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"Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matthew 22:37-39
I remind myself of these commandments often. I don't know how to live a life in Christ without those. What has struck me time and time again is that as I tried to begin a life of knowing the Lord, no one told me these...not even a preacher. I found these commandments by reading the Lord's Word.
Why is there such little focus on these commandments? They are the first and the second. There's a great focus on baptism and witnessing (aka sharing the gospel)...but what about our greatest commandment and second?
When Jesus Christ, spoke these words he was quoting scripture (remember when he spoke the New Testament/New Covenant was not yet written in its entirety). He was teaching, correcting, those who were suppose to be teaching the Torah correctly, so he quoted Deuteronomy 6:5. He was answering a question from one of the Pharisees.
StirringWaters, you wrote that you found these commandments by reading the word - you are obviously being led by the Holy Spirit. 2Timothy2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
It is my opinion that there is little focus on these commandments because many who are in leadership position have inadvertantly fallen into a Pharisetical mind set. They have learned more man-made doctrines rather that christ doctrines so they preach/teach the denominational mind set of their respective denominations.
They are good people but have not studied the scripture writings for themselves and only examined them within the church system they have trained in so their perspective is slanted.
It is for those of us with this awakening to know we are to be the church not merely be in a church. Those little words make a difference. Then of course we get the added responsiblity of praying for those that need to be stirred up.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at your home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:5-9
"Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matthew 22:37-39
I remind myself of these commandments often. I don't know how to live a life in Christ without those. What has struck me time and time again is that as I tried to begin a life of knowing the Lord, no one told me these...not even a preacher. I found these commandments by reading the Lord's Word.
Why is there such little focus on these commandments? They are the first and the second. There's a great focus on baptism and witnessing (aka sharing the gospel)...but what about our greatest commandment and second?
Hi! Good question!...I believe the Love is a first and formost commandment and when witnessing (spreading the gospel) you are always to remember this. If spreading the gospel was done in hate it would get us nowhere. So for me it is a given and I don't speak of it as often as I should, as it is embedded in my brain and sometimes I forget to mention it while spreading the word. Love should always encompass us when we are talking to others (our neighbors)
Thanks for the reminder Stirring Waters
Need much more love here on the forum at times.
Sherry
I agree Stirring, too often the Love commandments are not taught..Many times those commandments are given lip service only..Love is a show and tell lesson..Imo when teaching preaching the commandment of love should be shown through us..
Love is patience, love is kindness.. Love is not selfish, ill mannered or proud...
Christ love is an ongoing lesson that we should practice in everything we say and do I have finally found that the only perfect teacher is the Holy Spirit within me, ready and willing to do His job..
mDees is so correct in saying "we are to be the church not merely be in a church."
Do you see a connection between the teaching of Deuteronomy 6:5-9 and the spirtuality the true Christian is called to walk that Jesus Christ taught us?
Think about it in the Garden he asked if the cup could be taken away - he could have split - he obeyed. It is a shame we don't get more understanding of the obedience he showed us.
If we are to be living temples 1Cor.3:16 "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" Realzing our physical bodies house the Lord we would put on the mind of Christ. Check out Hebrews 8,
Romans 12:2 "...be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind..."
We are told we have the mind of Christ. 1Cor.2:16
We are so blessed to be given the opportunity to read the word for ourselves and share with each other so we can mature in Christ.
Many are depending on only one person in front of the group to be feed and that is what will cause a problem - how can you deepen another's love for God unless you teach them from the word? How can one give/teach something he does not have?
Our Lord desires to inhabit us, to have all of us, for us to surrender to Him.
He gives us free will and we can choose to study and worship or watch gobbleygook (new word) on TV.
There is a vast difference between a visitation with God and a habitation of God.
This is what I believe needs to be taught but first people need to hear how much God loves them, really loves them for who they are (not pretend to be) and absorb it, believe it and walk in it. Most people suffer from the lack of love - how can they love if they do not comprehend the depth of His love?
Just some interesting reflections and questions. Blessings
"Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matthew 22:37-39
I remind myself of these commandments often. I don't know how to live a life in Christ without those. What has struck me time and time again is that as I tried to begin a life of knowing the Lord, no one told me these...not even a preacher. I found these commandments by reading the Lord's Word.
Why is there such little focus on these commandments? They are the first and the second. There's a great focus on baptism and witnessing (aka sharing the gospel)...but what about our greatest commandment and second?
Jesus said: "...If you would enter life, keep the Commandments." Matt 19:17; but the mystery of lawlessness is even using the two great precepts of the law to pervert those words of our saviour.
