What Is Love?

[Webers_Home]

.
● Eph 4:32 . . Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each
other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Within the context of the letter Paul wrote and sent to the Christians residing
in the ancient city of Ephesus; the objects "one another" and "each other"
are exclusive; viz: the comments refer only to one's fellow Bible-believing
Christians rather than the world at large. So if you're unwilling to be kind
and compassionate to outsiders; at least be so with people at church so as
to help prevent church from becoming a hostile worship environment.

The Greek word for "kind" is chrestos (khrase-tos') which means: employed;
viz: useful.

Chrestos is found in only seven places in the New Testament, and without
exception implies being beneficial to others for their own good rather than
using people to benefit your own self.

The word for "compassionate" is eusplagchnos (yoo'-splangkh-nos) which
means: sympathetic.

Webster's defines sympathy as: 1) an affinity, association, or relationship
between persons or things wherein whatever affects one similarly affects the
other, 2) inclination to think or feel alike: emotional or intellectual accord, 3)
feeling of loyalty: tendency to favor or support, 4) the act, or capacity, of
entering into or sharing the feelings or interests of another, 5) sensitivity,
and 6) heart; as in "have a heart".

Eusplagchnos would make a good substitute for a word found in one of The
Lord's beatitudes.

● Matt 5:7 . . Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

"merciful" is from the word eleemon (el-eh-ay'-mone) which means pretty
much the same thing as eusplagchnos: compassionate and sympathetic.

It used to be that Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts were trained to be useful to
others as just simply a matter of good deeds and good citizenship. I don't
know, maybe they still are; but I've known lots of churchians who were
totally useless to others because they're infected with an ugly spirit of
conceit, rivalry, and indifference. Far from being kind and compassionate;
those Christians are actually sociopathic and don't even know it.

The word "forgiving" is charizomai (khar-id'-zom-ahee) which essentially
means: to grant as a favor; viz: gratuitously, i.e. courtesy.

Webster's defines gratuitous as: 1) given unearned or without recompense,
2) not involving a return benefit or compensation or consideration, 3)
costing nothing: free, 4) not called for by the circumstances: unwarranted,
5) complimentary, 6) gratis, and 7) voluntary. In other words; charizomai
seeks no reciprocation; it never says "you owe me one"

Sailors are oft heard to say that the sea is very unforgiving: meaning it
allows no room for error or weakness. Christians ought not be like the sea.
We ought to be the most forgiving people on the planet; and not because we
expect others to reciprocate; but just because we enjoy being gratuitous.
For some Christians though, courtesy is an effort.

Eph 4:31-32 isn't easy. What we're looking at there is not just good
citizenship; no, what we're looking at is something divine in both its nature
and its behavior.

● Phil 2:1-2 . . If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort
of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my
joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of
one mind.

The word for "bowels" is splagchnon (splangkh'-non) which means: an
intestine. Your gut is the very place where you "feel" pity and/or sympathy
for others-- that is; if you're capable of those kinds of feelings; not everyone
is.
_

 

[aspen]

Love is serving others

 

[Jennifer]

.
● Rom 12:10a . . Love each other with genuine affection

Real affection is easy to imitate, but not so easy to duplicate. Going through
the motions is just not the same as feeling the feelings.

There are people in this world who, by nature, are affection-challenged.
They can't even feel anything for their own children, let alone other people.
For them, parenting is a nightmare rather than a dream come true. Their
children are a burden rather than a blessing. Children ruin those parents'
lives instead of brightening them up and making their lives more worth the
living.

However, affection-challenged people aren't entirely hopeless because
Christianity isn't a do-it-yourself religion; it's a supernatural religion.

● Rom 8:11 . . If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in
you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal
bodies through His spirit, who lives in you.

A heads up to affection-challenged people: Love is inconvenient. It will make
you a better human being, but it will also make you pretty uncomfortable at
times too because love gets into your gut and makes you emotional,
sensitive, compassionate, and empathetic.
_

That's Bs. Parents are responsible for thier actions just as thier children are because the truth is in the Lord's eyes whether parent or child we are all his children and both will have to answer to him...just because like Jesus came before us parents come before thier children..the bible says train a child in the way to go and he shall not depart from it just as it also says obey your mother and father for this is pleasing to the Lord... parents children should never be a burden to them..they supposed to help and care for there kids and have unconditional love for thier child...if you can't take care of your children right then don't have children period..simple as that...and when children become adults it should no longer be a burden period..they should just let the adult child go it's own way seeing it's an adult now and can take care of itself, let the adult child go and maybe there would be no burdens...geez where is people's common sense?

