How Is The Greatest Commandment Kept?

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Hidden In Him

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While what you are saying is true about Sunday church or speaking engagements...I'm not talking about a religious gathering....but a shared life. Check out Acts 2.

Not everyone is motivated to be spiritual on their own. Some people are meant to help the brethren do their spiritual work. So these can't be expected to follow along with the spiritual brethren. A community functions like a body...different gifts...different roles.

Does everyone farm? Does everyone learn the bible languages? Does everyone teach?

But every part contributes according to their place in the body.

So I don't see meetings or crusades as indicative of body potential.

An introvert is that way often because they shun vain speaking and surface talk. The big talkers are not always the big actors. Sometimes it's the quiet ones who are more willing to sacrifice themselves.

Of course there are they who are just spiritually dead...carnal in their every action and thought. But the solution is not to make everyone the same.

Yes, yes. I'm not arguing for making everyone the same. But regardless of one's calling and ministry, every member of the body has to have the Power and Presence of God in order to fulfill their purpose. And that power comes through the very activities I was asking you about:

Believers prayed incessantly, so that the Spirit would speak through them (1 Thessalonians 5:16-19; Ephesians 6:18-19); God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3), so they were continually singing to one another in psalms and hymns (Colossians 3:16); and they were continually meditating on His words because His words are Spirit and Life (John 6:63).

How can any member of the body fulfill their calling without His empowerment, and how can His empowerment come without these activities?
 

Episkopos

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Yes, yes. I'm not arguing for making everyone the same. But regardless of one's calling and ministry, every member of the body has to have the Power and Presence of God in order to fulfill their purpose. And that power comes through the very activities I was asking you about:

Believers prayed incessantly, so that the Spirit would speak through them (1 Thessalonians 5:16-19; Ephesians 6:18-19); God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3), so they were continually singing to one another in psalms and hymns (Colossians 3:16); and they were continually meditating on His words because His words are Spirit and Life (John 6:63).

How can any member of the body fulfill their calling without His empowerment, and how can His empowerment come without these activities?


What I'm trying to communicate to you was they were a "they" not just individuals...they were joined together as a community of faith. Not just meetings. It was every day.
 

Truth

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Thanks for the response, Truth. As I've been asking others, what then would be your response to Post #51?

Yes! You are correct, as I presumably jumped right to how we are to Love one-another, in Deuteronomy 5:29 after the giving of the 10 commandments, God responds to Moses " Oh, that they had such a Heart in them that they would Fear ME and always keep all My Commandments! Also in Deuteronomy chapt's 28 & 29 there are many verses about the Heart? To which men stood or fell. The Greatest Commandment is and always will be to Love God, without that How would we ever Love our fellow man!
At an early age I had a strong concern for other's, But, and only after I received the Gift was I able to understand what my concern for others was about, and with His love I am able to Love others without reservation. I have come to understand what Blessed are the Poor in Spirit relates to, to weep and morn for the souls that are still without the Grace of God in their lives. to Grieve and Morn for the wickedness that permeates this world.
Sorry I went sideways!
 

DoveSpirit05

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Thank you for the post. Could you go into a little more detail on what you think that would look like in practical terms?

I could but its pretty simply, if u love God ull keep his commandments, not much else 2 say on dat!!
 

Steve Owen

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Ok, a serious one this time. Same response here as what I was driving at with Episkopos. How then would you answer Post #48? Would you refer to the practices I mention there as "the righteousness of God," yes or no?

Good verses, btw.
I fear you may be offended by what I'm going to write, but you did ask the question.
The short answer is no. If you are performing these fasts etc. to try to get right with God, then I would describe them as dead works. We cannot get right with God by the things we do; our good deeds are like filthy rags before God.
But whatever your motivation, the practices are not the righteousness of God. The righteousness of God is that bestowed by the Lord Jesus Christ to those for whom He died (2 Corinthians 5:21; 2 Peter 1:1). We need a righteousness that is greater than that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20), and in Jesus Christ, we possess it by faith (Romans 3:21-22).

The good works that we are to do are those which God prepared in advance for His already justified people to perform (Ephesians 2:8-10). These will flow naturally as the Christian exhibits more and more the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness (or 'meekness'), self-control. At the same time, the Spirit leads us to hate sin as God hates it, and to battle it all our lives (eg. Colossians 3:5-8), knowing that God will give us the victory. 'For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace' (Romans 6:14). Note that it is not 'must not' or 'should not;' 'shall not!' The thing is absolutely certain if you're a Christian.
 
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amadeus

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I fear you may be offended by what I'm going to write, but you did ask the question.
The short answer is no. If you are performing these fasts etc. to try to get right with God, then I would describe them as dead works. We cannot get right with God by the things we do; our good deeds are like filthy rags before God.
But whatever your motivation, the practices are not the righteousness of God. The righteousness of God is that bestowed by the Lord Jesus Christ to those for whom He died (2 Corinthians 5:21; 2 Peter 1:1). We need a righteousness that is greater than that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20), and in Jesus Christ, we possess it by faith (Romans 3:21-22).

The good works that we are to do are those which God prepared in advance for His already justified people to perform (Ephesians 2:8-10). These will flow naturally as the Christian exhibits more and more the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness (or 'meekness'), self-control. At the same time, the Spirit leads us to hate sin as God hates it, and to battle it all our lives (eg. Colossians 3:5-8), knowing that God will give us the victory. 'For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace' (Romans 6:14). Note that it is not 'must not' or 'should not;' 'shall not!' The thing is absolutely certain if you're a Christian.
What we do should be and must ultimately be directed by God in us. We may be doing some of those things: prayers, fastings, giving alms, reading the scriptures, but always our Director is not to be our own self, but the Holy Spirit in us. It needs to be the Holy Spirit in us directing us to do any of those things:

"O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." Jerem 10:23
 

VictoryinJesus

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It is necessary, Victory, and I fully agree with you : ) So how would you answer something like Post #48? I'm especially looking for replies on what obeying the greatest commandment would look like in practical terms.

