The Golden Rule

[Obadiah]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, But an eye for an eye is definitely not a Christian virtue.

Once again we must go back to the words of Jesus echoing down through the centuries: “Love your enemy, bless them that curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you.”

As Christians were not to fail in doing this. If we do we will be shrouded with the ugly garments of shame. In spite of the mistreatment that we may have had to endure we must not become bitter and end up hating our brothers.

As Booker T. Washington said, “Let no man pull you [down] so low as to make you hate him.”

43 You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy; [Lev. 19:18; Ps. 139:21, 22.]
44 But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, [Prov. 25:21, 22.]
45 To show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and makes the rain fall upon the upright and the wrongdoers [alike].
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward can you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that?
47 And if you greet only your brethren, what more than others are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles (the heathen) do that?
Mt 5:43–47

 

[jeremiah1five]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, But an eye for an eye is definitely not a Christian virtue.

What is Christianity but Completed Judaism. Messiah was prophesied and Messiah came.
The Scripture is written in total TO and FOR God's Chosen people, the twelve tribes of Israel. And Gentiles Christians in this Time of the Gentiles must remember that as Gentile Christians they are grafted in with the NATURAL branches which is Israel. Whatever God spoke in the Old Testament - except the Sacrificial Laws - applies to the Gentile Christian. We STILL have to obey the command to not have other gods before us and to not use the Name of the Lord in vain, etc.
To both the Jew and Gentile believer God promised to put His Law in our inward parts and He's done that by giving us born again Gentile Christians His Holy Spirit.

Once again we must go back to the words of Jesus echoing down through the centuries: “Love your enemy, bless them that curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you.”

The original command to God's covenant people Israel is for Israel in covenant with God are commanded to love their covenant brethren and neighbor ONLY. They were never commanded to love anyone outside of God's covenant.
When Jesus spoke those words in Matthew, He was upholding His Law for Israel in covenant with God to love Israel Jesus did not change the Law and the original Law instructing WHO God's people are to love is found in Leviticus 19. At the time of Jesus' advent to Israel the tribes were still holding animosity towards each other due to the kingdom years when ten northern tribes warred with the two southern tribes. They were enemy to each other and Christ was trying to play peacemaker.

As Christians were not to fail in doing this. If we do we will be shrouded with the ugly garments of shame. In spite of the mistreatment that we may have had to endure we must not become bitter and end up hating our brothers.

Again, the command is for God's people in covenant are commanded to love those in covenant with God.

As Booker T. Washington said, “Let no man pull you [down] so low as to make you hate him.”
43 You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy; [Lev. 19:18; Ps. 139:21, 22.]
44 But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, [Prov. 25:21, 22.]
45 To show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and makes the rain fall upon the upright and the wrongdoers [alike].
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward can you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that?
47 And if you greet only your brethren, what more than others are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles (the heathen) do that?
Mt 5:43–47

Twelve tribes. Still holding animosity against each other. And with the rumor that this Jesus was their long-awaited Messiah kingdom aspirations was front and center in their minds and they wanted to make Jesus their king right then and there and have His destroy the hated Romans. But their thoughts are not God's thoughts. Even the disciples before Jesus ascended asked Him about restoring the kingdom to Israel.
When you read Matthew 5:43-47 read it in context to who Jesus is speaking to and what He was saying in referring to the original command of who to love. You'll find that God's command to His covenant people of twelve tribes is for Israel to love Israel only.
God's love is holy. We are commanded to not give that which is holy to dogs (non-covenant people.) If a brides-member does this God calls it adultery. Christ is faithful to love those in covenant with Him. We are called to be faithful and love only those in covenant with Him and this means fellow believers ONLY. If we give holy love to an unholy people, we are adulterers. Plain and simple.

4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:3–4.

This is not hard to understand.
Are you a friend or God or an enemy of God?
Who you love will tell you that.

 

[Obadiah]

Like I said everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But that doesn't make them correct. One thing I know for sure, Jesus said if you love me you will obey my Commandments And he commanded us to love our enemies.

