July 12th 2015
Are You Willing To Work On Becoming More Christ-Like, So
That You Can Actually "Love Your Neighbor As Yourself?"
Romans 15:5-6 (NIV)
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Unity is important to any organization as it allows for a free exchange of ideas amongst its members and friends. Christians should be very homogenous, as we all profess to follow the same man who lived on this earth and was a man, and He was also God. The man part had to die, as the perfect sacrifice as atonement for all of the sins of mankind. His death was necessary as it was the shedding of his blood that allowed the sins of mankind to be forgiven. This is essential for attainment of our earthly goal of going to heaven, when we die. There is no other way by which any member of mankind can go to heaven when they die!
Most people seem to believe they will go to heaven when they die. This belief is based on their idea that all good people will go to heaven. Do good people go to heaven? The answer to this question is NO! To earn heaven on your own volition requires that you would be born without a stain of sin on your soul, and then, that you lead a totally sinless life. As a Christian you MUST know that you come into this world as a baby, and your soul has the stain of sin inherited from the sin of Adam! It is usually referred to as your sinful nature!
To have your sinful nature covered required the blood shed by Jesus death on that cross! For the sins you commit during your lifetime to be covered over required the blood shed by Jesus on that cross. This is the only way a sinner, you, can go to heaven is for you to accept the gift of grace from Jesus! To get this gift of grace you must be born again! Jesus told one of the Jewish leaders about this requirement, even before He died to set his gift of grace in motion. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. (John 3:7-8)
In an attempt to not offend anyone reading this by referencing the importance of Baptism, let me just say, please follow the requirements the church of your choice about when and how you should be baptized! If possible, I believe you should be baptized by immersion at a point in your life when you are a responsible individual. You always have been will always be a sinner, until you die, and by His grace your sins are forgiven and forgotten! Now that is true grace! No member of mankind can possess such grace in their earthly lifetime!
If you have accepted this grace God has supplied through His Son’s death, then you will have access to the Holy Spirit, which will help you to work on becoming more Christ-like. If in fact you become more Christ-like then you will be more capable of being able to love other members of mankind! In our world today we are seeing more violent actions by the other members of mankind. The nightly news is full of incidents of violence including murder and of course warlike actions all over our world. Jesus tried to pass on to us the “Golden Rule” as it has been called, which promotes His followers to loving their neighbors. If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. (James 2:8) James the brother of Jesus called it “the royal law.”
Matthew also wrote about what Jesus said about loving each other while He walked this earth. 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.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37-40) Here Jesus says these commands results in mankind being able live by God’s laws, because of their love first for Him, and then, for all other people.
In Mark’s writing about such an encounter, Mark points out that Jesus said there is only one God, and that we must first love him, which will allow us to love other members of mankind. "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." "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:29-32) Note the response from the person who asked Jesus the question that Jesus answered. Here noting the importance in believing there is only one God!
Luke wrote about what Jesus had to say about who are neighbor is. If we profess to love our neighbor then it is very important who we believe are our neighbors. In the Good Samaritan Parable Jesus askes who we believe is our neighbor. "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." (Luke 10:36-37) So our neighbors are actually everyone whom we would show mercy toward. It is not necessary for others to show mercy toward us to be considered as our neighbor. Love must be expressed by us through offering our mercy toward all members of mankind.
Do you desire to be a law abiding citizen? The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Galatians 5:14) Of course, the law Paul is writing about is God’s law, but it should be reflected in the law of our land too. Please remember we live in a cursed world, and thus, we will not find perfection in others, and remember too, you are a sinner. However, we do have the ability to be Christ-like if we really believe in the Word of God. You must read His Word every day, and work with the Holy Spirit to be able to "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Jesus once asked an interesting question of His followers. Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? (Luke 6:46) Are you willing to work on becoming more Christ-like, so that you can actually "Love your neighbor as yourself?"
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Romans 15:5-6 (NIV)
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Unity is important to any organization as it allows for a free exchange of ideas amongst its members and friends. Christians should be very homogenous, as we all profess to follow the same man who lived on this earth and was a man, and He was also God. The man part had to die, as the perfect sacrifice as atonement for all of the sins of mankind. His death was necessary as it was the shedding of his blood that allowed the sins of mankind to be forgiven. This is essential for attainment of our earthly goal of going to heaven, when we die. There is no other way by which any member of mankind can go to heaven when they die!
Most people seem to believe they will go to heaven when they die. This belief is based on their idea that all good people will go to heaven. Do good people go to heaven? The answer to this question is NO! To earn heaven on your own volition requires that you would be born without a stain of sin on your soul, and then, that you lead a totally sinless life. As a Christian you MUST know that you come into this world as a baby, and your soul has the stain of sin inherited from the sin of Adam! It is usually referred to as your sinful nature!
To have your sinful nature covered required the blood shed by Jesus death on that cross! For the sins you commit during your lifetime to be covered over required the blood shed by Jesus on that cross. This is the only way a sinner, you, can go to heaven is for you to accept the gift of grace from Jesus! To get this gift of grace you must be born again! Jesus told one of the Jewish leaders about this requirement, even before He died to set his gift of grace in motion. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. (John 3:7-8)
In an attempt to not offend anyone reading this by referencing the importance of Baptism, let me just say, please follow the requirements the church of your choice about when and how you should be baptized! If possible, I believe you should be baptized by immersion at a point in your life when you are a responsible individual. You always have been will always be a sinner, until you die, and by His grace your sins are forgiven and forgotten! Now that is true grace! No member of mankind can possess such grace in their earthly lifetime!
If you have accepted this grace God has supplied through His Son’s death, then you will have access to the Holy Spirit, which will help you to work on becoming more Christ-like. If in fact you become more Christ-like then you will be more capable of being able to love other members of mankind! In our world today we are seeing more violent actions by the other members of mankind. The nightly news is full of incidents of violence including murder and of course warlike actions all over our world. Jesus tried to pass on to us the “Golden Rule” as it has been called, which promotes His followers to loving their neighbors. If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. (James 2:8) James the brother of Jesus called it “the royal law.”
Matthew also wrote about what Jesus said about loving each other while He walked this earth. 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.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37-40) Here Jesus says these commands results in mankind being able live by God’s laws, because of their love first for Him, and then, for all other people.
In Mark’s writing about such an encounter, Mark points out that Jesus said there is only one God, and that we must first love him, which will allow us to love other members of mankind. "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." "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:29-32) Note the response from the person who asked Jesus the question that Jesus answered. Here noting the importance in believing there is only one God!
Luke wrote about what Jesus had to say about who are neighbor is. If we profess to love our neighbor then it is very important who we believe are our neighbors. In the Good Samaritan Parable Jesus askes who we believe is our neighbor. "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." (Luke 10:36-37) So our neighbors are actually everyone whom we would show mercy toward. It is not necessary for others to show mercy toward us to be considered as our neighbor. Love must be expressed by us through offering our mercy toward all members of mankind.
Do you desire to be a law abiding citizen? The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Galatians 5:14) Of course, the law Paul is writing about is God’s law, but it should be reflected in the law of our land too. Please remember we live in a cursed world, and thus, we will not find perfection in others, and remember too, you are a sinner. However, we do have the ability to be Christ-like if we really believe in the Word of God. You must read His Word every day, and work with the Holy Spirit to be able to "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Jesus once asked an interesting question of His followers. Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? (Luke 6:46) Are you willing to work on becoming more Christ-like, so that you can actually "Love your neighbor as yourself?"
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak