The message of the Gospel/ for Christains and Non

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

there is a tradition that says when the apostle John was very old his disciple would care him to the church each day and he would always say to them and all gathered,
“Little children, love one another!” After a time, the disciples wearied at always hearing the same words, asked, “Master, why do you always say this?” “It is the Lord’s command,” was his reply. “And if this alone be done, it is enough!”

Is that not the message of the Gospel? is that not what Christ told us to do?

My reason for says this is to ask in light of this, All christians should be working toward loving one another, and all people. Regaurdless, if they agree with us or not Christ never beat anyone over the head with the Gospel he told them and if they walked away they walked away.

To any athieist here, Ihave heard it said that you can be moral and kind loving person without a god. if so why does it bother you so much that others believe and try to share this belief? Why do the 10 commandments ( which speak of nothing but how to treat one another ) bother you so much. What is so offencive abut the cross and /or a nativity scene?

 

[wisdomseeker]

Love one another, i always took this is talking to the Church. those inside the Church. we should love one another. remember what Jesus said, those who dont listen to the Church, treat them is a heathen, a tax collector. i notice that people make no distinction of this now and days. but i will stick with the teachings of Jesus. Jesus also said, my mother and my brothers are those who hear and do the will of God. i stick with the teachings of Jesus, nothing has changed for me. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. if God said this then, He still say this today. nothing has changed for me. Jesus rejected those who did not listen to Him then, He still does this today. this has not changed.

 

[SyCarl]

Love one another, i always took this is talking to the Church. those inside the Church. we should love one another. remember what Jesus said, those who dont listen to the Church, treat them is a heathen, a tax collector. i notice that people make no distinction of this now and days. but i will stick with the teachings of Jesus. Jesus also said, my mother and my brothers are those who hear and do the will of God. i stick with the teachings of Jesus, nothing has changed for me. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. if God said this then, He still say this today. nothing has changed for me. Jesus rejected those who did not listen to Him then, He still does this today. this has not changed.

Jesus also says:

"You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
(Mat 5:43-45 NASB)

 

[flyonthewall]

I agree with the 2 commandments: Love the Lord thy God with all thy might, mind, and strength, and Love thy neighbor as thyself. This is good for those who are already Christian, but I think there is more to be said:
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He died, was buried, He rose again the third day, and ascended to heaven. This is the foundation of the gospel of Christ

 

[Byzantine_Wolf]

there is a tradition that says when the apostle John was very old his disciple would care him to the church each day and he would always say to them and all gathered,
“Little children, love one another!” After a time, the disciples wearied at always hearing the same words, asked, “Master, why do you always say this?” “It is the Lord’s command,” was his reply. “And if this alone be done, it is enough!”

Is that not the message of the Gospel? is that not what Christ told us to do?

Yes, but then…what is the source of that love? What is that love? Is it a mushy kind of love like you hear about in kids movies or from the hippie generation? The apostle John, who is quoted already, put it best:

We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. [1 John 4:19-20; ESV]

The love for our brother (who would be a Christian, incidentally) is a sign that we have the love of God. In other words, we first love our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, before we love another person. This is why our Lord said: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35; ESV). When Christians are in perfect brotherhood, it is a sign of who we are. This is something the apostle John illustrated wonderfully throughout his gospel and epistles.

Why do the 10 commandments ( which speak of nothing but how to treat one another ) bother you so much. What is so offencive abut the cross and /or a nativity scene?

The apostle Paul answered that question for you.

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. [1 Cor 1:18; ESV]

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

Love one another, i always took this is talking to the Church. those inside the Church. we should love one another. remember what Jesus said, those who dont listen to the Church, treat them is a heathen, a tax collector. i notice that people make no distinction of this now and days. but i will stick with the teachings of Jesus. Jesus also said, my mother and my brothers are those who hear and do the will of God. i stick with the teachings of Jesus, nothing has changed for me. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. if God said this then, He still say this today. nothing has changed for me. Jesus rejected those who did not listen to Him then, He still does this today. this has not changed.

wisdomseeker,
Where Christ may reject them, does not he still love them? What of the story of the good sameritian, are all people our nieghbors? As such are we not called to love them all. Are we not told to pray fom our enemies?

I remember that Christ also dined with the tax collectors, the Pharisees, ect… He pointed out were they were wrong and he did not join them in their error, but he treated them well and did not burrate them. It was only those that did not show any love in their hearts that Chirst even told the apostels to shake the dust from their sandels.

