Love the Lord your God with all your heart ?

[Drich]

[quote='Drich' pid='1300687' dateline='1465847127']

The first of the greatest commands is to Love God with all your being, the second is to love your neighbor as yourself. In these two command Jesus said the whole Law can be honored or full filled. Meaning if one can love God with all that he is and simply Love his neighbor as himself then then the basis of all of God's law can be honored.

Now I completely understand what you are saying, in that loving your fellow man is apart of loving God. The answer to that is both yes and no. No in that if by simply loving your fellow man was the same as loving God with all of your heart mind spirit and strength their would not need to be the second of the two greatest commands Jesus points out. ...And Yes loving your fellow Man is the apart of Loving God, because loving only those who love God follow His commands.. and as "loving your neighbor" represents 50% of all of God's commands one can not love God without loving his neighbor.

But again, the love of God does not stop there with loving your fellow man. The love God asks of us encompasses all of our being, this is something we do not have access to and is impossible to do with out God helping us. so then again we take what we have access to (our will/minds) and ask God to turn the rest of ourselves over to us so that we may choose to give him the Agape' asked of us.

Drich,

I think it's beneficial to seek to agree with who we may talk to as much as possible and that sometimes it's not possible to agree. I'm guessing you remember the words blessed are the peacemakers.

Appearently not, as you've blown past what I said that supports your initial assertion, and moved to classify everything I said as being 'disagreeable.' When in fact I did Agree with your point in so far as I the scripture would allow me, and I expanded where you 'correction' fell short. However you response seems to be more about attempting to mend some wounded pride, than about keeping or making peace. Because again what you rebuked me to do I included in my initial correction.

If in the future you wish to avoid a public correction then as scripture tells us go to your brother In Private and tell me how I have wronged you. If however you insist in a public rebuke, then be ready to be judged in the same measure you see fit to judge others.

I think we may agree that serving people is a part of serving God and that God is the highest command giver and if people want us to obey different commands than what God wants us to obey then we should disobey any wrong commands of people. 

No we do not. Because again Even the OP understands that God's highest command is to Love Him First. Jorge' even posted scripture that shows Jesus Identifying This command to Love/Agape' God above all others, then Jesus Identifies loving our neighbor as the second greatest command. In short my 'love/respect' for you and your feelings should never exceed my love and honor for God, and in this case God's word concerning who is first to be love and respected and who is second.

To put love of your fellow man above God is not worship of God, it is the worship of Man, and that is an afront to God.

I think we may agree that if we are willing to serve God then that is a good condition to be in and that by God's goodwill we are given sayings to learn how to obey God and serve man and that respect or reverence is a part of it.

partial truth. In that what you say here is true but with the condition that our service to our fellow man should never exceed our ability or want to first serve God.

We may agree that wisdom and knowledge are partly beyond words and that all of it comes from God and that, that wisdom and knowledge becomes like a part of our being and our thinking of God goes higher.

no we can not agree here either.
Because, Wisdom and knowledge are gifts of God, or more specifically Gifts of the Holy Spirit and not all are privy to them. (as we all are not call to be an eye or a hand) For those who have not been given this spiritual gift, you are right in that true Godly wisdom and knowledge are beyond words. But, to the one who has been bless by the Holy Spirit with this gift, his only limits to access the wisdom and knowledge of God are limited only by God himself.

Thinking about love your neighbor as yourself, I guess you agree that, that commandment should be used every time we speak and in every internet forum post we make, judging which words to use and thinking of how they sound if they are said to you by someone else, keeping in mind what may be the condition of the person or persons who you plan to speak to and I think you may use the command in replying to me.  Will you tell me if you used the command ?

Indeed, As I am one who seeks Godly truth, and do not want pomp, pageantry, nor great care to coddle my ego when I am wrong. I want the truth of God's word and I want to be made to see it whatever the cost. I extend this same courtesy to those who seek clarity and or scriptural understanding.

