Wednesday: Loving Others as We Love Ourselves
Daily Lesson for Wednesday 15th of November 2023
Read Matthew 22:37-40. How does what Jesus Himself said here compare to His answer to the lawyer, in Luke 10:27-28?
According to Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus made it clear that the everyday expression of true belief hangs upon these two commandments. And Luke 10:27-28 makes it clear that if a person does these two things, then he or she will have eternal life.
“Love is the underlying principle of God’s government in heaven and earth, and it must be the foundation of the Christian’s character. This alone can make and keep him steadfast. This alone can enable him to withstand trial and temptation.”—Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 49.
Read Galatians 5:14; Micah 6:6-8; and 1 John 4:20-21. How do these verses reinforce what Jesus had told us?
According to Paul, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’ ” (Galatians 5:14, NKJV). For Paul, loving God can be practically seen only when that love is exemplified in how we treat others. Even though he stated that “ ‘the righteous shall live by faith’ ” (Romans 1:17, ESV), yet living by faith is not something that is hidden, unknown or unseen by others. Paul, Micah, and John make it clear that practical works demonstrate the reality of the faith that we claim.
In 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Paul stated very forcefully that if one claims to have great knowledge or to do great deeds or to have the great faith or even to give up one’s life but does not have love, then that person has become like “sounding brass or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1, NKJV).
Look at the Ellen G. White quote above. Notice what she says about how only in love can people remain steadfast and endure temptation. How does this idea show that the command to love is not salvation by works, but instead, an expression of the faith that we have in Jesus?
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If I dig through the Sabbath School Net archives I would find a long discussion on the topic of "loving one's self" and its semantic variations. Most of it had to do with the use or misuse of terms like self-worth etc in some education systems. Quite frankly I don't want to go there again.
The expression "Love your neighbour as ourselves" is more about the neighbour than ourselves. The parable shows that the priest and the Levite put the value of themselves above that of the person who had fallen on hard times. The Samaritan did not care about himself but went out of his way to help the victim. Furthermore, he cared enough to ensure that he left a promissory note that if the care bill was higher than expected he was happy to pay the extra. Significantly, he saw the person in need as the same value as himself in God's eyes.
There is another issue that we probably need to think about as well. I think that most of us would stop and help a victim of crime, but are we willing to help the person in need in your church? Do we offer the person who is "a bit different" compassion or understanding, or do we sit on the opposite side of the church so we do not have anything to do with them? I submit that many of us are guilty of subliminal avoidance. We do not even know that we have drawn a line around ourselves. It takes a bit of soul-searching for us to find that line and erase it. If we have such a line, Jesus is on the other side.
The problem comes in with our worldly definition of ourselves as individuals. Looking at the etymology of the word individual (Google search : "individual etymology") reveals it's Latin roots:
In- : Not
-dividual : divisible
However, Genesis 1:27 KJV says that we are made in His image & since He is love (1John 4:8 KJV), we are therefore of love.
In maths, to "divide" is to "share equally" e.g. Eight sweets divided amongst 4 people is sharing 2 sweets per person.
He shares His love with us, so must we divide (share) His love as well. Therefore: "Love thy neighbour as thyself.", King Jesus in Matthew 22:39 KJV.
❤❤❤ Loving Others as We Love Ourselves ❤❤❤
Having received His Holy Spirit on 10th May 2013, it has been easy for me to obey Him. Prior to receiving His Holy Spirit, it is like REM's song: "I'm pushing an elephant up the hill." 🤣
To love and be loved by Him & then share that love with others: This is the perfection He speaks of in Matthew 5:48 KJV.
My very first verse that I ever got from Him was "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (1John 4:8 KJV)
My 3 favouritest 🙂 secular songs are:
1. A 1993 dance club song: "Show Me Love" by Robin S
2. "One Love" by Bob Marley & The Wailers
3. "Money can't buy me love" by The Beatles
My favourite modern day gospel song is: "Reckless Love" by Cory Asbury
My favourite hymn is "Trust and Obey" by John H. Sammis
Trust and obedience (complete submission) to Him is necessary to receive The Holy Spirit. Heed King Jesus' words in Matthew 4:17 KJV if you have not received The Holy Spirit as yet, before it is too late. Please, I beg you.
