Love One Another - - Exploring the idea
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever.
Thank you for stopping by. So, my recent post "Opening Up About my Weaknesses" got a lot of attention in the past few days. Mainly the comment section due to my stance on a very controversial issue. Either you'll agree or you won't. (The post has been temporarily been taken down until the haters calm down). Anyway, this post is quite different.
I wanted to start this post with some scripture.
I wanted to start this post with some scripture.
John 15: 1-17
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other."
Recap: Christ is the vine. We are the branches. God is the gardener. The world is a vineyard. When we live in Christ, God allows us to bear fruit. When we do not live in Christ, we are cut off from the vine. The fruit which we bear is one of love for each other.
What does it mean to love each other?
What does it mean to love each other?
Does loving each other mean we have intimate relationships with all people? Does loving each other mean we give to the poor? Does loving each other mean doing good deeds in secrecy? Does loving each other mean supporting those who we love in anything and everything they do? Is loving each other easy? Is loving each other possible?
These are all questions I ask myself daily. What does it mean to love? To answer this question, we must look at the 3 basic types of love.
1) Eros love - known as "erotic love". It is based on strong feelings toward another. It usually occurs in the first stages of a man-woman "romantic" relationship.
2) Philos love - a love based on friendship between two people.
3) Agape - Unconditional love.
In my opinion, I believe that as Christians we're called to have Agape love for all of humanity, regardless of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, social status, age, political identity...etc. If this is the case, why is it so difficult to do so? Maybe it's not that agape love is difficult because we're incapable. But rather, agape love might be difficult because we allow our differing political, moral and ethical views get in the way of love.
Taking it a step further; loving our enemies. How does that work? How can anyone expect me to love the person who breaks into my home, or steals my car or (God forbid) causes harm to a family member or friend?
So how is it all possible? For starters, God created all people the same. We all need air to breathe, we all need food and drink to live, and we all desire the feeling of being accepted. Most importantly, everybody has a heart and soul. We all have emotions and feelings. We all have opinions and we all have beliefs. We're all human. We're all made in the image and likeness of our creator.
All this considered, is it possible to show agape love to all people and still hold fast to morality? In other words, when it comes to sensitive political, moral or ethical issues, can one stand firmly against an ideology, but still have a love for the people who represent an immoral, political or ethical ideology? Can love and speaking out against what's wrong be compatible? I believe the most controversial thing about religion is that there's a definite difference between what's right and what's wrong; there's no gray area. And people don't like being told they're right or wrong. We live in a free country where there's (theoretically) no cap on being happy. At the same time, does being happy always equal being good? Drugs make people happy, alcohol makes people happy, porn and food make people happy... are all those things good?
It's often said that when you love someone, you support and protect them from danger as best you can. If love causes me to support and protect my friends and family, should I support everything, regardless of if it's acceptable or not? Is the danger I want to protect my family and friends from simply a physical danger? I'm sure you've heard of "the ugly truth" or "tough love." These things apply when we say we cannot support something that goes against what's right.
This idea of 'tough love' and 'the ugly truth' often come off as being intolerant and ignorant. But really, it's quite the opposite. Because we love our friends and family, we as Christians will look at a specific situation, evaluate it based on our Christian moral code, and decide how we're going to support or protect our friends and family.
Going back to the scripture I posted:::
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit.... No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."
What does this all mean? Our love for each other is important, no doubt about that. At what point though do we no longer bear fruit? At what point does our worldly and secular influence blind us of the Truth of Christ and His church? Does our full support and protection of our friends and family mean we're bearing fruit? Or can it mean we're doing the opposite of what we should?
While you may or may not feel this way, remember what Paul said in his letter to the Corinthians: "Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" Keep in mind, Paul personally knew Jesus Christ. Paul witnessed all the miracles...etc. He's basically saying, God has revealed Christ; Christ revealed the Kingdom of Heaven, and yet the world thinks it knows better. Paul is basically saying the world is ignorant without the Faith and Trust in God, because God is the source of all things.
So unless we Love God first, we cannot have the true agape love required to properly make decisions on how we deal with specific situations. Of course all people will have different points of view... which is fine. Too often we get stuck in debating "whose" opinion, belief or ideology is right, instead of debating "what" opinion, belief or ideology is right. And if not which is right, but rather, which is better.
So what does it mean to love one another? Are we our brothers keeper? And if so, is there a point at which it stops? Is it never ending?