You won’t like the answer wadr...what does #48 have to do with the greatest commandment?

John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

“...I will give ...my flesh” which “I will give for the life of the world.” Is it not the same for “He who loses his life for My sake, will find Life.”

(Isaiah 58:6)
 
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farouk

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You won’t like the answer wadr...what does #48 have to do with the greatest commandment?

John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

“...I will give ...my flesh” which “I will give for the life of the world.” if the children can’t say the same then have they intimacy with the greatest commandment given of the Father?
John 6 is a great chapter! so searching! (I don't myself see the Lord's Supper in John 6, BTW.)
 
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VictoryinJesus

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John 6 is a great chapter! so searching! (I don't myself see the Lord's Supper in John 6, BTW.)

“I don't myself see the Lord's Supper in John 6, BTW”

Not sure what you mean? What do you see there in Him saying He is the bread?
 

Earburner

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Jesus said the greatest commandment was to love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole mind, your whole soul and your whole strength. Seems to me that defining what that means in practical terms, and how the commandment is kept in one's daily affairs would be of primary importance.

This is primarily a theoretical question, so I am asking for responses about what you consider proper obedience to this commandment to look like, but if you wish to answer on a more personal level and describe how you best fulfill this commandment on a daily basis in your own personal life, that's good too.

Blessings in Christ to all who respond.
HiH
Only Christ is able to love God with all His heart.
If one is born again of/by the Holy Spirit of God, it is by Christ's presence within us, that through us, He does. Therefore by abiding in Him through faith, WE DO also.
Gal. 2[20] I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
 

VictoryinJesus

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Some ppl see John 6.51 as referring to the Lord's Supper; I don't; it seems strongly to be a reference to feeding on Christ by faith.

Will sleep on it. It’s been a sad day and probably not the best time to respond to any thing. Interested. In the morning hopefully.
 
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brakelite

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You won’t like the answer wadr...what does #48 have to do with the greatest commandment?

John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

“...I will give ...my flesh” which “I will give for the life of the world.” Is it not the same for “He who loses his life for My sake, will find Life.”

(Isaiah 58:6)
@Hidden In Him I came to this thread specifically to mention Isaiah 58. I remember as a young Christian over 40 years ago asking God what He wanted of me. His reply was Isaiah 58. But being a Pentecostal at the time,I didn't take the last two verses to heart, believing them invalid. 20 years later as I was studying about the Sabbath and meditating and praying as to its validity to the Christian faith, the Lord again impressed me to read Isaiah 58. All of it. That chapter was the first scripture I learned by heart. Didn't take much to add two verses to the memory bank. It is still my favorite portion of scripture...So personal...And I still have a hand written calligraphy I did of that chapter 20 years ago. .
 
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Steve Owen

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That is just nonsense. Fasting, prayer, worship, study of the Word, etc. are Christian practices of those who already have the righteousness of God imputed to them. They are all a part of sanctification.
You're actually agreeing with me. I am not criticizing prayer, worship, study of the Word, etc. - not at all - but they are not the righteousness of God, which is what you are saying. I have some unease over fasting as a part of sanctification, though if some folk find it beneficial, I will not criticize. It does seem to me that fasting, even in the O.T. was something done at certain critical times (cf. Ezra 8:21-23; Esther 4:16). I think it is also worth reading Isaiah 58 and check out one's motivation for fasting.

When we have done all these things, we are still 'unprofitable servants.' We do not earn bonus points from God by doing them.

From the Heidleberg Catechism, 1563:

Q1. What is thine only comfort in life and death?
Ans. That both in body and soul whether I live or die, I am not my own, but belong wholly unto my faithful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who by His precious blood most fully satisfying for all my sins, hath delivered me from all the power of the devil, and to preserve me, that without the will of my heavenly Father, not so much as a hair may fall from my head, yea, all things must serve for my safety. Wherefore by His Spirit also He assureth me of everlasting life, and maketh me ready and pre[ared that henceforth I mau live to Him.

Q2. How many things are necessary for thee to know, that thou enjoying His comfort mayest live and die happily?
Ans. Three. The first, what is the greatness of my sin and misery. The second, how I am delivered from all sin and misery. The third, what thanks I owe unto God for this delivery.
 

VictoryinJesus

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Some ppl see John 6.51 as referring to the Lord's Supper; I don't; it seems strongly to be a reference to feeding on Christ by faith.

Struggled with a reply because don’t necessarily disagree in “it seems strongly to be a reference to feeding on Christ by faith” but thrown at this is not the Lord’s supper. See (if I’ve understood) you are saying the words are Spirit spoken in John 6:5 but that is the bread one is to eat of from above. So as to not derail the thread will leave it there. Spiritual as also 1 Corinthians 11:21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

God said He would add drunkenness to their thirst ...and pretty sure confusion. The word instructs to be sober and to have tables to eat of at home, so when coming together it is “to care for one another.”
 
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Enoch111

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You're actually agreeing with me. I am not criticizing prayer, worship, study of the Word, etc. - not at all - but they are not the righteousness of God, which is what you are saying.
How can they not be the righteousness of God being worked out in sanctification by the Holy Spirit? "For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure".
 
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