Those two great precepts of the law give us understanding of the full commitment that we must make to obey God. In this time of apostasy from truth we must beware of the antinomians who say that faith renders the Christian free from obligation to obey the Ten Commandments, and is in itself sufficient for salvation.
According to them, Jesus taught that loving God and our neighbor replaces our duty to obey The Ten Commandments. This is the scripture that they use to support their heresy:
"Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matt 22:35-40
Jesus didn't replace The Ten Commandments with those two precepts of love. With them, He established The Ten Commandments as The Royal Law of God by which all men will be judged. Friends, it is impossible to love God, or our neighbour, without obeying The Ten Commandments!
Here, John tells us HOW to love God:
"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." I Jn 5:3
In his answer to the lawyer, Jesus quoted directly from Deut 6:5-6 where it tells us HOW MUCH we are to love God. We read:
"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words [The Ten Commandments], which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart ..."
Jesus is teaching us to obey The Ten Commandments with all our hearts ... That is HOW MUCH we are to love God! Now, let us consider the second precept of love "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself".
These commandments also show us our duty to God. They pertain to our relationships with other people: Honor your father and mother. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not covet ...anything that is thy neighbours. Again, it is impossible to love our neighbor and disobey those commandments. In his answer to the lawyer, Jesus establishes The Ten Commandments by quoting from this Old Testament Scripture:
"Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise REBUKE thy neighbour, and not suffer SIN upon him. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, BUT THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF: I am the LORD." Lev 19:17-18
Jesus is teaching us to correct the brother who is disobeying The Ten Commandments -- That is the scriptural example of "loving thy neighbour as thyself."
Donna Kupp
The Seven Deadly Deceptions Of Counterfeit Christianity freetruth.info
Jesus said: "...If you would enter life, keep the Commandments." Matt 19:17; but the mystery of lawlessness is even using the two great precepts of the law to pervert those words of our saviour.
Those two great precepts of the law give us understanding of the full commitment that we must make to obey God. In this time of apostasy from truth we must beware of the antinomians who say that faith renders the Christian free from obligation to obey the Ten Commandments, and is in itself sufficient for salvation.
According to them, Jesus taught that loving God and our neighbor replaces our duty to obey The Ten Commandments. This is the scripture that they use to support their heresy:
"Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matt 22:35-40
Jesus didn't replace The Ten Commandments with those two precepts of love. With them, He established The Ten Commandments as The Royal Law of God by which all men will be judged. Friends, it is impossible to love God, or our neighbour, without obeying The Ten Commandments!
Here, John tells us HOW to love God:
"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." I Jn 5:3
In his answer to the lawyer, Jesus quoted directly from Deut 6:5-6 where it tells us HOW MUCH we are to love God. We read:
"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words [The Ten Commandments], which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart ..."
Jesus is teaching us to obey The Ten Commandments with all our hearts ... That is HOW MUCH we are to love God! Now, let us consider the second precept of love "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself".
These commandments also show us our duty to God. They pertain to our relationships with other people: Honor your father and mother. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not covet ...anything that is thy neighbours. Again, it is impossible to love our neighbor and disobey those commandments. In his answer to the lawyer, Jesus establishes The Ten Commandments by quoting from this Old Testament Scripture:
"Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise REBUKE thy neighbour, and not suffer SIN upon him. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, BUT THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF: I am the LORD." Lev 19:17-18
Jesus is teaching us to correct the brother who is disobeying The Ten Commandments -- That is the scriptural example of "loving thy neighbour as thyself."
Donna Kupp
The Seven Deadly Deceptions Of Counterfeit Christianity freetruth.info
The statement of beliefs state that you believe that the Sabbath is from Friday until Sunday.
Quote:
We believe in the 4th Command that requires us to REMEMBER the seventh day sabbath to keep it Holy. This sabbath is from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.
"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. "
I'm just curious. What is your denominational affiliation ?
Last edited by World Citizen; 01-11-2009 at 02:25 PM..
The statement of beliefs state that you believe that the Sabbath is from Friday until Sunday.
"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. "
I'm just curious. What is your denominational affiliation ?
Anyone who has faith in Jesus Christ and obeys the Ten Commandments, the moral precepts of the Law of Moses and the words of Jesus is our brother and sister --and we are committed to lay down our lives for them.
If we keep the 2 commandments that Jesus Christ spoke about.....1)That is to first Love God with all your being and 2) to love your neighbor.....the other 10 will be kept.......Jesus said those who love me will OBEY me, and if we say we love God whom we cannot see but do not love our neighbor whom we can see....... we are liars.......the first 4 commandments pertain to our relationship with God the remaining 6 refer to our relationship with men.....
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I have finally found that the only perfect teacher is the Holy Spirit within me, ready and willing to do His job..