 

[Jennifer]

.
● Rom 12:10b . . Honor others over yourselves.

Christians infected with narcissistic personality disorder will find that rule
difficult, if not impossible, to obey. It's a mental condition characterized by a
grandiose sense of self-importance, a need for excessive admiration,
exploitive behavior in relationships, and a lack of empathy.

Narcissistic people are by nature insufferably arrogant, self-absorbed,
indifferent, and insensitive. They see nothing wrong with their behavior, nor
are they attuned to its impact on others. Were you to confront narcissistic
folk with your concerns about their attitude; be prepared for a counterattack
because they'll no doubt become indignant and defensive; possibly accusing
you of selfishness, jealousy, overreaction, hysteria, and unloving behavior.
You see; they're never the problem: you are.

As I was watching a recent series on the National Geographic channel about
geniuses; it became readily apparent to me that people in the genius
category crave recognition. Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso are two very
good examples. Their contributions to art and science were secondary to
their ambitions for greatness. I wouldn't say that all geniuses are like that of
course, but apparently the desire for greatness is not uncommon among
them.

I should think that most alpha achievers would have trouble complying Rom
12:10b too. I mean. why be a winner if not to feel superior to everyone
else? The alpha achiever's motto is: It's not enough to succeed: everyone
else must fail.

Feelings of value are important to everyone's sense of well being, but the
alpha achiever feels only himself to be of any real value; in his mind's eye,
those "below" him are of little worth, i.e. expendable and/or a dime a dozen.
(cf. Est 6:6, Matt 27:26, Mark 12:38 39, and 3John 1:9)
_

Why destroy hurt and kill an innocent person? Especially if they not bothering you.. why are you judging me? Do I know you? People are crazy..

 

[jshiii]

.
● John 13:35 . . By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you
love one another.

For many of us who grew up in dysfunctional families, broken homes, foster
systems, gangs, and/or orphanages et al; the concept of love doesn't
resonate in our thinking; viz: it just goes in one ear and right out the other
because we quite literally have no points of reference in our minds to aid
comprehending what Christ means by love. We know what Hollywood and
contemporary music mean by love, but we haven't a clue what Christ
means.

This is why the epistles are so valuable-- many of them not only show
Christ's followers how to recognize love when they encounter it; but also
how to exemplify it in their own lives so that those of us who were deprived
of love growing up are not left to figure it out on our own. For example:

● Col 4:6 . . Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt

Grace can be defined as kind, courteous, inclined to good will, generous,
charitable, altruistic, compassionate, sympathetic, thoughtful, cordial,
affable, genial, sociable, cheerful, warm, sensitive, hospitable, considerate,
and tactful.

One of salt's purposes is to enhance flavor and make otherwise naturally
insipid and/or bad-tasting things palatable, viz: diplomacy; which can be
roughly defined as conversation that makes an effort to maintain peace
rather than provoke conflict and/or annoy people and make them
uncomfortable.
_

1 John 4:18 KJV
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.


The Lord Jesus Christ ONLY, is Worthy of all our Praise and Worship!
Eternity is a Very long Time!
Satan Loves Distractions!

 

[justbyfaith]

Salt is a preserving agent; when it is placed in a wound, it heals, but also causes irritation; too much salt will produce a distinctly potent taste in the mouth; it produces thirst; and there may be a few other attributes of salt that I can not think of right now.

 

[justbyfaith]

Some of the things, having to do with Mary, are very likely not based in reality; as they exalt Mary to a position that does not belong to her.

 

[marksman]

.
● John 13:35 . . By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you
love one another.

For many of us who grew up in dysfunctional families, broken homes, foster
systems, gangs, and/or orphanages et al; the concept of love doesn't
resonate in our thinking; viz: it just goes in one ear and right out the other
because we quite literally have no points of reference in our minds to aid
comprehending what Christ means by love. We know what Hollywood and
contemporary music mean by love, but we haven't a clue what Christ
means.