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. John 14:15-17

I know him, He lives inside of me. I love him and I obey him. That's why I follow the Golden Rule.

On the other hand "Eye for an eye" will do nothing for you but make you bitter, and it may even put you in prison. If not one with iron bars than the prison of your mind.

The good news is the truth of what Jesus commanded us to do, which is to love our enemies, and that will set us free.

 

[jeremiah1five]

Like I said everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

If all we as Christians have are opinions, then no one in the Church of Jesus Christ possesses truth and the Church of Jesus Christ is lost in a world of fellow sinners, and we are not saved.

But that doesn't make them correct.

Edit by admin I know I possess truth of Scripture by virtue of my calling and gifts to accomplish that calling.

One thing I know for sure, Jesus said if you love me you will obey my Commandments And he commanded us to love our enemies.

Edit by admin But Jesus Himself said He didn't come to change the Law but to fulfill it in ALL its statutes, precepts, instruction, and commands. This makes you in error and contradicting the Lord. Edit by admin

Edit by admin Thus, taking Jesus' instruction to love [your] enemies (speaking to Israel and teaching from their Law) Jesus is instructing the twelve tribes who were once divided into ten tribes making up a northern kingdom, and two tribes making up a southern kingdom that went to war with each other several times and became enemies in their history to return to the original command in which God commanded them to love their brethren and neighbor in covenant with God. Edit by admin

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. John 14:15-17

The original command is for God's covenant people to love their brethren and neighbor in covenant with God. So, why the hypocrisy?

I know him, He lives inside of me. I love him and I obey him. That's why I follow the Golden Rule.

Edit by admin If you love anyone outside the covenant with God, you make yourself an adulterer.
Christ is faithful to His Bride but you as a member of the Bride think it's OK to love someone other than He to whom you are betrothed.
What's it called when the bride of a man she is betrothed to love another man not her spouse? It's called adultery. And what is it called if Christ love anyone other than the Bride He died for, say the unsaved, non-covenant world? It's called adultery. But thank God Jesus is faithful to His Bride who is Israel, and just like Israel was not faithful to God so is the Gentile Church not faithful to God but is a whore and an adulteress.

4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:4.

If you give holy love to anyone not a fellow brides-member and in covenant with God the Lord Himself calls you an adulterer. Edit by admin
So, all this about "if you love me, you will obey me" is only hypocrisy.

On the other hand "Eye for an eye" will do nothing for you but make you bitter, and it may even put you in prison. If not one with iron bars than the prison of your mind.

That depends on obedience to the Lord and your own maturity in knowledge of Scripture. The Lord commanded His people in eye for eye, strike for strike, burning for burning, and life for life in wisdom, in mercy, and in grace. Edit by admin

The good news is the truth of what Jesus commanded us to do, which is to love our enemies, and that will set us free.

Mixed up theology. Jesus Christ sets us free and free from the bondage of sin to do the commandments of God in newness of life. Edit by admin

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to hearken than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
1 Sam. 15:22–23.

Notice He said "idolatry." This means having false understanding of the One True God and worshiping that false god.

 

[Administrator]

Once again please discuss the Information in the post only not the posters. Calling people derogatory names is against the rules.

 

[Anja]

Not so. God commanded His people of twelve tribes to love each other only those in Covenant with Him. He never commanded His people to love anyone who is not in covenant with Him, so being struck does not imply being hated by the aggressor. It is a given that between those in covenant with God there are times when the 'flesh' or even outright injustice does occur to an innocent, and someone gets struck. God has provided contingencies when that happens. One is that the aggressor must be stopped before it escalates to an eye or limb, or life being taken. Israel is not to be seen as a 'punching bag' because the Gentile Church takes Jesus' statement that God 'so-loved the world' or because He allowed Himself to be beaten, stripped, spit on and hung on a cross to die that our Savior doesn't have the moral fortitude to beat back His assailants to a pulp. There's a reason why He's called Almighty God. Scripture says that when He returns that His vesture is "dipped" in blood. Scripture also says that Jesus will come to fight alongside His people of twelve tribes and defeat His enemies, Irael's enemies, the Church's enemies, and my and your enemies, and it will be bloody. Will Jesus be faulted because He doesn't "turn the other cheek?" But as you said, there are nuances and there is one with regard to the proverbial "turn the other cheek." It does not mean to allow yourself to be struck twice, once on the left cheek and again on the right cheek. The Law says strike for strike and Jesus did not teach His people to be struck-struck (left cheek and right). That would be changing the Law. And Jesus doesn't change the Law. Jesus didn't change His mind (since He wrote the Law) to something else from what was already written in their Law (which is also our Law as Gentile Christian). It says, "strike for strike." So, for the person being struck they have every God-given right to protect and defend themselves on the spot. Judges can come out later for other jurisprudence.

