Love is a one way street

[arunangelo]

God loved us first (1 John 4:11) although we rejected Him, were unfaithful to Him and killed Him. Love therefore is a one-way street-it is unconditional. When we are nice to some one because they are nice to us, it is not love; because, our niceness is conditional to the other party being nice. On the other hand, if we are nice to others irrespective of how they treat us, then it is love (Luke 6:27, 35). Therefore, when we exercise true love, we love, because, to love is our heart’s desire; and we desire to love, because, we love God, who is love. We will then love all without any distinction between friends and foes, hate none and forgive all from our heart. We will therefore love those who hate us the most the same way as those who love us the most, and will be willing to sacrifice our own interest in the process of helping them.

When we exercise true love we will never feel like a victim, never dwell on our own feelings, never get weary (1 Corinthian 13:8) and always be on a mission to love and serve God and our fellow human beings. Furthermore, when others hurt and persecute us, we will be concerned about the hurt they are causing their own soul by their acts, rather than the hurt they cause us. In addition, we will never condemn anyone, always have hope for them and do our very best to help them.

 

[Davy]

To arunangelo: Love is a one way street! Does that mean HATE has no part in a Christians life?

When Abraham Lincoln saw slaves for the first time he was filled with HATE for slavery. That hate eventually produced the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that all the slaves in the Confederate States were to be freed.

The very fact that even ALMIGHTY GOD hates certain THINGS and CERTAIN KINDS OF PEOPLE shows that hate is not always bad. Psalms 5:5, NIV, clearly states: "The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you HATE all who do wrong." And Proverbs 6:16-19, NIV, states: "There are six things the Lord HATES, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers."

Accordingly, God's Word counsels us to HATE what God hates: Psalms 97:10, NIV says: "Let those who love the Lord HATE evil." Does this mean that we should react violently toward those who practice bad things? No; the Bible counsels us not to get heated up at injustices and not to render evil for evil. Hatred is folly when it controls us instead of our controlling it. It is folly when it is based on ignorance, on lies, on prejudice, when it is irrational, when it flies into the face of reason.

Hate might be likened to fire. Fire can serve ever so many good purposes when it is kept under control. But when it gets out of hand, what havoc it can wreak in the destruction of lives and property! Today the world is filled with uncontrolled bonfires of hate! Conditions may be bad, but hate makes them far worse.

Hate, must be based on righteous principles, not self righteous principles. So what things do you hate that God also hates, and who do you hate that God also hates! Yes a God of love, also hates bad things and bad people, in fact hatred for telling lies and steeling will discourage us from tellng lies and steeling, and hating people who God hates will discourage us from becoming what they are! So although HATE has a bad reputation, it can also help us to keep on the narrow road to life.

 

[arunangelo]

To arunangelo: Love is a one way street! Does that mean HATE has no part in a Christians life?

When Abraham Lincoln saw slaves for the first time he was filled with HATE for slavery. That hate eventually produced the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that all the slaves in the Confederate States were to be freed.

The very fact that even ALMIGHTY GOD hates certain THINGS and CERTAIN KINDS OF PEOPLE shows that hate is not always bad. Psalms 5:5, NIV, clearly states: "The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you HATE all who do wrong." And Proverbs 6:16-19, NIV, states: "There are six things the Lord HATES, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers."

Love (who is God) and hate do not go hand in hand. However, the expression of
Accordingly, God's Word counsels us to HATE what God hates: Psalms 97:10, NIV says: "Let those who love the Lord HATE evil." Does this mean that we should react violently toward those who practice bad things? No; the Bible counsels us not to get heated up at injustices and not to render evil for evil. Hatred is folly when it controls us instead of our controlling it. It is folly when it is based on ignorance, on lies, on prejudice, when it is irrational, when it flies into the face of reason.

Hate might be likened to fire. Fire can serve ever so many good purposes when it is kept under control. But when it gets out of hand, what havoc it can wreak in the destruction of lives and property! Today the world is filled with uncontrolled bonfires of hate! Conditions may be bad, but hate makes them far worse.

Hate, must be based on righteous principles, not self righteous principles. So what things do you hate that God also hates, and who do you hate that God also hates! Yes a God of love, also hates bad things and bad people, in fact hatred for telling lies and steeling will discourage us from tellng lies and steeling, and hating people who God hates will discourage us from becoming what they are! So although HATE has a bad reputation, it can also help us to keep on the narrow road to life.

Love and hate (for a another human being) do not go hand in hand. To hate evil is not the same as hating a human being.

 

[Brighthouse]

Arunangelo,you understand what love is,I agree,I will let the Lord do my judging for me!!Jesus has told us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling! Philp 2:12 my job in Christ is to do what he has commanded!! to love! john 15:17 notice how many IFS are in the following verses of our brother John here!! John 15:6-14 IF!! So yes let us love oneanother as Christ loves us. Here alone in this one chapter john has called on us to love,then if this was not storng enough!! He commands us to love through Christ! Do you think Jesus was looking to tell us something here?? I do.blessing.

 

[Davy]

To arunangelo: Love is a one way street! You said love and hate (for a another human being) do not go hand in hand. To hate evil is not the same as hating a human being, but have you noticed what King David said in Psalms 139:21, 22: (NIV) "Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and abhor those who rise up against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies!" Remember, David was inspired to write this and God has made sure it has been recorded for all time, so if God does not approve of us hating His enemies, why would it be in the Bible?