This is why the epistles are so valuable-- many of them not only show
Christ's followers how to recognize love when they encounter it; but also
how to exemplify it in their own lives so that those of us who were deprived
of love growing up are not left to figure it out on our own. For example:

● Col 4:6 . . Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt

Grace can be defined as kind, courteous, inclined to good will, generous,
charitable, altruistic, compassionate, sympathetic, thoughtful, cordial,
affable, genial, sociable, cheerful, warm, sensitive, hospitable, considerate,
and tactful.

One of salt's purposes is to enhance flavor and make otherwise naturally
insipid and/or bad-tasting things palatable, viz: diplomacy; which can be
roughly defined as conversation that makes an effort to maintain peace
rather than provoke conflict and/or annoy people and make them
uncomfortable.
_

An excellent post because it is clear the world sings more and more about love the less there is of love. It had all been reduced to a physical feeling that can be switched on and of at will. Most of their understanding of it is jumping into bed with someone and having sex. I remember reading a story of one mother who sent her son to a brothel because he had not had sex by the age of 18. And another parent who went ballistic at a teacher because she said in a sex education class to delay their sexual activity as long as possible. "How dare you tell my son to delay what is his by right???"

I am very cognizant of what you said about dysfunctional childhood. I had no father and a very distant mother so I was a prime target for sexual waywardness. Fortunately, I was saved at the age of eleven and the men at church kept watch over me and kept me on the straight and narrow. My first sexual experience was on my wedding night at the age of 28.

The other trial I had was the fact that I was autistic. We don't have a capacity for emotions so we are left to work it out as we go along and we don't always get it right. It is a miracle that I have just celebrated my 50th wedding anniversary.

Being autistic I read people the wrong way and being autistic means people read me the wrong way. What autistic people need is love and acceptance...just the way they are because there is no cure so they cannot stop being what they are. The church that can accept an autistic person as they are and love them is doing a great job. For your information, an autistic person NEVER tries to belittle people. What they say they say because to them it is just facts. Nothing more and nothing less and there is no innuendo behind what is said.

I will give you an example. The 11-year-old grandson of a friend of ours who is autistic was in the shopping centre with his parents and he turned round to then and said: "that woman is fat." There was not an ounce of judgment in what he said. He had seen a fat woman so he said to his parents the woman was fat as a statement of fact. Nothing more and nothing less. His autism had not allowed him to realise that if he saw a woman who was fat, you didn't give your public observance about the fact.

Hope that helps.

 

[justbyfaith]

Jer 1:9, Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
Jer 1:10, See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

 

[justbyfaith]

Before a good building can be built, sometimes the precipice that already stands must be thrown down/completely demolished.

 

[justbyfaith]

A question that arises is, is it hypocrisy to eat non-kosher foods when I am alone or with just my family; but to abstain from non-kosher foods when I am around Jewish people and/or seventh-day adventists?

 

[DPMartin]

.
● John 13:35 . . By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you
love one another.

For many of us who grew up in dysfunctional families, broken homes, foster
systems, gangs, and/or orphanages et al; the concept of love doesn't
resonate in our thinking; viz: it just goes in one ear and right out the other
because we quite literally have no points of reference in our minds to aid
comprehending what Christ means by love. We know what Hollywood and
contemporary music mean by love, but we haven't a clue what Christ
means.

This is why the epistles are so valuable-- many of them not only show
Christ's followers how to recognize love when they encounter it; but also
how to exemplify it in their own lives so that those of us who were deprived
of love growing up are not left to figure it out on our own. For example:

● Col 4:6 . . Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt

Grace can be defined as kind, courteous, inclined to good will, generous,
charitable, altruistic, compassionate, sympathetic, thoughtful, cordial,
affable, genial, sociable, cheerful, warm, sensitive, hospitable, considerate,
and tactful.

One of salt's purposes is to enhance flavor and make otherwise naturally
insipid and/or bad-tasting things palatable, viz: diplomacy; which can be
roughly defined as conversation that makes an effort to maintain peace
rather than provoke conflict and/or annoy people and make them
uncomfortable.
_

God is always faithful to the faithful and that is His Grace. Jesus was faithful to the Father over all else, so is the Father to the Son over all else. if you are not a child of the Father that is something you will never know. to know is to experience. no experience, then you don't know.


