God’s Love and Ours
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.
16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.
18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.
20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
Can i ask you a serious q?? I know i tease you a bit about your mid life....(haha...)...i mean... your open heart to truth wherever you find it, but i do respect that you studied a lot as well as having a lot of experience in life.
ReplyDeleteLately i have been learning that the sacraments are salvation to us. Sacraments of the Eucharist, Chrismation, Baptism, The Priesthood, Marriage, Penance and The Annointing of the Sick (Euchalaion) these are all founded on the words and actions of The Lord in scripture - Baptism and The Eucharist being the preeminent ones.
How come is it that you can place less emphasis on these things but only on love. I agree everything is done in the context of love but not for love sake in itself because all humans can love in some measure but not all humans are in the ark of The Church, not all have right belief and right worship, which is what God requires.
You know i'm into Orthodoxy right?? I left the flakey protestant church because of their emphasis on self and chasing the experience and more importantly, i started to study the actual doctrine and i didn't believe it. Protestantism came out of Roman Catholicism and God would never have blessed The Great Schism because he is a God of unity not disunity. Prior to RC, there was nothing but Orthodoxy going back right to the Apostles themselves.
I think i know what your going to say.
Brenda
I love you? hahaha...Is that what you thought I would say?
ReplyDeleteI am pleased that you are feeling more at home with orthodoxy and that it stimulates you and helps you to commune with God. My prayer of course is that it leads you in the way of LOVE.
What is the purpose of doctrine? Doctrine must lead somewhere. Does doctrine lead to adherance to a law or does doctrine become the law? Can doctrine lead us to the purpose of the doctrine?
What is the purpose of the law? Is it about us following the various prescribed laws for Gods favour? If these laws and doctrines MUST be followed in order to win Gods favor,then is it not by our strength and resolve that we succeed or fail?
What is it specifically that God requires? Is it a list of rules or adherence to his specific command? And what is that specific command? To worship Him in a specific way? Some say yes, some say no.
I beleive Gods command was to LOVE the Lord our God with all our heart and to LOVE our neighbours (and enemies)as ourselves. In my mind, all the laws, rules, doctrines, rituals MUST lead to LOVE. Why? Because He said.
Is it possible to LOVE without doctrine? Is it possible to make it to my place without a GPS?
This is probably what you expected I would say.
Having said that, I was baptized in the credit river, my home town river. Sue and I both were baptised at this place, far from the river Jordan, yet still equally as powerful to us. I will never forget that moment. It was an outward expression of an inward reality. The act of baptism did not save me for I was already saved.
Do I recommend baptism? ABSOLUTELY! But is baptism of any value if it is not a reflection of an inward reality? Is it the act itself OR what the act represents or the intent of the act?
I say go ahead and follow the laws, rules, regulations, doctrines, wisdom, and prescribed pennances as long as they lead to God and never forget that God IS LOVE.
blessings to you Brenda and thanks for always reminding me about "stuff"...I asked too many questions and gave too few answers.
Nope its good you ask q's I will get back to you on this though i need to think about it.
ReplyDeleteB
I also answered in haste and bypassed your question. "How come is it that you can place less emphasis on these things but only on love".
ReplyDeleteI guess the answer is I shouldnt. "These things" are important. They are important to know. They are important to grasp. I dont want to dis the sacraments or under rate them. Learn, read ponder and revel in the community you are in. I have much respect for orthodoxy.
I wont dis one religion/doctrine/belief system over another. God IS a God of unity, but that doesnt mean we have to all attend the same church with the same doctrine. God IS a God of unity, for in LOVE, we are unified.
The great Schism is a man made term used out of fear of difference and change. In LOVE, there is no difference. The differences we use to divide ourselves are designed and created by ourselves and our institutions and by time and tradition.
I am grateful for Orthodoxy. I am grateful for Catholisism. I am grateful for Protestantism. I am grateful for all people who seek to know and worship God. We are all parts of the same unified body. We are all differant, performing differant functions in this grand dance. The tie that binds it all is LOVE.
peace be your journey...
haha.... is there ANY point me asking you about this at ALL???? Catholicism is evil it's 'another gospel' and The Pope isnt infallible he's just another bishop that decided he had a right to more honour and authority than all the other bishops - which he doesn't.
ReplyDeleteWhatever i come up with your just going to give me "love" back huh LOL
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
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