"Love our neighbor as yourself" with the story of the Good Samaritan as an example of who our neighbor is and how to treat him. It is interesting to compare the parable of the Good Samaritan with Isaiah 58. I quoted a portion below to compare with how he treated the man who was attacked. Thought it was an interesting parallel.
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness[a] will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
Hmmmm! Today’s lesson is good because we live in world that emphasizes the importance of self love! Today’s lesson is reminding me to love others! This is powerful. My favorite quote of the lesson is, “…sounding brass or a clanging cymbal” I am realizing if we are not careful we can run the risk of turning into clang cymbals!
I give God thanks.
Love is described in different ways, worldly love in many forms and God's Fathership of love.
The AA and other groups that address addictions is based on a tough love of responsibility.
In eternity the creator decided to create a family of immortal Sons and Daughters! This mortal life is a testing ground of our free will and motivations.
Scripture says "you loved righteousness and hated wickedness" therefore, God has anointed you with his oil of gladness.
Our test here on earth is to disclose to ourselves and God, our true motivations. If we love righteousness and hate wickedness in our fallen state/nature there is a life line available to us in Christ Jesus to be born anew in a spiritual birth and to be perfected as an immortal child of God.
Christ in you the hope of glory.
God can/will use us here on earth as a source of light to others in our conduct and way of life.
May our life shine for God's glory in his children, made from clay and to be immortalized as children of God !
Shalom 🙏
The author states: “Jesus made it clear that the everyday expression of true belief hangs upon these two commandments.” Could it be worded: ‘... the everyday expression of true conversion is reflected in these two directives’.? I consider the ability for a believer to engage in this manner is entirely dependent on how deeply the conversion is rooted in the relationship with the newly received Comforter – the Holy Spirit.
Gal.5:22-23 speaks to ‘the fruit of the Holy Spirit – love – joy – peace – forbearance – kindness – goodness - faithfulness – gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is now law.’ And 1 Cor.13:12-13 speaks to us about ‘understanding only dimly the uniqueness of this new nature’, though that there are three aspects to our newborn life – faith, hope, and love – of which love is the greatest; the all-other-encompassing spiritual gift.
This heavenly ‘Love’, endowed with the power to supersede/overcome the destructive physical/material aspects of life and replace it with heaven’s guiding, spiritual Light, is the Gift from our Creator; received when we first believed. Loving in a self-less way cannot be generated by/through the exercise of the will by determining so, it is the Gift from our loving heavenly Father given to us as we love Him in return.
We express that we love ourselves when we believe Jesus Christ to be our heavenly Father’s Son, sent by Him to save us from the darkness of this world and so lead us into the eternal Life of Light. God’s Light is His Love - the Truth and the Way. His Love, when applied, expresses Life. Love is given to us in order to walk in/by its Light; Love – Light – Life !
James claims that Abraham was justified by what he did in sacrificing Isaac on an altar. But Abraham did not do this at all. Of course it was God that stayed his course from doing it. But he nonetheless did not do it. So according to James, was Abraham's faith justified because he did not do it? Abrahams' faith was considered "Righteous," way back before he even had Isaac for a son or before he even asked God to save Sodom and Gomorrah if 10 righteous could be found there. His faith was considered "Righteous," when he "Believed God for promising him to make him a great nation, etc. and etc., and also give Him the land of Canaan."
I think that this incident needs to be understood in the context of what James is discussing here. He is essentially saying that faith that does not follow though with action is essentially going nowhere. I know this example is challenging, but in context in makes the point that faith is action.
As a Christian, my goal should not be the prize of eternal life or streets and houses of gold and precious stones. The natural glory of heaven is in the relationship with the Love Giver: Jesus. The developing of a friendship with Him opens the gates to eternity.
If love is an expression of the faith we have in Jesus, it is still salvation by works. And I feel we can be fooled because we are capable of human love. But I don't think that's the love Jesus is talking about here. This love is agape love and it's impossible to generate apart from God. Whatever love we have comes from God pouring it into our hearts. So if we are saved, we will love, in greater and greater measure. Again, the answer is not to try to be more loving, but allow the love of God into our lives.