Precious friends, please be Very Richly Encouraged and Edified:
"Start talking about love, and many men are ready to look for the TV remote or some other form
of exit from the conversation. That’s because when it comes to the concept of love, even the love
described in the Bible, many people associate it with feelings, and men generally don’t like talking
about feelings. But is love a feeling?
I do not believe love, biblically speaking, is a feeling. Instead, love is a critical doctrine of Scripture
and is of such importance that it seems inconceivable that such a great doctrine would be rested
upon emotion.
Correct-o-mundo.
The Bible emphasizes the idea of love as an act of selflessness and sacrifice. It teaches that true
love goes beyond fleeting emotions and requires intentional commitment. Love, from a biblical
standpoint, involves purposely showing kindness, compassion, and forgiveness toward others,
regardless of how our feelings are at the moment. Many marriages have needlessly ended under
the excuse, 'I don’t love him/her anymore.'
''I am persuaded that love and humility are the highest attainments in the school of Christ
and the brightest evidences that He is indeed our Master.'' —John Newton
What is Love?
Love might seem simple enough to define, but trying to do so in one sentence or even
one paragraph is as futile as trying to describe God in such a limited space. No “law of first
mention” could be used to describe God or love. If, as that great hymn says,
Oh no, there is a verse in Scripture that encapsulates the love of God and God is love and it is found here:
16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, John 3:16.
The word "loved" is a verb.
What is a verb?
It is a word used to describe an
action,
state, or
occurrence, and forming the main part of the predicate of a sentence.
And what is a predicate?
It's the part of a sentence or clause containing a verb and stating something about the subject.
In this case "loved" is a verb and describes the action of a subject, who in this case the subject is God.
So, the definition of love is action. In John 3:16 God gave. Love is an action. Love is a verb. God so loved that He gave.
'The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell.
It goes beyond the highest star, and reaches to the lowest hell.'
...“The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell. It goes
beyond the highest star, and reaches to the lowest hell.”
...then indeed, any chance at understanding love requires the whole Scripture. Paul’s prayer for
the Ephesians was that they
“May be able to comprehend… And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge”
(Eph. 3:18,19).
If God is love (cf. 1 John 4:8,16; 2 Cor. 13:11), then it follows that we must know God to know love.
Thus, love should only be understood in the same way that God should be understood, and that’s
through the complete revelation that God gave us of Himself, and that requires the entire Bible..."
(D Hosfeld)
Full
study (about 5 more pages):
What's Love Got To Do With It?
-----------------------------------
Amen.
Now, the above I posted describes the love of God, but how is God's love where the objects of that love are concerned expressed?
Well, first, God expresses His love by giving, in this case the giving of His only begotten Son.
Second, as with everything in the economy of God love comes with doctrine. There is instruction given to those who are the objects of His love, and it is found in Leviticus the book of Holy. And since love is in the book of the Holy (Leviticus) then it's reasonable to conclude that as God is Holy so is His love.
In the book of Holy, God commands Moses to instruct the children of Jacob/Israel the following:
17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. 18 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. Leviticus 19:17–18.
When this command was given the twelve tribes of Israel were situated by God around the Tabernacle in assigned encampments. Consider that God delivered over 3 million Hebrews out of Egypt. In the book of Numbers Balaam looked down into the Jordan valley from his perch atop a mountain and looking down into the valley said:
11 Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth:
Numbers 22:11.
God situated three tribes to the north of the Tabernacle, three tribes to the south, three tribes to the east, and three tribes to the west of the Tabernacle.
Now, with this, here is the understanding of the command and instruction God gave Moses for the children of Israel:
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 another 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 another tribe living next to you] as thyself: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:17–18.
In other words, God commanded the children of Israel of twelve tribes to love their fellow tribesmen in covenant with God. Additionally, God never commanded nor instructed His covenant people to love anyone not in covenant, in this case, Gentiles. On the contrary. God commands Israel of twelve tribes to not mingle with the nations ("goyim" = Gentiles) nor learn their ways.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:17
17
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:17–19.
Jesus also taught and upheld all of God's commands under the Law of Moses, especially the original command on love:
43
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47
And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Matthew 5:43–48.
From the time of the original command on love by God to the children of Israel, Israel experienced a great deal of history. Part of that history is that after the death of Solomon the twelve tribes divided into two kingdoms, each claiming to be the rightful heir of Solomon. Ten tribes to the north called the northern kingdom, and two tribes to the south called the southern kingdom. And they were bitter enemies and went to war against each other many times. By the time Jesus walked the Holy Land the tribal hatred and animosities still existed between the tribes. Even right before Jesus' ascension the kingdom was fresh in their minds' believing Jesus was their Promised Messiah and King sent to deliver Israel from her enemies.
6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? Acts 1:6.
But the question was which kingdom. Northern ten tribes, or southern two tribes? Jesus went beyond their question earlier as their King He tried to instruct His people in the original command and to obey it.
43
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47
And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Matthew 5:43–48.
In context of Jesus' words, He is instructing the people of twelve tribes gathered to hear Him teach to the original command of loving your brother
and your neighbor.
Since any change in the Law of Moses would effectually destroy the Law of Moses - and the religious leaders accused Jesus of trying to change the Law of Moses in His teaching - Jesus instead taught the people to obey the Law of Moses especially in the original command on love.
What it comes down to is this: In the original command God instructed Israel of twelve tribes to love their covenant brethren and their fellow covenant neighbor. Jesus taught His people Israel to obedience to the original command on love and
who to love: He commanded them to love those, and only those, in covenant with God. God nor Jesus never commanded His people in covenant to love anyone outside of covenant with God. Never.
But the Gentile church in the past and today teach opposing God and His Christ. They teach Jesus
DID change the Law of Moses and that His people - the Christians or Christ followers - are to love the non-covenant or unsaved sinner whose sins are unatoned and outside the family of God. But Jesus didn't change the Law of Moses. The error is the Gentile church who misunderstand the biblical teaching on love and are taught that continuing error from the pulpit that Christians are to love those not in covenant with God or in other words the unsaved.
Now, I have rightly divided the Scripture on the Biblical definition of/on love and now you judge. Am I right?
Or will you as Gentile Christian continue to give that which is Holy (God's love) to dogs (non-covenant, unsaved.)
Will you cast your pearls to swine (unsaved)?
Are you a Christ follower or a Christ opposer.
