February 23rd 2025
Have You Happily Accepted The Label Of Being Called A Christian? Do Your Good Deeds Lovingly Prove It?
Leviticus 19:18 (NIV)
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
Love your neighbor as yourself is used ten times in the NIV translation of our Bible. The nine references to it in the New Testament are most likely based on the one given by the LORD for us in the selected verse for today’s commentary. In our world today it seems the number of people who hate other people is increasing, which of course results in a dangerous place to live. The key to this description is for each person to first love themselves, else it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to love other people. This is not meant to be an ego trip, as some groups seem to think, as they brag about their pride in their chosen lifestyle. Even if Jesus Christ forbids that lifestyle.
In this Old Testament verse the term “against one of your people!” As at that time the Bible was being written only for the Jewish people. So, since the Gentiles were included in the salvation plan through the perfect sacrifice offered by Jesus Christ, now every human being has available to them this salvation plan that offers this ability to first love yourself, and then to love all other people. We can and should love ourselves, because we are all given life by God and blessed with the implanting of our immortal soul, only available as a gift from Jesus Christ!
A religious leader asked Jesus, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:28-31). Every person who professes to be a Christian MUST believe the Words of Jesus Christ, recorded for us in our Bible.
The word Christian is only used three times in our New Testament NIV Translation. Shortly after Saul had been forcefully converted by Jesus, Barnabas went seeking to find him. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. (Acts 11:25-26). After his conversion Saul changed his name to Paul!
The other two references to Christian in our Bible are used in a negative context. Paul was stating his case to King Agrippa about his change from a professing Jew to a professing Christian. Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?" Paul replied, "Short time or long--I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains." (Acts 26:28-29). Times have not changed much as non-Christians are often not receptive to the message about the salvation plan believed and taught by professing Christians. Paul here is professing the great joy he has gained by becoming a Christian.
The next reference to the result of having people refer to you as a believing Christian, is written for us by Peter. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. (1 Peter 4:15-16). Starting off a conversation with someone you are trying to convert to Christianity with, “However, if you suffer as a Christian!” It is not very likely that they will want to hear more. In our world today being an avid Christian will not increase your popularity in the general population! And that negative sentiment is increasing not decreasing.
Yes, I know the above ideas are not very comforting for you if you already profess to be a Christian. However, as it was with Saul becoming known as Paul there is the joy of knowing/believing that Jesus Christ has already prepared a room for you in a heavenly place, and you are on your Way to heaven. Yes, you can know you are going to heaven when you leave this cursed world, because Jesus already paid your price of admission!
As a professing Christian you have become a member of the family of Jesus Christ, and thus, you have obtained the ability to love, as Jesus loved all of mankind, as He is also our Creator! Some messages of that Godly love written by Paul are as follows. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? (Romans 8:35,37). For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39).
Now back to some professions of love possible for all those who profess to be a Christian. John wrote, Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:11-12).
Paul also wrote how true love in contagious it will spread through all those who choose to claim their salvation and thus gladly accept the label of being a Christian. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law. (Romans 13:9-10).
Have you happily accepted the label of being called a Christian? Do your good deeds lovingly prove it?
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Leviticus 19:18 (NIV)
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
Love your neighbor as yourself is used ten times in the NIV translation of our Bible. The nine references to it in the New Testament are most likely based on the one given by the LORD for us in the selected verse for today’s commentary. In our world today it seems the number of people who hate other people is increasing, which of course results in a dangerous place to live. The key to this description is for each person to first love themselves, else it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to love other people. This is not meant to be an ego trip, as some groups seem to think, as they brag about their pride in their chosen lifestyle. Even if Jesus Christ forbids that lifestyle.
In this Old Testament verse the term “against one of your people!” As at that time the Bible was being written only for the Jewish people. So, since the Gentiles were included in the salvation plan through the perfect sacrifice offered by Jesus Christ, now every human being has available to them this salvation plan that offers this ability to first love yourself, and then to love all other people. We can and should love ourselves, because we are all given life by God and blessed with the implanting of our immortal soul, only available as a gift from Jesus Christ!
A religious leader asked Jesus, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:28-31). Every person who professes to be a Christian MUST believe the Words of Jesus Christ, recorded for us in our Bible.
The word Christian is only used three times in our New Testament NIV Translation. Shortly after Saul had been forcefully converted by Jesus, Barnabas went seeking to find him. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. (Acts 11:25-26). After his conversion Saul changed his name to Paul!
The other two references to Christian in our Bible are used in a negative context. Paul was stating his case to King Agrippa about his change from a professing Jew to a professing Christian. Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?" Paul replied, "Short time or long--I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains." (Acts 26:28-29). Times have not changed much as non-Christians are often not receptive to the message about the salvation plan believed and taught by professing Christians. Paul here is professing the great joy he has gained by becoming a Christian.
The next reference to the result of having people refer to you as a believing Christian, is written for us by Peter. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. (1 Peter 4:15-16). Starting off a conversation with someone you are trying to convert to Christianity with, “However, if you suffer as a Christian!” It is not very likely that they will want to hear more. In our world today being an avid Christian will not increase your popularity in the general population! And that negative sentiment is increasing not decreasing.
Yes, I know the above ideas are not very comforting for you if you already profess to be a Christian. However, as it was with Saul becoming known as Paul there is the joy of knowing/believing that Jesus Christ has already prepared a room for you in a heavenly place, and you are on your Way to heaven. Yes, you can know you are going to heaven when you leave this cursed world, because Jesus already paid your price of admission!
As a professing Christian you have become a member of the family of Jesus Christ, and thus, you have obtained the ability to love, as Jesus loved all of mankind, as He is also our Creator! Some messages of that Godly love written by Paul are as follows. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? (Romans 8:35,37). For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39).
Now back to some professions of love possible for all those who profess to be a Christian. John wrote, Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:11-12).
Paul also wrote how true love in contagious it will spread through all those who choose to claim their salvation and thus gladly accept the label of being a Christian. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law. (Romans 13:9-10).
Have you happily accepted the label of being called a Christian? Do your good deeds lovingly prove it?
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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