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

=Byzantine_Wolf;7052482]Yes, but then…what is the source of that love? What is that love? Is it a mushy kind of love like you hear about in kids movies or from the hippie generation? The apostle John, who is quoted already, put it best:

We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. [1 John 4:19-20; ESV]

Hi,
No I am not speaking of so kumbya, lets all come together and hug type of love. I am talking about the kind of love that is able to tell a brother that he is wrong and still sit down and have a meal together in peace. I am talking about the Kind that when asked what is the truth and I tell them as Christ told the rich young man can let him walk away, yet not speak ill of him, but pray for him.

The love for our brother (who would be a Christian, incidentally) is a sign that we have the love of God. In other words, we first love our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, before we love another person. This is why our Lord said: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35; ESV). When Christians are in perfect brotherhood, it is a sign of who we are. This is something the apostle John illustrated wonderfully throughout his gospel and epistles.

I still have to ask about the good sameritian then, Was Christ not telling us that everyone is our neighbor and we should love our neighbors?

The apostle Paul answered that question for you.

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. [1 Cor 1:18; ESV]

Alas, this is true.

 

[Byzantine_Wolf]

I still have to ask about the good sameritian then, Was Christ not telling us that everyone is our neighbor and we should love our neighbors?

Of course.

 

[Sufjon]

Dear Friend oneGODoneCHURCH : You wanted to hear from an atheist. I’m agnostic and can offer you my view if you’d care to hear it. I have lived in the shoes of an atheist, but I also live in the shoes of someone who hopes for something more. I am not angry about your faith. I am looking for some myself. Then I read what all of these people of faith are saying to one another. All the bickering over this point or that. Catholics with a bone to pick with Protestants. Protestants with a bone to pick with Mormons. Mormons who scoff at JW’s. People picking on Free Masons. All of it happening right here on the CAF. Someone posts something uplifting and it moves to the back page in less than a day due to lack of interest I suppose. It is hard for someone on the outside to cut through all the noise. One is left to wonder what any of this faith is bringing to anyone.

Then, from out of all that noise, your post caught my eye. Here’s why. You mentioned how the Apostle John kept saying over and over again to love one another. He knew Jesus firsthand. If Jesus was God, then John took it that this is what God had to say. If Jesus was God and John knew Him and John felt this was the most significant thing God had to say, then I would take Him as having some authority on the subject. It’s the one profound thing I’ve seen in two or three weeks of looking through this website. This then is the thing to focus on. Love one another. While we’re on the subject, push some of that love toward the atheists you run into. Don’t worry about the anger you hear. Look at them like you would someone you love and imagine if you can the pain that may be at the root of all that anger. Give them something to follow just like you did with this post of yours. Perhaps that is why John said it over and over again, and perhaps that’s why God brought it to your attention so you could post it for believers and non-believers to remember.

Respectfully,
Sufjon

 

[wisdomseeker]

Dear Friend oneGODoneCHURCH : You wanted to hear from an atheist. I’m agnostic and can offer you my view if you’d care to hear it. I have lived in the shoes of an atheist, but I also live in the shoes of someone who hopes for something more. I am not angry about your faith. I am looking for some myself. Then I read what all of these people of faith are saying to one another. All the bickering over this point or that. Catholics with a bone to pick with Protestants. Protestants with a bone to pick with Mormons. Mormons who scoff at JW’s. People picking on Free Masons. All of it happening right here on the CAF. Someone posts something uplifting and it moves to the back page in less than a day due to lack of interest I suppose. It is hard for someone on the outside to cut through all the noise. One is left to wonder what any of this faith is bringing to anyone.

Then, from out of all that noise, your post caught my eye. Here’s why. You mentioned how the Apostle John kept saying over and over again to love one another. He knew Jesus firsthand. If Jesus was God, then John took it that this is what God had to say. If Jesus was God and John knew Him and John felt this was the most significant thing God had to say, then I would take Him as having some authority on the subject. It’s the one profound thing I’ve seen in two or three weeks of looking through this website. This then is the thing to focus on. Love one another. While we’re on the subject, push some of that love toward the atheists you run into. Don’t worry about the anger you hear. Look at them like you would someone you love and imagine if you can the pain that may be at the root of all that anger. Give them something to follow just like you did with this post of yours. Perhaps that is why John said it over and over again, and perhaps that’s why God brought it to your attention so you could post it for believers and non-believers to remember.

