Who is my neighbor?

[Yehren]

The Teacher was asked: “Who is my neighbor?”

In reply, the Teacher said:
“A man was going home from work one night, when he was attacked by robbers. They took everything he had, beat him, and left him for dead.

A church-going Christian happened by, and when he saw the man, thought 'probably a drug deal gone bad', and crossed to the other side of the street. So too, a wealthy businessman passed by, saw him and said 'An obvious loser. I like winners.' And he, too crossed to the other side of the street.

But an illegal alien, driving home saw the man. He stopped his truck, got the first aid kit out of his truck box and tended to the man's wounds. He put the man in his truck and drove to an emergency room.

'Does he have insurance?' they asked. 'I don't know', said the illegal alien. 'I have this much from my last job; if it costs more, I will pay for it, if he has no insurance.'

"Which of these three do you think was the neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

They replied, 'The one who had mercy on him.'

The Teacher told them, “Go and do likewise.”

 

[Waiting on him]

The Teacher was asked: “Who is my neighbor?”

In reply, the Teacher said:
“A man was going home from work one night, when he was attacked by robbers. They took everything he had, beat him, and left him for dead.

A church-going Christian happened by, and when he saw the man, thought 'probably a drug deal gone bad', and crossed to the other side of the street. So too, a wealthy businessman passed by, saw him and said 'An obvious loser. I like winners.' And he, too crossed to the other side of the street.

But an illegal alien, driving home saw the man. He stopped his truck, got the first aid kit out of his truck box and tended to the man's wounds. He put the man in his truck and drove to an emergency room.

'Does he have insurance?' they asked. 'I don't know', said the illegal alien. 'I have this much from my last job; if it costs more, I will pay for it, if he has no insurance.'

"Which of these three do you think was the neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

They replied, 'The one who had mercy on him.'

The Teacher told them, “Go and do likewise.”

Good story; If the illegal alien would have had some wine and oil to pour into his wounds, would have been far more prospering to Gods kingdom?

 

[amadeus]

@Yehren
So then who is our neighbor? What if instead of an illegal alien, it had been a Muslim who was the third passerby who had mercy on and helped the attacked man? Would not he be our neighbor? Remember what Jesus also said here:

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Matt 22:37-39

If it is hard to love an illegal alien, how about loving a Muslim... who by the way may be legally admitted?

 

[Nancy]

@Yehren
So then who is our neighbor? What if instead of an illegal alien, it had been a Muslim who was the third passerby who had mercy on and helped the attacked man? Would not he be our neighbor? Remember what Jesus also said here:

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Matt 22:37-39

If it is hard to love an illegal alien, how about loving a Muslim... who by the way may be legally admitted?

Hi John,
Would you say that the good Samaritan who helped the attacked man, would be among the "Guests" at the wedding supper of the Lamb? What if they were not believers in Jesus being the only way to The Father? This has been on my mind ever since we spoke briefly about it in one of our conferences. Is the only way to The Father (through Jesus) the same as the only way to Heaven? I just cannot settle this in my heart and mind. Righteousness = being morally correct, virtue, decency, integrity, honesty,
purity and so on...but...if they have not Jesus, what of their own righteousness being placed above the righteousness of God? Is not our own righteousness only of Jesus?

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners ,Christ died for us. by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."
Romans 5:8-10.
Does not God impart this righteousness on us? Only His righteousness is pure and perfect.
Your thoughts brother?

 

[amadeus]

Hi John,
Would you say that the good Samaritan who helped the attacked man, would be among the "Guests" at the wedding supper of the Lamb? What if they were not believers in Jesus being the only way to The Father? This has been on my mind ever since we spoke briefly about it in one of our conferences. Is the only way to The Father (through Jesus) the same as the only way to Heaven?