I would have to say the Hebrew understood the Law of strike for strike as “Do to others what you would have them do to you” a Golden Rule. Confucius copied God as every "law-structured society" did except they don't give God the glory nor worship Him as God. The true OG is God. Everyone is a copy-cat.

And look where the Hebrew understanding of an eye for an eye got them. They didn't like what the king of glory said or did and they crucified him. Then they were kicked out of their own country till 1948. Sorry I don't follow Confucius or Hebrews, I'm a Christian. Jesus told me to love my enemies.

 

[jeremiah1five]

And look where the Hebrew understanding of an eye for an eye got them. They didn't like what the king of glory said or did and they crucified him. Then they were kicked out of their own country till 1948. Sorry I don't follow Confucius or Hebrews, I'm a Christian. Jesus told me to love my enemies.

The original command of God was given to the twelve tribes of Israel in Covenant with God whom He situated around the Tabernacle in the desert. Three tribes to the north, three tribes to east, three tribes to west, and three tribes to the south. This whole family of descendants from Jacob numbered over 3 million:

17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother [member of the same tribe] in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour [member of a tribe living next to you], and not suffer sin upon him.
18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, [member of any tribe] but thou shalt love thy neighbour [member of a tribe living next to you] as thyself: I am the LORD.
Levitcus 19:17–18.

It is fitting that the instruction, command, and use to God's people of His Holy Love is found in the Book of Holiness.
The command of God to His covenant people Israel is for them to love Israel in covenant ONLY. God has never commanded His covenant people to love anyone not in covenant. And since Jesus gave the Law to His Bride Israel and did not change it or any Law when He arrived this command on who to love extends to Gentile Christians.
Not even God gives that which is holy (God's love) to dogs [non-covenant] nor does He cast His Pearls [the Word of God] to swine [non-covenant.]
But tell, as the Bride of Christ betrothed to God what is it called when a Bride gives her covenant love to someone not her husband or husband to be? It's called adultery.
Christ is faithful to love His betrothed Bride, He even gave His life for her. But is His Bride faithful in love to her husband? Sadly, she is not.

4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:4.

Now the question remains:
Do you love God?
Or do you love His enemies?
Are you a faithful Bride or are you an adulterer?

 

[Anja]

Love is where it's at. Try this.
“Do all the good you can to all the folks you can in all the ways you can in all the places you can for as long as ever you can for Jesus’ sake!” That’s what God expects of us as we love our neighbors as ourselves.

For one who loves the neighbor has fulfilled the law. For all of the Ten Commandments are instituted for the act of loving.

The commandments, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet (have an evil desire), and any other commandment, are summed up in the single command, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. [Exod. 20:13-17; Lev. 19:18.]
10 Love does no wrong to one’s neighbor [it never hurts anybody]. Therefore love meets all the requirements and is the fulfilling of the Law.
Romans 13:9–10

 

[Azriel]

We are called to love.

19 We love Him, because He first loved us.
20 If anyone says, I love God, and hates (detests, abominates) his brother [in Christ], he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, Whom he has not seen.
21 And this command (charge, order, injunction) we have from Him: that he who loves God shall love his brother [believer] also.
1 John 4:19–21.

