - Greek Dictionary (Lexicon-Concordance) - #5056 telos {tel'-os} from a primary tello (to set out for a definite point or goal)


HELPS Word-studies – 5056 télos (a neuter noun) – properly, consummation (the end-goal, purpose), such as closure with all its results.

 

[unobtrusive]

All the law of God base on love

Man made law, some time not base on love. Some time Our congress make a law, not for the people good, but for the corporation, and big company benefit, and the law maker get a money in return.

so our focus must be in love. The other day one say to me,: Jackson, you only focus in love, not justice?'

I said, when you talk about love, you automatically talk about everything else.

justice system is to support love. God love the weak and do not want the strong kill the weak, to stop killing God make a law, killer must be punish, it will creat deterrent effect.

Amen!! Capital punishment is a deterrent to crime and the murdering of the innocent.

Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. (Deuteronomy 19:19)

This is "love," but many do not see it that way. Capital punishment is a necessity if we are to live in peace.

 

[Amberlight]

Amen!! Capital punishment is a deterrent to crime and the murdering of the innocent.

Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. (Deuteronomy 19:19)

This is "love," but many do not see it that way. Capital punishment is a necessity if we are to live in peace.

Well that train was fast out of track.

 

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Leviticus 19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, (a measured portion) in weight, or in measure. (Leviticus 19:36)

A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight. (Proverbs 11:1)

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: (Acts 10:34)

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. (Matthew 7:1-2)

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. (Matthew 7:20)

Know others by their fruits, not measuring others by your own view of yourself.

Discern, according to the scriptures, how to treat people according to who they are, not according to our own assumptions and viewpoint. Refuse to judge others according to the way we would act if we were in their shoes. Take time to be directed on how to approach, and know the other person first, putting yourself in second place. God knows everyone’s heart better than we could ever hope to.

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. (Philippians 2:3)

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. (1 Thessalonians 5:14 )

Charity (love) suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, (1 Corinthians 13:4)

 

[Hizikyah]

James 2:1-10, "2:1, "My brothers, do not hold the belief of our Master יהושע Messiah, the Master of esteem, with partiality."2:2, "For if there should come into your meeting place a man with gold rings, in a splendid robe, and there should also come in a poor one dressed in rags,"2:3, "and you pay attention to the one wearing the splendid robe and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor one, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here by my feet,”"2:4, "have you not discriminated among yourselves, and become judges with wicked thoughts?"2:5, "Listen, my beloved brothers: Has Elohim not chosen the poor of this world, rich in belief and heirs of the reign which He promised to those who love Him?"2:6, "But you have shown disrespect towards the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?"2:7, "Do they not blaspheme that good Name by which you are called?"2:8, "If you truly accomplish the sovereign law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” Lev 19:18 you do well,"2:9, "but if you show partiality, you commit sin, being found guilty by the Torah as transgressors."2:10, "For whoever shall guard all the Torah, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all."

 

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James 2:1-10, "2:1, "My brothers, do not hold the belief of our Master יהושע Messiah, the Master of esteem, with partiality."2:2, "For if there should come into your meeting place a man with gold rings, in a splendid robe, and there should also come in a poor one dressed in rags,"2:3, "and you pay attention to the one wearing the splendid robe and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor one, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here by my feet,”"2:4, "have you not discriminated among yourselves, and become judges with wicked thoughts?"2:5, "Listen, my beloved brothers: Has Elohim not chosen the poor of this world, rich in belief and heirs of the reign which He promised to those who love Him?"2:6, "But you have shown disrespect towards the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?"2:7, "Do they not blaspheme that good Name by which you are called?"2:8, "If you truly accomplish the sovereign law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” Lev 19:18 you do well,"2:9, "but if you show partiality, you commit sin, being found guilty by the Torah as transgressors."2:10, "For whoever shall guard all the Torah, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all."

That is so parallel and complementary to scriptures as a whole. Thank you brother for quoting those scriptures!!