When you approached me with a 'love God by serving man' message I took what you said embraced the truth of that message and then reframed it so it read consistently with what Christ had to say on the subject. Understand I am not here to argue doctrine or other personal religious philosophies. I represent biblical Christianity and as such, if you seek to correct what I've represented the scripture in saying you will need to bring book chapter and verse.
Otherwise know Christ in Mat 22 prioritizes our service and worship to serving God first, and then to simply extend the same measure of love to your neighbor as you yourself wish to receive. (not what they want from you but what you'd want from them.) this means the worship of God comes first (God's truth comes first) then we are to serve in the way we want to be served.

So, yes consider this me telling you I followed this command to the letter and it's intended use. As this command was not intended to be used to manipulate people who retain the truth a God, from correcting those who do not, from doing so. Look at how Paul addressed the church at Galatia, Look at the way he addressed the Corinthians. Again, He treated them how He was to be treated, and not how they wanted to be treated, nor was he manipulated into handling them with kid gloves. Paul represented God first then he served his fellow man.

[Drich]

To the theists here.
We all get our morals from the same place.
The bible has the capacity to adjust them. Sometimes for better, most times in a divisive way.

Religion or belief in a higher being is a noble philosophical pursuit, but absolute power corrupts absolutely, which has resulted in a net sum of good done by religion to be in the negative.

This is why we are better off without it.
People are killing each other for "real" reasons. Why do we need people do kill for other reasons also?

but again, what if it is not about 'morals?'

[Kingpin]

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:34-40

Love... perhaps the greatest mystery of all.  Is it a feeling, or is it a choice?  The greatest commandment says to love God with all your heart.  This would seem to imply that love is a choice, that we can choose to love or not love God.  Those who advocate that love is a choice talk of choosing to commit to the one you love and engage in loving acts towards the loved one, but do these same choices apply to loving a disembodied spirit?  Loving somebody with all your heart and mind and soul seems to speak to love as a feeling.  Does the heart or soul choose?  Is it possible to choose to "love God with all your heart and soul and mind"?

Great question!

The Bible uses the word love in different ways so you really need to go back to the original language to determine the type of love that is being referenced.  There are three types used.  Eros, Agape and Philos.  

Eros is a Greek term which actually means desire and longing.  Eros love is based on the strong feeling we have against one another and it usually develops during the 1st stage of a romantic relationship.

Agape love is the love that God commanded all believers to have for everyone whether he/she is a believer or not. Agape love should never be determined by our feelings; it is more of a set of behaviors or actions. With agape, you do not have to actually feel it for you to give it, which means that you can be able to show love without feeling anything at all. At times feelings can follow after showing this kind of love.

Philos is a unique kind of love like the one you have for a companion or friend. It refers to loving one another just like your brother or sister.  Philadelphia is rooted in this and why it is called the "city of brotherly love".

So yes love is a mystery.  I will add this.  Love is more complex than we think.  It is more precious than we think.  It is more amazing than we think and maybe that is why it is becoming more increasingly rare.  One of the most famous love stories in American literature is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. This is a love story between a man called Mr. Darcy and a woman called Elizabeth.  Darcy falls in love with Elizabeth and he doesn’t realize it.  It is set back in the times when gentlemen were required, or at least expected, to be gentlemen.  At one point he walks in to a room and finds himself alone with this woman.  Protocol demands that he leave, he cannot be alone unsupervised with another woman in the same room.  So he turns and he gets half-way out the door and as he’s half-way out the door, he stops. He turns around and reenters the room and he says, “It will not do.  My feelings cannot be repressed.  You must allow me to tell you how much I ardently admire and love you.”  Gentlemen, listen carefully, that line is a winner.  Having made this declaration of love, he goes on to explain that he loves her even though it goes against his will, his reason and against his own better character.  She rejects that declaration of love and refuses it.  Because he is a man, he cannot understand why so he asks for explanation.  She looks at him and says, “You told me that you loved me even though it went against your will, your reason and against your own better character.”  In other words she is saying, “You told me you loved me even though it went against all better judgment”.  True love does not exist in the absence of judgment, true love only exists in the presence of it.  The words “I love you” are meaningful to you only if the person who speaks them truly knows you.