Also in Matthew 22:36–40 Jesus addressed the two great commands: loving God and loving others. There He made what many would see as a startling statement. He said that loving your neighbor is “like” loving God. Now look back in John where it says you cannot love God without loving your neighbor. In fact to say you love God while hating a fellow human being just will not work. In fact, it turns you into a liar and gives evidence that you actually don’t love God either.

 

[jeremiah1five]

Love is where it's at. Try this.
“Do all the good you can to all the folks you can in all the ways you can in all the places you can for as long as ever you can for Jesus’ sake!” That’s what God expects of us as we love our neighbors as ourselves.

Another false belief of the Scripture on God's love.

For one who loves the neighbor has fulfilled the law. For all of the Ten Commandments are instituted for the act of loving.

The "neighbor" whom God commanded Israel to love was a member of the twelve tribes in covenant with God who liked next to each other around the Tabernacle. To teach that those in covenant are to love those not in covenant with God is to change the Law and disobey God's command. Jesus didn't love those not in covenant with God.

The commandments, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet (have an evil desire), and any other commandment, are summed up in the single command, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. [Exod. 20:13-17; Lev. 19:18.]

And the "neighbor" Jesus was referring is identified as a covenant member of the twelve tribes of Israel who lived next to each other around the Tabernacle in the desert. Everyone at the Tabernacle was in covenant with God. There were no unclean people nearby one could call neighbor and who God commanded to love. Love is a covenant virtue to be given to fellow covenant members. It is adultery to love anyone other than God and adultery to brethren to love anyone but your fellow brides-member.

10 Love does no wrong to one’s neighbor [it never hurts anybody]. Therefore love meets all the requirements and is the fulfilling of the Law.
Romans 13:9–10

The original command of God of who to love is found in Leviticus 19:17-18. There the neighbor is identified as a covenant member.

 

[Azriel]

The New Covenant is better.

Abel’s blood spoke about the need for justice. In contrast, Christ’s blood speaks about the need for mercy, forgiveness, and salvation.

Hebrews 12:24 says, “and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than Abel’s does.”

Also, Ephesians 1:7 says, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.”

Forgiveness is where it's at.

 

[jeremiah1five]

And look where the Hebrew understanding of an eye for an eye got them. They didn't like what the king of glory said or did and they crucified him. Then they were kicked out of their own country till 1948. Sorry I don't follow Confucius or Hebrews, I'm a Christian. Jesus told me to love my enemies.

Then that means obeying the original command.

 

[civic]

A basic hermenuetic principle is the New Testament interprets the Old Testament when its quoted. So when we see Jesus quote the OT so many times and comment on it He is going straight to the heart of the matter.

Another example of this is the book of Hebrews giving us all the types, shadows of Christ in the OT and giving us their real meaning in the NT.

 

[jeremiah1five]

A basic hermenuetic principle is the New Testament interprets the Old Testament when its quoted. So when we see Jesus quote the OT so many times and comment on it He is going straight to the heart of the matter.

Another example of this is the book of Hebrews giving us all the types, shadows of Christ in the OT and giving us their real meaning in the NT.

Interesting you said that.
So, in other words (words I use) IF there is no Old Testament precedent then there is no New Testament reality?

 

[Matthias]

How does a Christian who follows the Golden Rule justify killing his enemies?

 

[civic]

How does a Christian who follows the Golden Rule justify killing his enemies?

Who kills their enemies and who is this so called Christian serial killer ?

 

[Matthias]

Who kills their enemies and who is this so called Christian serial killer ?

The military / militaries of the nations which some Christians serve in is filled with them.

 

[civic]

The military / militaries of the nations which some Christians serve in is filled with them.

another strawman as I had expected.

Go talk to King David about war or better yet to Jesus in Revelation 19- He comes with the Sword to wage war- the blood is up to the horses bridle.

 

[Matthias]

another strawman as I had expected.

It isn’t a strawman. Christians who join the military are trained to kill their enemies.

Go talk to King Davis about war.

King David (I presume that is who you are referring to) is dead, and he wasn’t a Christian.

 

[civic]

It isn’t a strawman. Christians who join the military are trained to kill their enemies.




King David is dead, and he wasn’t a Christian.

are you sure you are not a JW ?