We Are To Love Our Neighbor

[Christina]

OUR FREEDOM IN CHRIST, AND LOVE

Restrictions of the law are, under grace, fulfilled in one word – love. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Love will never hurt or defraud one's neighbor.

"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For this, `You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet;' and if there is any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, `You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Love works no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:8-10).

"For, brothers, you have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; `You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Galatians 5:13-14).

As members of Christ's Body, we are neighbors.

"… Speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another" (Ephesians 4:25).

Love is the fulfilling of the law. This is why, to the pure, all things are pure, and there is nothing unclean of itself. This is why love is eternally bound to grace. Grace is the absence of law, and there is no need for a law where love is genuinely present … "and the greatest of these is love."

"Unto the pure all things are pure …" (Titus 1:15).

"I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself ..."
(Romans 14:14).

"All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not" (I Corinthians 10:23).

"And now abides faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is love" (I Corinthians 13:13).

Clyde L. Pilkington

 

[Jimmy Engle]

I have been thinking about this topic all day about loving others. It is the greatest commandment and the most difficult one to live out. Especially loving those who persecute you or do wrong to you.

1 John 3:14-16 - We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

I wish my pastor would preach a sermon on this, I feel saddened sometimes when I go to church and there isn't much fellowship just worship, offering, sermon, worship and then everyone goes home. Where is the fellowship with the brethren? Where is the love for one another? Why is the mindset of the church more focused on tradition instead of fellowship? It leaves me with a sour taste in my mouth. But I agree strongly with your post and it should be a question we ask each other every day as to whether we are loving our neighbors as ourselves.