I can promise you right now, if no one knows the real you in all your weaknesses, shortcomings, failings or the darker side of your character, if nobody knows that, even if you are one of the most popular people at work, school or church, I can guarantee that you are desperately lonely.  If there are few people in this world who do know you with all your weaknesses, shortcomings and failings and they love you, those are the most meaningful relationships you have.  When anything good happens or when anything bad happens, they are the first people you call to share it with.  Because that is what love is, love does not exist in the absence of judgment, love only exists in the presence of it.

[The Grand Nudger]

So which is the kind of love we're commanded to have for god, in your opinion?  I can't muster any of it but it's always good to know, precisely, what law you're breaking.

[Kingpin]

So which is the kind of love we're commanded to have for god, in your opinion?  I can't muster any of it but it's always good to know, precisely, what law you're breaking.

Agape love.  The same type of "love" you would show/have for your earthly parents.  You may not agree with them, even be angry with them at times, but you love them.

[robvalue]

I don't. I hate my parents.

[Losty]

I don't love or hate my parents. I feel sad for them. I don't know what it must be like to live a life where you have driven a huge wedge between yourself and your own children. I hope to never be like them in any way and most days I'm content pretending they don't exist.

[Kingpin]

I don't. I hate my parents.

I'm sorry to hear that.  I don't judge your feelings as I am sure you have justification for them.  I can only just speak for myself.  I cannot find it in myself to hate anyone.  I could hate ideas they stand for, hate their actions, their choices, but never the person.  I see everyone the same.  We all are imperfect and unable to please everyone at all times and we all have struggles.  For that reason alone I love everyone because I can sympathize as a person that struggles are real and choices are difficult.

[robvalue]

Thank you. That's a great way to be

On the plus side, I do love my wife's parents, who have treated me like their own.

[Thomas Kelly252525]

The first of the greatest commands is to Love God with all your being, the second is to love your neighbor as yourself. In these two command Jesus said the whole Law can be honored or full filled. Meaning if one can love God with all that he is and simply Love his neighbor as himself then then the basis of all of God's law can be honored.

Now I completely understand what you are saying, in that loving your fellow man is apart of loving God. The answer to that is both yes and no. No in that if by simply loving your fellow man was the same as loving God with all of your heart mind spirit and strength their would not need to be the second of the two greatest commands Jesus points out. ...And Yes loving your fellow Man is the apart of Loving God, because loving only those who love God follow His commands.. and as "loving your neighbor" represents 50% of all of God's commands one can not love God without loving his neighbor.

But again, the love of God does not stop there with loving your fellow man. The love God asks of us encompasses all of our being, this is something we do not have access to and is impossible to do with out God helping us. so then again we take what we have access to (our will/minds) and ask God to turn the rest of ourselves over to us so that we may choose to give him the Agape' asked of us.

Drich,

I think it's beneficial to seek to agree with who we may talk to as much as possible and that sometimes it's not possible to agree. I'm guessing you remember the words blessed are the peacemakers.

Appearently not, as you've blown past what I said that supports your initial assertion, and moved to classify everything I said as being 'disagreeable.'  When in fact I did Agree with your point in so far as I the scripture would allow me, and I expanded where you 'correction' fell short. However you response seems to be more about attempting to mend some wounded pride, than about keeping or making peace. Because again what you rebuked me to do I included in my initial correction.

If in the future you wish to avoid a public correction then as scripture tells us go to your brother In Private and tell me how I have wronged you. If however you insist in a public rebuke, then be ready to be judged in the same measure you see fit to judge others.

I think we may agree that serving people is a part of serving God and that God is the highest command giver and if people want us to obey different commands than what God wants us to obey then we should disobey any wrong commands of people. 

No we do not. Because again Even the OP understands that God's highest command is to Love Him First. Jorge' even posted scripture that shows Jesus Identifying This command to Love/Agape' God above all others, then Jesus Identifies loving our neighbor as the second greatest command. In short my 'love/respect' for you and your feelings should never exceed my love and honor for God, and in this case God's word concerning who is first to be love and respected and who is second.

To put love of your fellow man above God is not worship of God, it is the worship of Man, and that is an afront to God.

