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| Is Love Taught 1st? |
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Please pray and think about this question yourself and answer it. I believe it is either, very important, or I am reading too much into the scripture. You are probably familiar with Mat 22:34-40,
34Now when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced (muzzled) the Sadducees, they gathered together.
35And one of their number, a lawyer, asked Him a question to test Him.
36Teacher, which kind of commandment is great and important (the principal kind) in the Law? [Some commandments are light--which are heavy?]
37And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect).
38This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment.
39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.
40These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets.
Ok, now Jesus has just told us what the most important thing is and I am taking this passage literally.
Now, I want to know His definition of Love... So I go to I Cor 13.
The first three verses are very interesting in the way they strengthen or support what Jesus just said in Mat.
I Corinthians 13 1. IF I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God's love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
2. And if I have prophetic powers (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God's love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).
3. Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God's love in me), I gain nothing.
Now, when I read these two areas of scripture together, I wonder why the Church does not teach in the order, or relevance that these verses imply. Why would the church teach a Christian anything before they were taught about love, FIRST? Specially in light of these passages. Or, if the most important thing is Love, then shouldn't Love be the most important teaching?
Think about this, also, Why would I need to sit under a teaching of 'Forgiveness', if I had been taught about (not how too,... you can't be taught how to love.) LOVE. For if I had learned about the elements love, prayed for and sought out Gods' love, and was now operating in a spirit of Love, I would not even account for evil done to me (one of the principles of love.) This is just one of many examples and benefits of putting Gods teachings in order.
If you agree and have influence at you church in what teaching subjects should be presented,... Please share this. If you agree in part... but don't think my approach is right... Please let me know.
I have been sending this question all over the world now for months, trying to draw attention to how we teach one another in the church.
COMMENTS, Please. |
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| To add a comment to "Is Love Taught 1st?" |
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| October 25, 2008 |
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Dear Preston -
How could one teach on love if they have not received love? Then again does love fill up the pockets of the pulpit pimps? Having a form of godliness and denying the power. From such stay far away. By their fruits you will know them. Are they drawing those they teach to Jesus Christ or themselves? Too sad for words.
Shalom to you my brother |
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| October 25, 2008 |
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| I hear ya, ihsallthetime,.. I always love your comments. And I read between your lines:-) Thank you. |
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| October 25, 2008 |
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Spiritual things are Spiritually discerned.
I am happy to know that you are discerning the truth.
You are most welcome. |
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| May 04, 2009 |
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We are to teach REPENTANCE first because the baptism of John (baptism of REPENTANCE) always preceeds the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Without the Holy Spirit, one has no means of weighing Truth from error or eve of LOVING(as God loves)
What is love?
"In this is love. Not that we loved God but that God loved us and sent His only begotten Son as an atoning sacrifice for the the forgiveness of sins.
Yes, indeed, Yahshua did reveal what the two most important Commandments were (on which hang all the Law and Prophets)
PLEASE REMEMBER
The Apostle Paul taught the Gospel of first importance.
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| May 04, 2009 |
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Shalom Preston,
Somehow, this was incorrectly sent without being completed!
Here is the rest (as what appeared first was just some notes and thoughts to start with)
We are to teach REPENTANCE first because the baptism of John (baptism of REPENTANCE) always preceeds the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. If there is no repentance, we do not get anywhere near Yahweh to even know what love is. "Man's righteousness is as filthy rags."
And what is love?
"In this is love. Not that we loved God but that God loved us and sent His only begotten Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
The Apostle Paul taught the Gospel of first importance. Because in preaching the Gospel and being engaged in saving people ETERNALLY and FINALLY, is the greatest love of all! We can do all the good deeds under the sun but never having actually told our loved ones the Gospel of Salvation and all these good deeds won't help one micro-pixel at the final Judgment. Great love that turned out to be.
Yes, indeed, Yahshua did reveal what the two most important Commandments were (on which hang all the Law and Prophets)
PLEASE REMEMBER, the FIRST and MOST IMPORTANT Commandment is to LOVE GOD!