The answer for me rests in what it means to be in Jesus or to be in the Name. People presume that one must know the word, Jesus, to be ever be in it, but I don't do that. I believe that when King David did the right things as led by the Holy Spirit, he was in the Name even though he did not know the word, Jesus. Some people today know the name, Jesus, but are never in that name. Knowing the name, even pronouncing it with our lips is not the same as being in it. I would not judge that Samaritan so as to say he could not be part of the Bride rather than simply a guest. Assuming he was a real man rather than just a story character, his time was not finished when he left the wounded man at the Inn. Therefore he still had the all the possibilities available that God had promised.

I just cannot settle this in my heart and mind. Righteousness = being morally correct, virtue, decency, integrity, honesty,
purity and so on...but...if they have not Jesus, what of their own righteousness being placed above the righteousness of God? Is not our own righteousness only of Jesus?

By faith we come to Jesus, to God. It is all in our hearts, even if we do not know all of the words to explain it all. Learning the words and their meanings is OK so long as it does not interfere with the connection to God in your heart through the Holy Ghost. Don't let the study of those words get in your way:

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" John 11:25-26
Can a person believe in Jesus without knowing what is written in the four gospels?
"For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me." Job 19:25-27

What did Job know about the man Jesus who was to walk on planet Earth long after Job's own time was ended? He knew what he needed to know in his heart. Compared to what we know he seemingly knew little, but according to his faith he knew more than many who sit in pews regularly today... without the written NT.

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners ,Christ died for us. by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."
Romans 5:8-10.
Does not God impart this righteousness on us? Only His righteousness is pure and perfect.
Your thoughts brother?

We have a lot and we should use all that we have, but don't make the mistake of thinking because we are Bible students with the OT and the NT available that other without those things have less opportunity than we do to see His face. Remember, again, "much is given... much is required". Job definitely had no written NT. If it really is the oldest book in the Bible, what inspired writings of even the OT did he have to refer to... to read or to pray about? Consider the following copied from some of my thoughts on this from several years ago:

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." Col 3:17

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matt 18:20

Being "in the name" is much more than simply saying "in the name of Jesus" when we are praying. People say that there is power in the name and there is but the key is to be "IN" the name. At a neighborhood bar room people may regularly say the word, "Jesus" with their mouths but never are "IN" the name.

When a person is "in the name" completely isn't it that he has the mind of Christ? Do all of us have the mind of Christ all of the time? If we did, we certainly wouldn't sin at all, would we?

I believe that a person can be in the name without saying the name or even without knowing the name in his carnal mind. A number of people in the OT [at least, in a measure], I believe were in the name before any prophet knew what that name was in order to be able to speak it with his mouth.

Wasn't Elijah in the name when he was confronting the 400 prophets of Baal?

Wasn't David 'a man after God's own heart' and the 'apple of God's eye', also in the name or in His name, when God was inspiring him to write many of the psalms attributed to him in the Bible?

Neither Elijah nor David knew that the name of the savior was to be "Jesus" or "Yeshua" or any other spoken name, which man has applied to the Savior in the flesh, unless it was Immanuel or Messiah.

Yet, were not both of them, and others, in the name or in His name long before the time of John the Baptist?

The following verse gives us more about this, does it not?

"For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another)" Rom 2:14-15

Were those not also in some measure "in the name" when they did the right things without having heard the spoken word, "Jesus"?

Paul also says something here on this subject:

"For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you." Acts 17:23

Isn't it also possible that among those Athenians, one or more who knew of that altar to the unknown God were also in His name before Paul talked to them that day?

If they were in the name, didn't they get there without having any written Bible?

If a 10 year old child living in mainland China has always had a tender heart toward people and his Creator and has learned to give his all to everyone with whom he comes into contact, who is to say that that child isn't in the name, simply because he has not seen nor heard of the Bible?

If that child has come into touch with God's Spirit without knowing anything about what the written Bible says, isn't it into the name that the Spirit would lead him?

If the child did need more in order to continue growing, would not God's Spirit be able to direct him to a person and/or to direct a person to him even as Philip was sent to the Ethiopian Eunuch?