Of course, when I say God's enemies, I am not referring to some one who has done us personal wrong, notice how King David describes these enemies of God in the preceding verse, Psalms 139:20: "They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name." Remember this behavior of misusing Gods name in not just a simple slip of the tongue, it was called blasphemy, and that carried the death sentence.

So how does that translate to our modern day life? Clearly no one is going to be put to death for blasphemy, and they probably do not realize what they are doing, but thinking about Satan worshipers, those who worship God's arch enemy Satan. I can only imagine what they must say about God and His name in their religious services, people who have chosen to ally themselves with Satan against God, is it really wrong to hate such ones? It depends how you stereo type that word, I would hate them as much as I would hate picking a peace of candy that had dropped in to some dirt and then just put it into my mouth, but I would not be mean and nasty to them because I am a Christian. God will judge them. The word HATE can have a broud meaning.

 

[arunangelo]

To arunangelo: Love is a one way street! You said love and hate (for a another human being) do not go hand in hand. To hate evil is not the same as hating a human being, but have you noticed what King David said in Psalms 139:21, 22: (NIV) "Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and abhor those who rise up against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies!" Remember, David was inspired to write this and God has made sure it has been recorded for all time, so if God does not approve of us hating His enemies, why would it be in the Bible?

Of course, when I say God's enemies, I am not referring to some one who has done us personal wrong, notice how King David describes these enemies of God in the preceding verse, Psalms 139:20: "They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name." Remember this behavior of misusing Gods name in not just a simple slip of the tongue, it was called blasphemy, and that carried the death sentence.

So how does that translate to our modern day life? Clearly no one is going to be put to death for blasphemy, and they probably do not realize what they are doing, but thinking about Satan worshipers, those who worship God's arch enemy Satan. I can only imagine what they must say about God and His name in their religious services, people who have chosen to ally themselves with Satan against God, is it really wrong to hate such ones? It depends how you stereo type that word, I would hate them as much as I would hate picking a peace of candy that had dropped in to some dirt and then just put it into my mouth, but I would not be mean and nasty to them because I am a Christian. God will judge them. The word HATE can have a broud meaning.

Davids word were inspired but they were written in the language of His time, when fulness of God was yet to be revealed. They, therefore, equated the hate for sin as the hate for people who sinned.

 

[arunangelo]

Arunangelo,you understand what love is,I agree,I will let the Lord do my judging for me!!Jesus has told us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling! Philp 2:12 my job in Christ is to do what he has commanded!! to love! john 15:17 notice how many IFS are in the following verses of our brother John here!! John 15:6-14 IF!! So yes let us love oneanother as Christ loves us. Here alone in this one chapter john has called on us to love,then if this was not storng enough!! He commands us to love through Christ! Do you think Jesus was looking to tell us something here?? I do.blessing.

I do to. The fullness of God's love was revealed in Jesus. To have full communion with God, we must imitate Jesus, who loved us by compensating for the sins we committed against Him.

 

[Brother Mike]

Davy What are you saying??

Davy:

I can only imagine what they must say about God and His name in their religious services, people who have chosen to ally themselves with Satan against God, is it really wrong to hate such ones?

I am so thankful as a satanist and someone against God, that I did not meet you!!!! So very thankful.

but I would not be mean and nasty to them because I am a Christian. God will judge them.

God so loved the Word that He GAVE!!!!!

You can quote the OT all you want, you miss what God did.

Luk 6:27 But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

I suppose as long as you are nice to them Davy, it's OK for God to judge them right??? That makes you the good guy.

How is God Going to Judge them Davy??

Jesus Is Lord.

 

[SpiritLedEd]

Davids word were inspired but they were written in the language of His time, when fulness of God was yet to be revealed. They, therefore, equated the hate for sin as the hate for people who sinned.

The citation from Ps 139 is a record of David's anger, but that doesn't mean that God approved of that anger. Keep in mind that while he was indeed a man after God's own heart, David was a hothead, capable of big mistakes in judgement. A case in point is his angry reaction to Nabal (1 Sa 25) and his decision to retaliate violently. God used Nabal's wife Abigail to short circuit that plan and many lives were spared.

SLE

 

[Veracity]

God loved us first (1 John 4:11) although we rejected Him, were unfaithful to Him and killed Him. Love therefore is a one-way street-it is unconditional. When we are nice to some one because they are nice to us, it is not love; because, our niceness is conditional to the other party being nice. On the other hand, if we are nice to others irrespective of how they treat us, then it is love (Luke 6:27, 35). Therefore, when we exercise true love, we love, because, to love is our heart’s desire; and we desire to love, because, we love God, who is love. We will then love all without any distinction between friends and foes, hate none and forgive all from our heart. We will therefore love those who hate us the most the same way as those who love us the most, and will be willing to sacrifice our own interest in the process of helping them.

When we exercise true love we will never feel like a victim, never dwell on our own feelings, never get weary (1 Corinthian 13:8) and always be on a mission to love and serve God and our fellow human beings. Furthermore, when others hurt and persecute us, we will be concerned about the hurt they are causing their own soul by their acts, rather than the hurt they cause us. In addition, we will never condemn anyone, always have hope for them and do our very best to help them.

Sorry, I come from a dysfunctional family and I have six adult kids and 9 grandchildren..
I sometimes feel taken advantage of, I feel like a victim, and I am worn out. I am never going to figure out how to be perfect..

 

[arunangelo]

Sorry, I come from a dysfunctional family and I have six adult kids and 9 grandchildren..
I sometimes feel taken advantage of, I feel like a victim, and I am worn out. I am never going to figure out how to be perfect..

Ponder on Jesus' love for us and pray that His love will be your love.