SECOND is to love your neighbour.
Most people get this in the wrong order though and "love" their "neighbour" ("unconditionally" [whatever that means]) FIRST, without paying too much attention to whether they are loving and obeying God and His Word. Thus putting "Love Yahweh your God..." - SECOND.
Loving man as the FIRST Commandment is putting the cart before the horse.
"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment."(Hebrews 6:1,2)
This is clearly stating that we are to teach/believe the FOUNDATIONAL doctrines FIRST, leave this then GO ON to perfection(second).
No wonder the Church is falling apart! Each denomination seems to be missing one or more of the critical components of the FOUNDATIONS.
Without the Holy Spirit, one has no means of weighing Truth from error or of LOVING(as God loves)
Without repentance FIRST, no one is baptised in The Holy Spirit, no one knows God, no one is able to follow Yahshua(Jesus) and no one is capable of loving in the true sense. "Love is of God" and "Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him".
Love and Peace in Yahshua (Not "World-Peace")
Anna
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| May 05, 2009 |
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Precious, Anna. Thank you for your wonderful comment. I hope you will not grow frustrated with me in your effort to teach me what you are saying here. I totally agree that Repentance is very important. I agree that if we do not repent, we cannot receive the Holy Spirit.
But how can repentance be more important than LOVE? I am only able to draw one conclusion from Jesus teachings, and that is: that LOVE is the most important thing. I teach here, that: We must Love God,... and then one another second. These two together are the greatest commandment. If you teach repentance without love, you are only a clanging gong.
Now, please, lets just talk for a bit about this because I love you and I am honestly interested in your understanding also. "If" I were unrepentant,.. a pagan,.. lost, why would you teach me about repentance if you did not love me? Is it because YOU want me to be like you?... NO! Is it to bring me into your belief?.. NO! Is it because you read in the bible that I should?,... NO! It is because God is inside of you now, and you know now that He LOVES me, - and because you LOVE Him, - YOU LOVE ME ALSO and you want me also to Love Him. That is why you are trying to lead me to repentance.
How could you teach me about repentance without knowing about love? On the otherhand, If you love God you MUST love me too and you will want me to repent so that I may know and share in this love.
Lets pretend I am lost,... a pagan, and you hope that I will repent... Ok. How will you convince me to repent, if you don't love me? How will you convince me without telling me why I should,.. i.e.,.. that God first LOVED me... and that God so Loved the world, that He sent His Self, Jesus Christ, His Only Begotten Son, And that He, because of His LOVE for me He died on the cross for me,... and that before He died He said that my Love for God and for one another was the most important thing.
Also, why would I want to repent without understanding love? Maybe I have known ONLY HATE, all my life. Abused by my father, or abandoned as a small child. Maybe a sundayshool molested or abused me.
Why should I repent, when all I have know is Christians running me off the road to get to the store before me?... asking me to give them more money so they can build another building that kids with torn clothing cannot enter? NO, you will need to REALLY love me to convince me to repent.
Further, you will need to know how much God loves me in order for you to be patient with my unbelief. You will need Gods Love First, and it will require much LOVE from you. Would you be willing to die for me? And what made you willing to die for me?... Your repentance?... or LOVE.
It is Love that makes repentance necessary and it is because God Loved me that made me want to Love Him back. That is why I repented. In fact, I am not through repenting. The more I love Him and learn more about Love, the more I find to repent from. Love is greater than repentance.
Please come back so we can talk more about this. I believe you are beautiful and special. God is showing me something through you.
I want to be your friend. I love you. |
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| May 18, 2009 |
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When I came to Christ, I felt the love and loved the grace message. I was not moved by a message of hell, but intrigued and wanted to be loved by a God that was holy. I truly wouldn't have repented based on fear. I did because I wanted to show my love. Sort of like when a young girl, mom would lie down for a nap and I would clean up the house to please her out of love. I didn't do it because I would be punished if I didn't. love ya |
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| May 18, 2009 |
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Juanita, that is a beautiful analogy,... really. It was so wonderful to talk to you today. I had not long, gotten off the phone with Bren, (whom is doing better, by the way) before you called. So it was a beautiful day for me. Thanks, Friend. I love you.