If you imagine what God is like, then you are on the outside trying to look in. if you know what God is like then you know Jesus.

 

[justbyfaith]

Well; the easiest way to settle this is to
follow Webster's definition that a Christian is simply someone who professes
a belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ.

A Christian who is truly born again, however, is obedient to the Lord and would not do things such as what you have listed; because such things are things that would grieve the Holy Spirit.

I know that there are many who identify themselves as Christians according to your definition who are not going to heaven.

It is written,

Mat 7:13, Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14, Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

and,

Mat 7:21, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22, Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23, And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

I think that it is quite conducive to moral decay in society to say that the things that you have mentioned are not sins.

For example: it's not unusual to hear a Christian pontificate that real
Christians would never watch R-rated movies, gamble, wear a speedo or a
string bikini, use cosmetics, smoke marijuana, expose cleavage or wear skin
tight yoga pants in public, stop for a beer on the way home from work, have
a glass of wine before bedtime, listen to RAP music, ditch church and
Sunday school for years at a time, or go in a bar or a nightclub where
there's topless female dancers up on a stage twining themselves around a
pole while leering men stuff currency into the hems of their skimpy little
costumes.

 

[Webers_Home]

.
● 1Cor 8:4-13 . .We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that
there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in
heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), yet
for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for
whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all
things came and through whom we live.

. . . But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to
idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed
to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not
bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we
do.

. . . Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become
a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees
you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be
emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother,
for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against
your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against
Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never
eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.

That passage can be said to be a codicil to the 14th chapter of Romans.

Putting this into a modern context is pretty simple; e.g. here in Oregon we
have tavern-style restaurants; viz: a section of the tavern is a bar, and
another section is dedicated to dining. The bar sections usually host State
sanctioned gambling machines too and typically off-limits to minors.

Suppose you have Christian friends who sincerely feel it's wrong to dine in a
tavern-style restaurant because of the alcohol and the gambling. Though
you yourself might be comfortable in your own mind that there is no sin in
dining at taverns, your friends are not so sure. So if you were to take them
to a tavern, they would be committing sin in compromising their conscience;
and you would be committing sin by knowingly leading them in a situation
that causes them to make that compromise.

● Rom 15:1-2 . .We may know that these things make no difference, but we
cannot just go ahead and do them to please ourselves. We must be
considerate of the doubts and fears of those who think these things are
wrong. We should please others. If we do what helps them, we will build
them up in The Lord.

A pertinent example is Hooters; where the waitresses are cute buxom girls
filled out in all the right places clothed in short shorts, and clingy tops; so
that the situation is a double whammy of babes and alcohol. Supposing your
Christian buddy sincerely feels it's wrong for Christians to dine at Hooters?
Then you would be wrong in taking him there for a burger even if you were
convinced in your own mind there is nothing wrong with Hooters because
you would be leading your Christian buddy into a situation that's below him
and causes him to feel guilty and/or less of himself.

The Bible says that Christians should accommodate others to their
edification (edification means to build someone up as opposed to tearing
them down), Well, when we please ourselves to their detriment; that's being
selfish. Some guys feel that cute buxom girls and yummy gams are a God
send, while other guys regard them as the Devil in disguise. The correct
route here is to accommodate the more sensitive conscience.

This is one of those situations that requires that each individual to be
convinced in their own mind whether Hooters is wrong for themselves or
okay for themselves (Rom 14:5) and God forbid that Christians should
criticize a fellow Christian who frequents Hooters because this is indeed one
of those gray areas; and just who are you to legislate the rules for others in
gray areas (Rom 14:3-4). It's unfortunate that there are some very
imperious, domineering Christians out and about who see nothing wrong
with bullying others to compromise their convictions just so long as they get
their own way and everybody conforms to their way of thinking.
_

 

[justbyfaith]

Some guys feel that cute buxom girls and yummy gams are a God
send, while other guys regard them as the Devil in disguise.

The latter thing is true.

This is one of those situations that requires that each individual to be
convinced in their own mind whether Hooters is wrong for themselves or
okay for themselves (Rom 14:5) and God forbid that Christians should
criticize a fellow Christian who frequents Hooters because this is indeed one
of those gray areas;

If you can go to Hooters without it leading to evil concupiscence in secret places, more power to ya.