Respectfully,
Sufjon

I dont see us hating anyone. i just would like to understand what this love that so many talk about mean to them. my question is, how do you love one another? what do you mean by love one another? it seems to me that is not the same to everyone of us. St John here is specifically speaking to the people in teh Church and not outsiders. there are circunstances in which love is talked about like love our enemies( this love means, seek no revenge, if they slap one side of your face, give the other also and so forth). this love that so many talk about, to some it simply means: leave me alone.
Jesus told His Apostles to go out into the world and teach all men all He tought. the CC for doing this is hated by many, but so were all the Apostles. by spreading the Truth of our Lord through His Church is a great Love. before we can love one another, we must first obey the first Commandment.

 

[Sufjon]

St John here is specifically speaking to the people in teh Church and not outsiders.

Hi Friend wisdomseeker: So, if I understand you right, then Jesus meant only to love other followers of Jesus. I took it that He meant everyone, but of course I can’t prove it. I suppose you could see it that way. It does give me one less reason to be a Christian though, because now I’m really confused about Jesus and His followers. It appears that something as seemingly clear as love your neighbor has nuances to it as well, so I do have to admit that Christianity is far too complicated for me.

Anyway, it sounded like you had a question for me, but I don’t understand what the question is. Can you clarify?

Respectfully,
Sufjon

 

[wisdomseeker]

Hi Friend wisdomseeker: So, if I understand you right, then Jesus meant only to love other followers of Jesus. I took it that He meant everyone, but of course I can’t prove it. I suppose you could see it that way. It does give me one less reason to be a Christian though, because now I’m really confused about Jesus and His followers. It appears that something as seemingly clear as love your neighbor has nuances to it as well, so I do have to admit that Christianity is far too complicated for me.

Anyway, it sounded like you had a question for me, but I don’t understand what the question is. Can you clarify?

Respectfully,
Sufjon

it would help if you had posted everything that i said. but instead you just picked one sentence. did you read everything that i said?

yes, St John is not talking to the whole world but to those inside the Church. just like Jesus made the separation. Jesus said, i dont pray for the world but for these only. Jesus also said the same thing to the Apostles to love one another. here Jesus is talking to the Apostles and not to the world. of course as people convert into the Faith, they also receive this command. there is a distinction in everything. i see people generalizing things all the time.
it is not hard to understand who St John is talking to here. St Paul also makes a distinction between the believer and unbeliever. well like i said before, no one here is hating no one.

obivously, loving one another has to do with the teachings of Jesus. if a pagan is outside of the Faith, how can he receive such a command. he couldnt. unless he came into the Church and heard this teaching. any way, hope you continue to seek the Truth.
another thing, loving thy neigbour is not the same thing is love one another. Jesus says love thy neigbour, it does not mean that my neighbour is commanded to love me back. this is most like one way command. you have to read the Parable to understand what Jesus meant. a neighbour is someone in need of help.
hope this make sense to you.

 

[AndrewA]

Hi Friend wisdomseeker: So, if I understand you right, then Jesus meant only to love other followers of Jesus. I took it that He meant everyone, but of course I can’t prove it. I suppose you could see it that way. It does give me one less reason to be a Christian though, because now I’m really confused about Jesus and His followers. It appears that something as seemingly clear as love your neighbor has nuances to it as well, so I do have to admit that Christianity is far too complicated for me.

Anyway, it sounded like you had a question for me, but I don’t understand what the question is. Can you clarify?

Respectfully,
Sufjon

…
27
And he answered, “(C)YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”

28
And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; (D)DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE.”

29
But wishing (E)to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

For the rest:

biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010:25-37&version=NASB

 

[Sufjon]

biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010:25-37&version=NASB

Thanks AndrewA; To me that means everyone. Am I wrong? Is it commonly thought to be exclusive? If it is, I just didn’t know that.

 

[Sufjon]

it would help if you had posted everything that i said. but instead you just picked one sentence. did you read everything that i said?

yes, St John is not talking to the whole world but to those inside the Church. just like Jesus made the separation. Jesus said, i dont pray for the world but for these only. Jesus also said the same thing to the Apostles to love one another. here Jesus is talking to the Apostles and not to the world. of course as people convert into the Faith, they also receive this command. there is a distinction in everything. i see people generalizing things all the time.
it is not hard to understand who St John is talking to here. St Paul also makes a distinction between the believer and unbeliever. well like i said before, no one here is hating no one.

obivously, loving one another has to do with the teachings of Jesus. if a pagan is outside of the Faith, how can he receive such a command. he couldnt. unless he came into the Church and heard this teaching. any way, hope you continue to seek the Truth.
another thing, loving thy neigbour is not the same thing is love one another. Jesus says love thy neigbour, it does not mean that my neighbour is commanded to love me back. this is most like one way command. you have to read the Parable to understand what Jesus meant. a neighbour is someone in need of help.
hope this make sense to you.