Anna, thank you for becoming my friend, and the wonderful message you sent. God is good. For all of us on this side of Gods' love, now,... I love to read this verse from Romans, Chapter 8.
38. For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers,
39Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. |
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| July 09, 2009 |
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Thank you for sharing this,very informative to me. Special Blessings |
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| July 09, 2009 |
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| July 09, 2009 |
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| Ken, I have been Friends with you for a long time and am not use to you commenting on my web-pages at all, so please be patient with me. This blog is about the teachings of the church. When I studied the teaching subject titles, classroom subjects, ministry titles of over hundreds of church web-sites around the world, Love was rarely the topic of their ministry, yet You just read (i hope) where Jesus just told us that of all the commands (teachings from A-Z fall under these commands) LOVE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT. Now that is what this blog is about. If you are saying that the fear of hells fire and judgement is more important then you will be very pleased with my study of what looks to be the churches most important study. Are you saying the church knows better? I am struggling with the intent of your comment. |
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| July 09, 2009 |
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I grew up in a little bitty church. We had a Pastor who preached, rather he yelled about the fires of hell, and how we would go there if we kept living the way we were. We had to repent.
I was a teenager at the time, and I listened and even went to the revivals. But I pondered his teachings, because they were the opposite of what I learned in Sunday School. It was confusing and erratic.
I was taught to respect adults so I never said anything to anyone. What I came with, was a feeling of guilt for everything, even if I didn't do it.
I felt ashamed of myself for years and it took a Pastor in Lubbock, Texas to get me to understand that God loved me, and that I shouldn't go around feeling guilty and ashamed. |
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| July 09, 2009 |
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Every other Church I've attended teaches love, forgiveness and following the teachings of the Bible, and Jesus Christ.
This is how I talk with my daughters. I love them with all of my heart, but when I know about something they are doing that isn't right, I approach them directly about it, tell them about the principles in the Bible, and explain it. Then... they know they can go to God, and ask for forgiveness, knowing that God loves them despite the sin.
Jesus died for our sins. Otherwise, what was the point of the Cross. |
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| July 09, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
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| July 09, 2009 |
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My Dear and Beloved Brother~
1 Corinthians 13:13 (13 is a blessed number. lol)
"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." Charity = Love, Love = Charity. 'The Greatest of these is Love'. To Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself is to at times: "...And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh..." If we are to Hate even the garment spotted with flesh (Sin), then we indeed are to hate the Sin. The love of God brings many results.
The balance is so intricant and sensitive and crucial. This is The Key for me. Love is to be taught first. The love of God brings many results. I hope You find in this Brother Preston, that, like my Dear Sister Gwen, I walk with You in agreement. With You.......{Bro-ken} |
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| July 09, 2009 |
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"We love Him because He loved us first"...You cannot have love apart from God. "God is love"...1 Cor 13 doesn't give us a definition of love. What it gives us is the physical manifestation of God's love through us. John 3:16 gives a better idea of what love is...God gave His ONLY begotten Son. Love is a verb.
You can tell someone that you love them but until you DO sacrificially for them, you won't be believed.