Is there a double standard when it comes to secularists pushing for what they believe and Christians pushing for what they believe? Secularists call Christians ignorant, intolerant and closed-minded because we disagree with them. Yet, it's wrong to call them ignorant, intolerant or closed-minded. I bring this up because all these secular-progressives constantly talk about love and equality. Yet, they have no interest in love or equality of religious rulings on an issue. So it begs the question: what is the new definition of love and acceptance?
Again, just questions based off my experiences and interactions with people.
These are all questions I ask myself daily. What does it mean to love? To answer this question, we must look at the 3 basic types of love.
1) Eros love - known as "erotic love". It is based on strong feelings toward another. It usually occurs in the first stages of a man-woman "romantic" relationship.
2) Philos love - a love based on friendship between two people.
3) Agape - Unconditional love.
In my opinion, I believe that as Christians we're called to have Agape love for all of humanity, regardless of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, social status, age, political identity...etc. If this is the case, why is it so difficult to do so? Maybe it's not that agape love is difficult because we're incapable. But rather, agape love might be difficult because we allow our differing political, moral and ethical views get in the way of love.
Taking it a step further; loving our enemies. How does that work? How can anyone expect me to love the person who breaks into my home, or steals my car or (God forbid) causes harm to a family member or friend?
So how is it all possible? For starters, God created all people the same. We all need air to breathe, we all need food and drink to live, and we all desire the feeling of being accepted. Most importantly, everybody has a heart and soul. We all have emotions and feelings. We all have opinions and we all have beliefs. We're all human. We're all made in the image and likeness of our creator.
All this considered, is it possible to show agape love to all people and still hold fast to morality? In other words, when it comes to sensitive political, moral or ethical issues, can one stand firmly against an ideology, but still have a love for the people who represent an immoral, political or ethical ideology? Can love and speaking out against what's wrong be compatible? I believe the most controversial thing about religion is that there's a definite difference between what's right and what's wrong; there's no gray area. And people don't like being told they're right or wrong. We live in a free country where there's (theoretically) no cap on being happy. At the same time, does being happy always equal being good? Drugs make people happy, alcohol makes people happy, porn and food make people happy... are all those things good?
It's often said that when you love someone, you support and protect them from danger as best you can. If love causes me to support and protect my friends and family, should I support everything, regardless of if it's acceptable or not? Is the danger I want to protect my family and friends from simply a physical danger? I'm sure you've heard of "the ugly truth" or "tough love." These things apply when we say we cannot support something that goes against what's right.
This idea of 'tough love' and 'the ugly truth' often come off as being intolerant and ignorant. But really, it's quite the opposite. Because we love our friends and family, we as Christians will look at a specific situation, evaluate it based on our Christian moral code, and decide how we're going to support or protect our friends and family.
Going back to the scripture I posted:::
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit.... No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."
What does this all mean? Our love for each other is important, no doubt about that. At what point though do we no longer bear fruit? At what point does our worldly and secular influence blind us of the Truth of Christ and His church? Does our full support and protection of our friends and family mean we're bearing fruit? Or can it mean we're doing the opposite of what we should?
While you may or may not feel this way, remember what Paul said in his letter to the Corinthians: "Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" Keep in mind, Paul personally knew Jesus Christ. Paul witnessed all the miracles...etc. He's basically saying, God has revealed Christ; Christ revealed the Kingdom of Heaven, and yet the world thinks it knows better. Paul is basically saying the world is ignorant without the Faith and Trust in God, because God is the source of all things.
So unless we Love God first, we cannot have the true agape love required to properly make decisions on how we deal with specific situations. Of course all people will have different points of view... which is fine. Too often we get stuck in debating "whose" opinion, belief or ideology is right, instead of debating "what" opinion, belief or ideology is right. And if not which is right, but rather, which is better.
So what does it mean to love one another? Are we our brothers keeper? And if so, is there a point at which it stops? Is it never ending?
Is there a double standard when it comes to secularists pushing for what they believe and Christians pushing for what they believe? Secularists call Christians ignorant, intolerant and closed-minded because we disagree with them. Yet, it's wrong to call them ignorant, intolerant or closed-minded. I bring this up because all these secular-progressives constantly talk about love and equality. Yet, they have no interest in love or equality of religious rulings on an issue. So it begs the question: what is the new definition of love and acceptance?
Again, just questions based off my experiences and interactions with people.
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