Tag: love your neighbor

Exploring the Greatest Commandments: Love and Its Parallels

“Yahoshua answered, ‘The greatest commandment is, ‘Hear O Israel! Adonai our Elohim, Adonai is ONE. You shall love Adonai your Elohim. Love this way, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandments greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31 ~

Have you ever heard that the first and greatest commandment above is a quote from Deuteronomy 6:4-5? It is also said to be a summation of the first five commandments. Likewise, the second is a quote from Leviticus 19:18 and a summation of the last five commandments? i would be surprised if you haven’t heard this before. But, i do wonder if you have ever considered them to be parallel? The sixth aligns with the first. The seventh aligns with the second. The eighth aligns with the third. The ninth aligns with the fourth. Finally, the tenth aligns with the fifth. This is what i want to explore in this post and its significance if any.

Already you might be saying, how is the first commandment, “You shall have no other Elohim but Me.” And the sixth, “You shall not murder,” the same? Well, Yahoshua said, “You have heard, ‘You shall not murder.’ Now I say, even if you hate someone you have murdered them in your heart.” How do you hate someone? By wishing them dead? Perhaps, but how are ways we hate? We speak against them, gossiping about them. We harbor ill will towards them, wishing against their good will. We ignore them, turning our backs on them wishing they would go away. If we are called to love even our enemies, and to pray for them. How much more when we ignore Elohim, turning our backs on Him, not following His will. How much more are we murdering Him in our hearts and placing anything and everything in His place?

Have i peaked your interest? Now let’s look at the second. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image. You shall not make anything in the likeness of anything that is in heaven above or on the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them. For I Yahweh your Elohim am a jealous Elohim. Visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me. Yet, showing steadfast love to thousands of generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.” Now the seventh, “You shall not commit adultery.” This one is easy. Idolatry is breaking the blood covenant with Elohim. Replacing Him with images and things. Giving our attention to and worship to created things. Adultery, is breaking the marriage covenant. Replacing our spouse with another, this includes emotional adultery. In fact most adultery starts in the heart emotionally. It is giving our time and attention to another. When we cheat on a spouse we are cheating on Elohim too! It is His marriage covenant that is being broken.

The third commandment says, “You shall not take the name of Yahweh your Elohim in vain. For Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” How does this relate to the eighth, “You shall not steal“? To take the name of Elohim in vain is not merely using His name as a curse word. It is attributing things to Him, He did not say, “Do not add to or take away from His word.” We steal from our family when we do not share the Name of Elohim with them. We steal from our friends and others when we do not share His Name with them. The greatest theft of all is taking from others the Name of Yahoshua. Robbing them intellectually and spiritually. Of course, this still means not to steal property but what is property compared to eternal life? This comes down to lifestyle and living a life worthy of the calling. As Ephesians 4:1 declares. “So I, the prisoner of Adonai, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling. This is the lifestyle to which you have been called.”

Now for the commandment the majority of Christianity ignores. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your Elohim. On it you shall not do any work. You or your son or daughter. Nor your male or female servant, not even your livestock. This extends to the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them. After He rested on the seventh day. Therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” The ninth commandment is this; “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” How do we bear false witness against our Messiah Yahoshua more than when we deny His Sabbath? The argument that Yahoshua is our Sabbath is shallow. It dismisses the intent of the Sabbath as a sign of the covenant. Much like the wedding ring isn’t the covenant of marriage but simply the sign of it. When we take off the sabbath day we are bearing false witness again our Elohim. Just like when we tell falsehoods of others, gossip, or outright lie, bearing false witness is a deep commandment.

The fifth commandment is about honor. “Honor your father and mother. That your days may be long in the land that Yahweh your Elohim is giving you.” The tenth commandment is also about honor. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, wife, servants, or anything that is his.” We dishonor our family when we covet others things. Wanting a better life than one was raised is different than wishing for or coveting someone’s life altogether. One might have had a terrible parent. Honor isn’t forgetting but it is forgiving. We are to Honor our family name as we are to honor the lifestyle of Yahoshua. We are to be content with what we have not coveting the life of our neighbors. Striving to be successful, is an honorable attribute and a way of honoring our parents.

So what is the big deal? As Scripture says, “If you are guilty of breaking one commandment, you are guilty of breaking them all.” This is true not just from a stand point of commandments of Elohim and sin. It is true because they are all connected. As Yahoshua declared when He quoted the Torah in response to the greatest commandment. Then adding to it the second. He was showing them and us that the commandments of Elohim our Father in Heaven are holy. They are a sign of our being in covenant with Him, signed in the blood of Yahoshua. Are we guilty of breaking the commandments? Absolutely. Does this excuse us from seeking to obey them? NO, may it never be! We show the Father our love when we choose to obey His commandments. Let us therefore walk as Yahoshua walked, in obedience to the Father. This is the way of the Rabbi that the Apostle Paul recognized. “You are to imitate me, just as I imitate Messiah.” This is echoed by our Messiah. “So Yahoshua replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself. But only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does.“

This is the way of the Rabbi,
You are loved,
cj

Love each other . . .

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” — “These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” John 15: 12,17 (12-17)

The new commandment isn’t to love one another, as the Scriptures already declared that we are to love: “Do not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the children of your people. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am YHWY.” Leviticus 19:18 — Love has been the command of life from the beginning. We are instructed to: Love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-44); which includes doing good to those who persecute you. We are told not to return evil for evil (1 Peter 3:9). Yahoshua reiterates the commandment to love in Matthew 22:37-39 — “And Yahoshua said to him, ‘You shall love YHWH your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your mind. This is the first and great command. And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

The new command is simply the example of love, “just as I have loved you”. How has Yahoshua demonstrated His love? Between the John 15:12 and 17 we read: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.” How did Yahoshua lay down His life? He served, He didn’t regard His position, His equality to Elohim, His Sonship, but rather emptied Himself and become a servant. He healed, He taught, He washed feet, He made wine, He wept, He died.