I think we may agree that if we are willing to serve God then that is a good condition to be in and that by God's goodwill we are given sayings to learn how to obey God and serve man and that respect or reverence is a part of it.

partial truth. In that what you say here is true but with the condition that our service to our fellow man should never exceed our ability or want to first serve God.

We may agree that wisdom and knowledge are partly beyond words and that all of it comes from God and that, that wisdom and knowledge becomes like a part of our being and our thinking of God goes higher.

no we can not agree here either.
Because, Wisdom and knowledge are gifts of God, or more specifically Gifts of the Holy Spirit and not all are privy to them. (as we all are not call to be an eye or a hand) For those who have not been given this spiritual gift, you are right in that true Godly wisdom and knowledge are beyond words. But, to the one who has been bless by the Holy Spirit with this gift, his only limits to access the wisdom and knowledge of God are limited only by God himself.

Thinking about love your neighbor as yourself, I guess you agree that, that commandment should be used every time we speak and in every internet forum post we make, judging which words to use and thinking of how they sound if they are said to you by someone else, keeping in mind what may be the condition of the person or persons who you plan to speak to and I think you may use the command in replying to me.  Will you tell me if you used the command ?

Indeed, As I am one who seeks Godly truth, and do not want pomp, pageantry, nor great care to coddle my ego when I am wrong. I want the truth of God's word and I want to be made to see it whatever the cost. I extend this same courtesy to those who seek clarity and or scriptural understanding.

When you approached me with a 'love God by serving man' message I took what you said embraced the truth of that message and then reframed it so it read consistently with what Christ had to say on the subject. Understand I am not here to argue doctrine or other personal religious philosophies. I represent biblical Christianity and as such, if you seek to correct what I've represented the scripture in saying you will need to bring book chapter and verse.
Otherwise know Christ in Mat 22 prioritizes our service and worship to serving God first, and then to simply extend the same measure of love to your neighbor as you yourself wish to receive. (not what they want from you but what you'd want from them.) this means the worship of God comes first (God's truth comes first) then we are to serve in the way we want to be served.

So, yes consider this me telling you I followed this command to the letter and it's intended use. As this command was not intended to be used to manipulate people who retain the truth a God, from correcting those who do not, from doing so. Look at how Paul addressed the church at Galatia, Look at the way he addressed the Corinthians. Again, He treated them how He was to be treated, and not how they wanted to be treated, nor was he manipulated into handling them with kid gloves. Paul represented God first then he served his fellow man.

Drich,

It appears we may disagree about me being a peacemaker.  It may be thought that I have been working to make clear what we agree with and that I haven't neglected anything you said.  I have not been arrogant, I have been working to be helpful.

Do you think that it is true and false at the same time that loving/goodwill to your fellow man is a part of serving God ?

If you think I was saying that Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind is not the first and greatest commandment, what words of mine precisely do you think proves that and will you show precisely how you think they prove what you may think ? I don't agree I was saying Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind is not the first and greatest commandment.

I never thought of you as being my brother, maybe you want to be.  So what I did was correct considering the circumstances.

If we are willing to serve God then that is a good condition to be in.

Do you think that is true or false ?

By God's goodwill we are given sayings to learn how to obey God and serve man and respect or reverence is a part of it.

Do you think that is true or false ?

Wisdom and knowledge are partly beyond words and that all of it comes from God.

Do you think that is true or false ?

Wisdom and knowledge that comes from God becomes like a part of our being and our thinking of God goes higher.

Do you think that is true or false ?

I'm saying things in investigation of your character, you may agree I know little about you and that a person may say things to someone and then listen to their answer to learn more about them.

I appreciate any working to obey the command goodwill to your neighbor as yourself and you may compare that command to love your neighbor as yourself.

"keeping in mind what may be the condition of the person or persons who you plan to speak to"

Thinking about that in the context of the paragraph it was in and that I put to you and thinking about it in terms of love/goodwill to your neighbor as yourself, do you think if a person is traumatized or timid, you should speak to them roughly or gently, with patience or impatience ?

I don't think arrogance is a strength.  I don't think being unmerciful by our words helps people.