Love Is The Greatest Commandment

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 

                                                                                  (1 John 5:1-6 KJV)

We are to  "love the Lord our God with all our hearts and souls and minds." (Matt 22:37) We show this love by loving and respecting His children. We show this love in what we say and in what we do.

The world throws temptation after temptation at us. The world would tell us that other people's problems are not our problems. When God asked Cain what happened to his brother that he had murdered. Cain's response was a very unloving response "Am I my brother's keeper?" Cain ended up exiled.

According to the Christian Martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”

As Lutheran Christians we are taught that not only are we are not to covet or steal or bear false witnesses; but, we are to help and support those in need. We are to help them keep their property and their loved ones. Sometimes that means defending them against those who would harm them. Sometimes it means we may have to confront them when their own actions are putting them in peril. Sometimes, we may have to give them a helping hand. We do this not out of fear of the consequences of not obeying the law; but, out of love. We do not tear down. We help to build up.

A friend of mine once told me that she doesn't bother worrying about keeping all of the commandments. She said she just focuses on doing the loving and right thing for others. Love, she insisted is the fulfillment of the law. Of course, none of us can do this perfectly. We will all fall short. We will find all kinds of excuses to not love and do what is right for others. The only one who is and was able to fulfill this law of love completely is Jesus the Christ.

St. Paul wrote to the Romans: "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (Rom 13:8-10)

"Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:5) This Son of God is a gift of love to the world. Let us abide in him and live in his love now and for all of eternity!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Family Division

And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? 

And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? 

And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

                                                                                        (Gen 4:9-12 KJV)

Cain was a bit jealous because God had favored Abel's offering. He was so jealous that he killed him. God did not kill him; but, kicked him out of the place; the home with his parents Adam and Eve. He exiled Cain as a fugitive and vagabond.

Cain and Abel were not the first in that family to have problems with their family members. Adam and Eve decided to listen to gossip; the lies, from the snake. The snake said that their father, our father, had lied to them. So, they ate what the snake offered hoping for more than their father had given them. The consequences they were kicked out of the home their father had prepared for them in the paradise of Eden.

Then there is the story of Jacob and Esau. Jacob stole Esau's blessing from their father because of jealousy; envy. They were at odds with each other for years.

Jacob was his father's favorite. His brothers were jealous so they sold him into slavery. In the end, Jacob became just about everyone's favorite. He did not see his family again for years; not until they needed his favors; his mercy.

Rivalry, disrespect, down right hatred is not so uncommon within families as one might think. Most families that I know (who are honest with me) tell stories of family divisions. Some families reconcile after years of separation. Other families never do. Sometimes, it is necessary for there to be a separation so that tempers have time to cool down and nothing worse happens. Sometimes, those tempers never do. But, thanks be to God many do. Jealousy often dies as we get older. We learn not to gossip or lie about our families in attempts to come out looking better than we are. Sometimes the attitudes and life-styles never change and reconciliation is not advisable unless we desire to spend or days playing more games that lead to destruction rather than living life in peace.

When all parties decide it is time to put away the jealousy, the greed, the animosity, even the sinful nature of our attitudes, reconciliation can begin.

Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden of paradise, out of our Father's presence, as were all of their descendants. But, there is a chance for reconciliation. On the cross, Jesus took upon himself all of our sins; all of our hate, all of greed and selfishness, all of our nasty egos. They were put to death with him so that we might be reconciled to our Father in heaven and to one another in Christ Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr. J