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” What sort of love? One that serves, one that weeps, one that heals, one willing to wash feet, dying to self, living for Yahoshua.

As the song goes: “They will know that we are Christians by our love.”

We are called to love as Yahoshua loves and not as the world loves. For the world loves with expectation, “what do I get out of it?” Yahoshua taught us to love, because, He first loved us, period.

By our love.

You are loved,
cj

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Christian (part five)

Christian (part five)

The current political and social climate is really rather dark. We can look at the latest news on any channel and it definitely seems as if the sky is falling. It doesn’t stop there either, there is a radicalization of both sides and a few in-between that are for a wild-west solution, “meet me in the street at sunset” or Old Testament solutions, “an eye for an eye” sort of solution. It has been quoted, “If they go low we kick them!” or “Chase them out of restaurants, form mobs around them!” Even, images of decapitated bodies, threats, bomb scares, fear-mongering, and bully pulpits are the norm. So how is a Christian supposed to respond? And how can you tell if one is truly trying to live the life of one?

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be conceited. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:14-21

There are several elements that we can take out of this passage. Let me highlight this one, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” Here is the key, if possible. Let me stress that it will not always be possible to live peaceably as it takes two to bring peace. You can try until you are blue in the face but if the other does not want peace . . . what we do is, “leave it to the wrath of God.” In so doing we live the higher road, the one less traveled and puts us in a position of influence later on in that situation or in life.

Not only is this the command of God to us of the Way, but it also leaves justice to the one who judges righteously. When we live a life of love to those who persecute us we allow God’s Spirit room to move in our lives and their lives. It will be either a blessing or a curse depending on their openness. It will either bring goodness or “burning hot coals” and not like you might think but metaphorically speaking. God’s ability to bring wrath is greater than anything we could ever imagine so let us be about the task of love. Loving our neighbors. Loving those who spitefully use us. Love our enemies. Love our families. Love.

You are loved,

cj

Jude (Part 1)

Jude (Part 1)

Let me start here: if you have not read Jude (an introduction), stop now and go read it . . . it will make more sense that way. However, as a reminder to those who did read it let me refresh your memory. Jude is one of four brothers of Jesus and at some point led the Church in Jerusalem. He came to faith after Jesus’ resurrection. This same Jude then pens this letter and it is powerful! As a call to repentance, as a reminder of judgment, and as a warning to stay alert as we contend for the faith.

He doesn’t waste time with small talk, antidotes, or gibber, he is very matter-of-fact. In the verses, we will look at this week, we will see his heart, and his understanding as the brother of Jesus and leader of the Church. Let’s look at verse 5, “Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.” Here is an interesting point, there are a couple manuscripts out there as well as a few versions of the Bible that use “Jesus” in place of “the Lord”. Could these early manuscripts be more accurate to Jude’s point? i think so. Jude had come to an understanding of who Jesus was and was not ashamed of it.

We love grace, i love grace. We preach grace, i preach grace, and it is glorious! However, we mustn’t lose sight of Jesus. Jesus, actively a part of the Old Testament, who is the same yesterday, today and forever, saves us by His cross. He leads us free from the chains of sin, out of bondage and into freedom. As the Israelites out of Egypt and still, subsequently (lit. the second time) He destroys those who did not believe. Folks, there is judgment. There is a hell and it has been preached since the formation of the Church. Do not be led astray. We must continue to contend for the faith in a world that would pervert the grace of God, even some in the Church.

5 Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that [e]the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, [f]subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after [g]strange flesh, are exhibited as an [h]example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. (NASB)

5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved[c] a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire,[d] serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. (ESV)

Pray with me for insight, for understanding, for fresh revelation into God’s Word. Let the Spirit of God speak to our hearts through these words written by Jude inspired by the Spirit. May we grow in wisdom and faith, as we seek to walk humbly with Jesus, contending for the faith. Until next week . . .

you are loved,

cj

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

The shortest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 117, it is just two verses. Yet these two verses are immensely profound in their simplicity. You want to boil things down to the minimum and just look at the core of human existence? Then here you go:

“Praise the Lord, all you nations! Worship Him, all you peoples! Because God’s faithful love towards us is strong, the Lord’s faithfulness lasts forever! Praise the Lord!”

It doesn’t get much simpler than this, Praise the Lord. Worship Him. Because, He is faithful. His love is strong towards us and He is forever faithful. Thus, we should, Praise the Lord! No matter what you are facing, no matter what difficulties or trials befall you, Praise the Lord! In the good and in the bad, Praise the Lord! In the sun and in the rain, Praise the Lord! In life and in death, Praise the Lord! In sickness and in health, Praise the Lord! In the hardest of times and in the best of times, Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord,

you are loved,

cj

Don’t Complicate Things

Don’t Complicate Things
In speaking to the teens on Tuesday Night we have been in Colossians 2 and this will be our 3rd week on the following passage. Colossians 2:6-7 i want us this time to look at in the message.

6-7 My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you’ve been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving.

i like this rendering because it is straightforward. He doesn’t mince any words, getting right to the heart of the matter. i don’t feel i need to add much to this accept that he isn’t saying we shouldn’t continue to learn and grow…but what he is saying is that we need to take the knowledge that we do have and begin to live it out in our daily lives. We know what it means to love someone…we don’t need much study on that Luke 6:31-34

Jesus said, “Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that’s charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.”

Let’s not make it more complicated than we need to.