B-A-C
Loyal
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2008
- Messages
- 12,067
The US is a big country. I have lived in different parts of it over the years. I am amazed at the cultural differences between the different parts of the US. (I'm sure it's likely the same in other countries as well).
One thing that is different is how people view love.
I have been told by some people, the best way to love people is to let them be. "Let them be them", "accept them the way they are". I don't really agree with those statements, but it's what some people believe.
Can we really love people if we aren't engaging with them? Actively being a part of their lives (both the good parts and the bad parts). In fact which shows more love? Being there for you when you are going through hard times, or just being your friend when things are going good?
I was recently told by a young couple that they don't discipline their children because they love them too much to discipline them.
Deut 8:5; "Thus you are to know in your heart that the LORD your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.
Deut 8:6; "Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.
Prov 13:24; He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.
Heb 12:5; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, "MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;
Heb 12:6; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."
Heb 12:7; It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
Heb 12:8; But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
Heb 12:9; Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10; For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.
One thing about the verses above is that it shows how God loves us by being actively engaged in our lives.
Now of course we can't discipline everyone, but God can and does. We can however discipline our children. I personally believe there is a way to do it in love, and ways not to do it in love.
Some people believe we should always love everyone no matter what. I'm not sure I agree with that statement either.
1 Cor 5:11; But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one.
1 Cor 5:12; For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?
1 Cor 5:13; But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES.
Matt 18:15; "If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.
Matt 18:16; "But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED.
Matt 18:17; "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
We should take time with people, we should show them love. Jesus did. But after a period of time if they don't want to accept Jesus or obedience to God, maybe it's time to let them go.
These verses are generally in the context of marriage, but I think if we view ourselves as "the bride of Christ" they apply to people we associate with as well.
1 Cor 6:15; Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be!
1 Cor 6:16; Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, "THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH."
1 Cor 6:17; But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
Eph 5:30; because we are members of His body.
Eph 5:31; FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.
Eph 5:32; This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.
So that's the bad side of love. What about the good side?
Jesus didn't a lot to do with Gentiles in the Bible, I was only able to find about 5 places where He dealt with Gentiles.
( Luke 17:15-18; Matt 15:22; Mark 7:26; John 4:7-9; etc..)
(there may be more, I haven't spent a lot of time on it) One of the places is in a parable about love, or more precisely loving your neighbor. It was about a Samaritan. The parable is in Luke 10:29-37;
I think it's a good example of how far we should go to show love to people.
Again in this story the Samaritan showed love by being actively involved in this persons life. Not by passively "letting them be". In fact it seems the priest and the Levite in the story were the passive ones here.
With all that in mind, can we even love Jesus without actively being involved with Him and having a relationship with Him?
One thing that is different is how people view love.
I have been told by some people, the best way to love people is to let them be. "Let them be them", "accept them the way they are". I don't really agree with those statements, but it's what some people believe.
Can we really love people if we aren't engaging with them? Actively being a part of their lives (both the good parts and the bad parts). In fact which shows more love? Being there for you when you are going through hard times, or just being your friend when things are going good?
I was recently told by a young couple that they don't discipline their children because they love them too much to discipline them.
Deut 8:5; "Thus you are to know in your heart that the LORD your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.
Deut 8:6; "Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.
Prov 13:24; He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.
Heb 12:5; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, "MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;
Heb 12:6; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."
Heb 12:7; It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
Heb 12:8; But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
Heb 12:9; Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10; For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.
One thing about the verses above is that it shows how God loves us by being actively engaged in our lives.
Now of course we can't discipline everyone, but God can and does. We can however discipline our children. I personally believe there is a way to do it in love, and ways not to do it in love.
Some people believe we should always love everyone no matter what. I'm not sure I agree with that statement either.
1 Cor 5:11; But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one.
1 Cor 5:12; For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?
1 Cor 5:13; But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES.
Matt 18:15; "If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.
Matt 18:16; "But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED.
Matt 18:17; "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
We should take time with people, we should show them love. Jesus did. But after a period of time if they don't want to accept Jesus or obedience to God, maybe it's time to let them go.
These verses are generally in the context of marriage, but I think if we view ourselves as "the bride of Christ" they apply to people we associate with as well.
1 Cor 6:15; Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be!
1 Cor 6:16; Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, "THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH."
1 Cor 6:17; But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
Eph 5:30; because we are members of His body.
Eph 5:31; FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.
Eph 5:32; This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.
So that's the bad side of love. What about the good side?
Jesus didn't a lot to do with Gentiles in the Bible, I was only able to find about 5 places where He dealt with Gentiles.
( Luke 17:15-18; Matt 15:22; Mark 7:26; John 4:7-9; etc..)
(there may be more, I haven't spent a lot of time on it) One of the places is in a parable about love, or more precisely loving your neighbor. It was about a Samaritan. The parable is in Luke 10:29-37;
I think it's a good example of how far we should go to show love to people.
Again in this story the Samaritan showed love by being actively involved in this persons life. Not by passively "letting them be". In fact it seems the priest and the Levite in the story were the passive ones here.
With all that in mind, can we even love Jesus without actively being involved with Him and having a relationship with Him?