 

[Reggie Belafonte]

Bible says about where even Angels fear to tread.

Love thy neighbour as thyself is what one must do, but even Angels fear to tread don't they, so one can only do what you can, so one who is going down the wrong path what can we do, nothing really but try to inform them of where you think that path will lead them.

One wants to get involved in drugs and that life, well one can only point out where that leads to, so they will learn the hard way or end up killed is all on the cards. I feel sorry for them but what can I do, but I have to keep my distance from such people and it's best not get involved.

I could point out not to go into a profession to one and point out why, but if they go down that path I have informed them of the hellfire they are going to get into, so they can not come back at be and claim that I have led they astray on the subject, I warned them of such, just as if it was myself, God knows that if I have my time over again I would not of taken on my trade and I would of ran for the hills. what a nightmare it was looking back, that's insane ! I am living in a good place now and not under that hellfire anymore and if I talk to people about such they have no idea because they have lived a fairy tail life and what they call hardship would not even measure, they are totally oblivious to such things.

Now I can remember even been angered at myself like why did I drink so much the Friday night before sick all day in bed saying never again, but a mate turns up and here we go out drinking again why was that ? well I hated my job and that was a relief valve.

So I can look to others with justified contempt for sure but that's not malice at all, it's to do with Loving your neighbour in fact.

 

[Yehren]

If it is hard to love an illegal alien, how about loving a Muslim... who by the way may be legally admitted?

Of course. I chose an illegal alien because Jesus made a hated Samaritan the true neighbor in His story. I just updated it a bit. The lesson, of course, is that a heretical Samaritan is to be emulated if He has charity for others, in preference to a religiously-correct Levite, who does not.

 

[Waiting on him]

Of course. I chose an illegal alien because Jesus made a hated Samaritan the true neighbor in His story. I just updated it a bit. The lesson, of course, is that a heretical Samaritan is to be emulated if He has charity for others, in preference to a religiously-correct Levite, who does not.

If neither have wine or oil to pour in his wounds then both are only men pleasers

 

[Yehren]

We have a lot and we should use all that we have, but don't make the mistake of thinking because we are Bible students with the OT and the NT available that other without those things have less opportunity than we do to see His face.

I believe you are right. Theology doesn't save one. It's what is in one's heart that saves or condemns.

Luke 17:21 Neither shall they say: Behold here, or behold there. For lo, the kingdom of God is within you.

 

[amadeus]

Of course. I chose an illegal alien because Jesus made a hated Samaritan the true neighbor in His story. I just updated it a bit. The lesson, of course, is that a heretical Samaritan is to be emulated if He has charity for others, in preference to a religiously-correct Levite, who does not.

I understand. I replaced your illegal alien with a Muslim which similarly hated by many today and many of them are among us. Can we ever learn anything good from and illegal alien or a Muslim?

 

[Yehren]

If neither have wine or oil to pour in his wounds then both are only men pleasers

Such things are merely sacramentals; physical symbols of something spiritual. It is the spiritual that saves.

 

[Waiting on him]

Such things are merely sacramentals; physical symbols of something spiritual. It is the spiritual that saves.

Exactly

 

[Yehren]

I understand. I replaced your illegal alien with a Muslim which similarly hated by many today and many of them are among us. Can we ever learn anything good from and illegal alien or a Muslim?

One very astute Christian wrote that we should never deny anything that is holy and true in other religions. I believe he was correct.

 

[amadeus]

One very astute Christian wrote that we should never deny anything that is holy and true in other religions. I believe he was correct.

God created all things, which means all men. From Noah's time people went in a lot of different directions, and they carried a lot with them seen in similarities between religions and Christianity because they all started in the same place. God sent His Son to make a clear pathway to follow back to Him. In Jesus alone is salvation, but too many bearing the label Christian know little of who or what Jesus really is. Many of them will know their own accepted prescribed formulas, but run into trouble when someone points out what appears to be a discrepancy... even if, or especially if, the apparent discrepancy is supposed to be derived from scripture. I will be the first to admit I don't know all of the correct answers either. But... God is not finished with me yet. We all should be growing closer to Him.