I don’t know about any of that. I just thought the original post was a nice idea, I like the part about loving one another. It wasn’t meant to be controversial.

 

[wisdomseeker]

I don’t know about any of that. I just thought the original post was a nice idea, I like the part about loving one another. It wasn’t meant to be controversial.

maybe this is beyond what you understand. i dont know how much you understand about the teachings of Jesus. maybe i have touched a subject not so easy for you to understand.

 

[Sufjon]

maybe this is beyond what you understand. i dont know how much you understand about the teachings of Jesus. maybe i have touched a subject not so easy for you to understand.

Friend wisdomseeker; That might be the case I suppose. I have read the New Testament a few times, but I’m no expert and I’ll be the first to admit that there are a lot of parts I have questions about. BTW- the reason I only posted one part of your first post was that it was the only part where I could figure out what you were saying. It doesn’t mean that you didn’t have a point or that it wasn’t a good one - I just couldn’t t follow it.

Thanks,
Sufjon

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

Dear Friend oneGODoneCHURCH : You wanted to hear from an atheist. I’m agnostic and can offer you my view if you’d care to hear it. I have lived in the shoes of an atheist, but I also live in the shoes of someone who hopes for something more. I am not angry about your faith. I am looking for some myself. Then I read what all of these people of faith are saying to one another. All the bickering over this point or that. Catholics with a bone to pick with Protestants. Protestants with a bone to pick with Mormons. Mormons who scoff at JW’s. People picking on Free Masons. All of it happening right here on the CAF. Someone posts something uplifting and it moves to the back page in less than a day due to lack of interest I suppose. It is hard for someone on the outside to cut through all the noise. One is left to wonder what any of this faith is bringing to anyone.

Then, from out of all that noise, your post caught my eye. Here’s why. You mentioned how the Apostle John kept saying over and over again to love one another. He knew Jesus firsthand. If Jesus was God, then John took it that this is what God had to say. If Jesus was God and John knew Him and John felt this was the most significant thing God had to say, then I would take Him as having some authority on the subject. It’s the one profound thing I’ve seen in two or three weeks of looking through this website. This then is the thing to focus on. Love one another. While we’re on the subject, push some of that love toward the atheists you run into. Don’t worry about the anger you hear. Look at them like you would someone you love and imagine if you can the pain that may be at the root of all that anger. Give them something to follow just like you did with this post of yours. Perhaps that is why John said it over and over again, and perhaps that’s why God brought it to your attention so you could post it for believers and non-believers to remember.

Respectfully,
Sufjon

Dear Friend,

Thank you so much for the reply. You are more than welcome to reply. It is what I work on every day to love not only those that agree with me, but to even more so show love to those that don’t. You are very correct in stating that peoples of faith often times do not show much love to one another. We tend to get hung up on the how to’s and forget the what for’s. .

I can not speak for anyone but myself, I for me that comes from a need to know I am doing things right. My presception of Christ commission to evangelize, and the fact that sometimes in trying to remove the speck from my brother eye I over look the spike in my own.

I do not have many answers, but please feel free to ask of me any question.

 

[wisdomseeker]

Friend wisdomseeker; That might be the case I suppose. I have read the New Testament a few times, but I’m no expert and I’ll be the first to admit that there are a lot of parts I have questions about. BTW- the reason I only posted one part of your first post was that it was the only part where I could figure out what you were saying. It doesn’t mean that you didn’t have a point or that it wasn’t a good one - I just couldn’t t follow it.

Thanks,
Sufjon

i understand.

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

I dont see us hating anyone. i just would like to understand what this love that so many talk about mean to them. my question is, how do you love one another? what do you mean by love one another? it seems to me that is not the same to everyone of us. St John here is specifically speaking to the people in teh Church and not outsiders. there are circunstances in which love is talked about like love our enemies( this love means, seek no revenge, if they slap one side of your face, give the other also and so forth). this love that so many talk about, to some it simply means: leave me alone.
Jesus told His Apostles to go out into the world and teach all men all He tought. the CC for doing this is hated by many, but so were all the Apostles. by spreading the Truth of our Lord through His Church is a great Love. before we can love one another, we must first obey the first Commandment.

YOu are correct that Christ commissioned us to spread the word and we must continue to do so. We must also fight for the right to do. That said, we should follow Chirst example in doing so. form the Gospels I have never heard or read that he begged anyone to listen to him. nor did he chase after them if they walked way from what he had to say. He had his say and let the listener decide for themself what to do with what they had just heard.