(jtartar;68214)
setfree, While it is very true we should love Jesus for what he has done for us and what he will do in the future. When Jesus said the words about loving the Lord, your God Jesus was talking about loving Jesus' Father, The Almighty God. Notice John 17:3 where Jesus says to take in knowledge of the only true, and of the one He sent forth. 1Cor 8:5,6, tells us that to a Christian there is actually ONE God, and ONE Lord, Jesus Christ. Remember that Jesus told Satan that it is only to God alone that we should worship and to Him alone to give sacred service, Matt 4:10. At Luke 18:19,19, when a person said to Jesus, GOOD TEACHER, Jesus said; Why do you call me GOOD? Only ONE is GOOD, God. Jesus came to earth to do the will of his Father and his God, John 4:34, 6:38, John 20:17, 2Cor 1:3,, Eph 1:3, Rev 3:12. The things Jesus taught belonged to his Father, John 7:15,16. Another point that is very important is what you said about all Christians being of the Bride of Christ. When Jesus was speaking to his disciples he called them a Little Flock, Luke 12:32. It is only this Little Flock that make up this Bride of Christ. These are spoken of at Rom 8:14-17,23. Remember these are adopted by God to be JOINT HEIRS with Jesus of the Heavenly Kingdom. Notice that these are spoken of as Firstfruits, here and other places, James 1:18, Rev 14:4. Just as during the time of the Mosaic Law Covenant, when Firstfruits are taken, there are also other fruits. The ones who inherit the Kingdom are a group of 144,000, who are SEALED with spirit, they are ANOINTED, just as Jesus was, 2Cor 1:21,21, 1John 2:20,27. Only a few are ANOINTED, usually Kings, as David, and Saul, NOT EVERYONE!!! The ones spoken of as having a part of the FIRST RESURRECTION ar the ones that go to heaven with Jesus to be kings and priests, Rev 20:4-6, 2:11. These are resurrected to become IMMORTAL, 1Cor 15:51-54. A person who is immortal CANNOT die. The ones spoken of by Jesus to be a part of the greater resurrection, John 5:28,29, can still die, as some will get a judgement, that is bad. The ones spoken of as sealed are numbered, 144,00, while the other resurrected one are a Great Crowd that cannot be numbered, Rev 7:4, 9.
My Lord is God....."Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." (Psalm 100) "My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth." (Psalm 108) "Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD." (Psalm 150)