 

[Yehren]

I can only say "Amen."

 

[VictoryinJesus]

Such things are merely sacramentals; physical symbols of something spiritual. It is the spiritual that saves.

But important, yeah? “It is the spiritual that saves” Love your neighbour as you love yourself ...wouldn’t loving them be to pour this wine and oil into their wounds. Wouldn’t this be needed above all else. Luke 10:34-36 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. [35] And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. [36] Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

 

[Yehren]

But important, yeah? “It is the spiritual that saves” Love your neighbour as you love yourself ...wouldn’t loving them be to pour this wine and oil into their wounds.

Sure, but today, my example of taking the first aid kit out of the truck box and treating his wounds is more realistic in today's society.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

Sure, but today, my example of taking the first aid kit out of the truck box and treating his wounds is more realistic in today's society.

More realistic yes, but not what is really needed. Then the question might be what is walking in the Spirit of God...if I would say the Word of God says we are to be wealthy as pertaining to money. Is that what the Spirit speaks of as wealth; money? God said ...the Son came not to be served but to serve. My question is what do the children of God ...serve to those who Lack? A first aide kit to temporarily treat wounds? I’m not saying this to be critical but it is questions I’ve been asking Him? Could point out in the neighbor above Jesus Christ is the one who repays and was among thieves. Surely He poured oil and wine into our fatal wounds. What is the children’s part then when God says to love your neighbour as you love yourself? If our eyes are fixed on lower things ...bandaids and temporal fixes that never hold or satisfy as living water ...have we missed the higher “possessing all things” and “making many rich” of truly walking in the Spirit of God?

 

[Reggie Belafonte]

I was just watching a VT program on a person looking back of there history of family tree, she was a Indian and she found out that when Pakistan took over their village what happened was that the Moslems wanted all of their daughters and she found out that her great grandfather killed all his daughters as was the same that most did this, now the point was that this woman was ignorant of this and still is ignorant of as to why it was truly done and because of political correctness she was not told the truth on a TV program as they tip toed around that issue.
The reason as to why it was, because that what the Moslem would do to them girls and women, as it was that it was much more humane to kill them than to suffer them to live that fate.
But thist was only twisted to become a woman's rights issue that creped into the show, but the subject ignorance was astounding for she was not truly educated on the subject and was too shallow to get a handle on the reality of the situation, fact is that them women were to be mutilated by the Moslems and then killed or enslaved, but because of Political Correctness we are not aloud to go into the details of such people and what they do, this is all hidden from the West nowadays. you do not have the right to know nowadays it's another childish taboo that has creep into our world, because people can not handle the truth any more and want to live only a huge lie.

On this program all the people who want to look into their family history are all ignorant kids that never listened to their mum or dad or could not cared less until now mainly, so they are just ignorant brats and most are really stuck up.

My Mum and Dad's generation and before them were much better educated than people are nowadays and we had what was called a white Australia policy and that's what the actual people who went to fight in WW2 were for, but nowadays there is a twist to this policy that misses the point totally, as it was truly about not letting such 3 rate backwards cultures get a foot hold and devastate the Nation, as they had enough problems here back then anyway to deal with. or it would of become a free for all and only of become a 3rd world nation and the Australian people did not want that at all. but the socialist only try and do there best to bastardise the whole thing, so as to cause strife and dominate over all, as they are only too happy to turn a nation into a dumping ground of no hopers and morons because then they can control and easy dominate much over such dregs.

 

[Yehren]

More realistic yes, but not what is really needed. Then the question might be what is walking in the Spirit of God...

Would you think that the illegal alien was walking in the spirit of God? Jesus seems to think so.