God not only tells us He loves us....He DID something sacrificial for us. |
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| July 09, 2009 |
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Lots of great thoughts on this blog and the responses... having grown up with an overdose of the "You're not worthy! Repent! Repent!" style of preaching, I knew I needed to "be" a Christian to avoid Hell. LOL! I just couldn't reconcile all that anger and unworthiness with the Person of God that I knew as my closest friend. As a little kid, it was impossible to understand. It wasn't until years later that God took me on a journey of finding out Who He really is. When we find begin to know Him -- His vast love, mercy, forgiveness, holiness -- we cannot help but fall in love with Him. Then, of course, the natural outflow of that love for Him is desiring to please Him through repentence for what we've done wrong and obedience to Him from that moment forward. The more we know of Him, the more we want to be like Him. But can I say that is how everyone's journey is? No. :) But I do know that when I teach children, I teach them of God's LOVE and CONCERN for them first -- and once I've given them a taste of His character, I then talk to them about changing their behaviors and attitudes to become more like Him. I wonder if some of us must experience a relationship as the first step of the revelation of the Holiness of God. But I also admit that it could be that because I was brought up surrounded by so much legalism, I had to see Jesus as Friend, God as Loving Father, the Holy Spirit as Comforter -- before I could understand that submitting to Him/Them would not be submitting to a harsh dictator but instead be an adoption into a Royal Family that genuinely desires to love and nurture me into becoming a Mirror of Christ. |
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| July 09, 2009 |
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| There is a huge, Powerful, body of 'Believers' who leave out Hell, Fire and Brimstone altogether. They are Jehovah's Wittnesses and Seventh Day Adventists. They just could not tolerate the idea of Christ Jesus being willing to Chastise us, even to the point of casting (human) people's mind, body, spirit, heart and soul into everlasting torment in Hell, Fire, and Brimstone. Some people would be much more satisfied to live the life and faith of a Jehovah's Wittness, or, Seventh Day Adventist. I do understand that some do not want the whole Gospel Preached. Some want the balance abolished, so that Chastisment is not in the mix. |
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| July 09, 2009 |
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| Well, Thanks Joey,... you make an excellant point and convict me a little bit too, because in trying to point out what Jesus is saying about the Importance of love, I may have sounded like I don't think there aren't both, Loving Church's or any that don't teach love because I am in one and have grown up in several. But, you do understand my point here, I think. I also should say that I posted this blog totally aware of this same Jesus warning to us about the picture of the end-time church as being likened to a harlet! But, we are not to forsake the gathering of His people so I still reach out with efforts such as this prayer request and question. I love you and thanks again, Friend. |
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| July 09, 2009 |
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| July 09, 2009 |
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I think it must be taught as a whole, if you know what I mean. Jesus was so great with his teachings... no man is ever going to be a match for Jesus, and we know that.
Balance... I think that is what we need. |
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| July 09, 2009 |
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| Amen! Joey! Help me by Praying for me that I will take my teaching examples from Jesus. Thank You Joey and Preston!......{Bro-ken} |
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| July 09, 2009 |
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Robin, welcome, and you are sooooo right. You have just commented on my VERY FIRST blog, I wrote here and if you will look at some of the other things the Lord has given me here, since this blog, you will see they line up with what you just said. Like,... how about a love that is willing to die? Right,... Willing to die, not only For Christ,... or to the FLESH,... hehe, thats a good one, Amen? .... but, also for one another,... yes, love is an ACTION,... not a philosophy,... Oh, my, I on fire over here... I love you guys...
GrammyB,... My mom just got through telling me how my Grandfather pulled her out of a little church she was going to because she was having nightmares (ck spelling)... but, you hit the nail on the head,... and Joeys experience to. It's just so sad. I know all of you and I too understand what Ken is saying is true. Jesus is saying that focusing on Him, His Love, You Love for Him and one another and you WILL SIN LESS. You wil NOT BE SINLESS,... but you will sin less. Hallelujah... Amen and Amen.
Ken, I just saw your reply and I am so glad you did. I knew your comment was the Word,... just as the passages I used here are,... and as usual, I was slow to see the intent, Amen? I love you, Man of God. |
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| July 09, 2009 |
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Per Robin's comment...y'all know we have lots of kids...so, oftentimes, when I'm lovingly told, Mom, I love you...and believe me, that IS WONDERFUL to hear...but more than once, I've responded...If you love me, go wash the dishes, clean your room, take out the trash, etc, etc. In other words, if you love me...show me...
And when it came to God showing US that HE loved us...NOBODY DOES IT BETTER!!! (I know the verb tenses didn't agree, but...oh well!)
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| July 09, 2009 |
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| Verb tense or not,... it is so true, Debbie, Thank you and I love you,... now where's those dishes,... hehe |
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