But if you cannot prevent it from leading to evil concupiscence, then you are wiser to abstain from entering into a situation that might lead you into temptation. It would also make going to Hooters not just a gray area but a thing of black and white.

 

[justbyfaith]

"bigot" is a buzz-word in the homosexual community.

I do believe that calling homosexual practice the result of a reprobate mind, as the Bible teaches us (Romans 1:28), is not in violation of the love of the Lord as you would define it in 1 Corinthians 10:32-33.

It is declaring the judgment of the Lord.

Also, Paul wrote in Galatians chapter 1 that if he still pleased men, he would not be the bondservant of Christ.

So how do we strike the balance between pleasing men in all things, and being a bondservant of Christ so that we seek to please the Lord primarily?

If something the Lord requires of us turns out to be offensive to someone, we must obey the Lord even though it does not please someone. Galatians 5:11 also tells us that the preaching of the cross is offensive in and of itself.

Other than that, we need to seek to save those who are lost and react according to their needs by making sure that we do not offend them in things that have to do primarily with us...there are those who believe that they are blessed in that they are persecuted for obnoxiousness' sake.

 

[justbyfaith]

In other words; seeing as how Christians
all share in Christ's blood equally-- and deserve hell equally --

I wonder if that is the case. Revelation 3:4 speaks of believers who are worthy of heaven.

You know; why am I even saying these things? In point of fact, why even
did Paul? I mean: shouldn't Christians be eo ipso sources of the milk of
human kindness without somebody shaming them and lecturing them into
being humane with their fellow believers and taking thought for their
feelings? Why must so many Christians be practically strong-armed into
being courteous with one another?

It is an indictment on the church.

Most assuredly, the doctrine that all are sinners doesn't help people to rise up out of their sinful practices and begin to live holy.

Truly, all have sinned and come short of the glory of the Lord...ought this to be used as an excuse for sinning/being a sinner?

I see it as having a ladder that is not tall enough to reach the goal, cut off at the bottom. It falls short of the glory of God; but not because the top part of the ladder is shortened. We fall short because we have all sinned in the past; however we can measure up in the present and in the future; except for the sins that we have committed in the past.

1 John 3:6 w/ 1 John 2:17 is one set of passages that teaches us this. We can indeed walk in freedom and victory, Romans 3:23 does not preclude that we cannot. Rather, people use it to excuse themselves when they come short of the glory of the Lord. But what they should instead be doing is to look to the standard and seek to be more conformed to it. And when that fails, receiving Jesus and then walking according to the Spirit will result in that standard not being violated in one's life.

 

[justbyfaith]

.
● 2Cor 2:9-11 . . If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have
forgiven-- if there was anything to forgive --I have forgiven in the sight of
Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not
unaware of his schemes.

One of the opposition's tactics is to create disunity in a church. Sure enough
when that happens-- as when one portion of the congregation believes in
judging and ostracizing while the other doesn't --people start taking sides
and the church will end up divided into cliques and factions. According to the
lord and master of New Testament Christianity, a house divided against itself
cannot stand.

Paul mentioned that his extension of forgiveness was "in the sight of Christ".
There exists some controversy as to the exact meaning but I think it's just
saying that Paul's forgiveness of that man was done in accordance with
Christ's approval; to the end that the Corinthians all go along with it, i.e.
stand together as one.
_

According to Ecclesiastes 3, there is a time and a place for everything.

1 Corinthians 5 shows forth that there was a time and a place for ostracizing people who were steeped in sin.

There was also a time and a place to restore that same brother in 2 Corinthians 2 (the scriptures brought up by @Webers_Home)

 

[justbyfaith]

Of course, if you know the truth of a matter and bring correction to someone who is in error; who then thinks that you are in rivalry with him; then you are not truly in any kind of rivalry but are walking in obedience to the following scripture:

2Ti 4:2, Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Or, in the NIV:

2Ti 4:2, Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

 

[marksman]

A question that arises is, is it hypocrisy to eat non-kosher foods when I am alone or with just my family; but to abstain from non-kosher foods when I am around Jewish people and/or seventh-day adventists?

Even worse not drink coffee because of my Mormon friends. Oh hell. I couldn't survive without my daily cappuccino.