The Morning Star Rising on the First Day
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Christian Love Does Not Envy
Today we present the envy-less love demonstrated by Jesus as yet another example of Christian love. Previously we introduced the subject, “Love does not Envy,” in a post (What-is-Love) that communicated Paul’s writings found in the First Letter to the Corinthians.
The Power of Prayer
Love makes us blind to the things that other people have. Our acts of kindness (Love-is-Kind) and long suffering (Love-Suffers-Long) are not withheld because of the things that others have. Love is not diminished because our neighbor has a bigger house, a nicer car, a more successful ministry, a gift from God, or just happens to be more popular than we are. We are called to love one another just as Jesus loved us.
In the following scripture Jesus demonstrates this principle as He is not envious of an unknown man who had been ministering to other in the name of Jesus. Here is the story:
Now John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side.” (Luke 9:49 – 50)
Jesus Confronting the Scribes and Pharisees
Jesus was not envious of the man who had been casting out demons like He Himself had been doing. He was not concerned that an unknown man was using His name in doing so. In fact, since He asked no questions about the man we can assume that the questions we would normally ask about the man were irrelevant. Questions like the following. What denomination does he belong to? What are his core beliefs? Or what sins has he been guilty of in the past? Jesus was not even concerned about the doctrine or creed the man believed in.
Jesus’ lesson to His disciples is crystal clear, none of these things are of any importance. Jesus gives His disciples this lesson so that if they see a similar circumstance in the future that their actions will be different. If these other things were of importance He would have said so.
The only thing that was important was the fact that the man loved his brothers by casting out demons in Jesus name. Therefore, he was obedient to the new commandment that Jesus gave us to love one another and in doing so was carrying out the mission that the Father gave Jesus. So should it also be with us.
When reading this passage we must ask ourselves, is this how I act? Am I ready and willing to give credit to other ministers in the name of Jesus? Can I love others despite their Christian doctrine? Can I love the affluent minister, the politically powerful congressmen and the popular personalities who are demonstrating their love of others in the name of Jesus? Am I ready and willing to pray that God’s blessings be upon all of them? The bottom line here is that love is manifest with out envy.
The purpose of these publications is to assist others who is seeking to become more like their savior Jesus Christ. Our approach is to communicate that the life and words of Jesus are the perfect model of what we hope to become. Our expectation is that the reader will contrast their own words and actions to those of Jesus and ask the Holy Spirit to help them to discover and correct their shortcomings. We suggest that every person in ministry reflect upon these examples of Christian love.
We have presented a number of posting that address the principles of Christian Love. Each of them is reinforced by examples taken from the life and words of Jesus. The following list of hyperlinks is provided to help those interested in reading these other postings. Clicking on any of the links below will transfer you to the posting of your choice:
Christian-Love-Does-Not-Parade-Itself
Christian-Love-is-Not-Puffed-Up
Christian-Love-Does-Not-Behave-Rudely
Christian-Love-Does-Not-Seek-Its-Own
Christian-Love-is-Not-Provoked
Christian-Love-Bears-All-Things
Christian-Love-Believes-All-Things
Christian-Love-Hopes-All-Things
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SEEKING JESUS 
Which is the most important?
Jesus was asked twice, by two different men, the same basic question about which is the most important or greatest commandment in the Law. Here is how Jesus answered that question:
#1
“One of the teachers of the law… asked him [Jesus],
‘Of all the commandments, which is the most important?’
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “ is this: ‘Hear, of Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than THESE.” [Mark 12:28-31, Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Leviticus 19:18]
#2
…an expert in the law, tested him [Jesus] with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’”
Jesus replied: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these TWO commandments.” [Matthew 22:36-40, Deuteronomy 6:5, Leviticus 19:18]
But in contrast with Jesus, Paul the Pharisee didn’t know the greatest, most important, first commandment according to Jesus. Paul made up his own rule. Paul wrote:
“The entire law is summed up in a SINGLE command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” [Galatians 5:14, Leviticus 19:18]
And again, Paul wrote:
“He who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not covet, and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this ONE RULE: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” [Romans 13:8-10, Leviticus 19:18]
Jesus said it’s TWO commandments, with the greatest, most important, first command to
.1) first, love God with everything you’ve got, and
.2) second, love people.
Paul said no, it ONE commandment- to love people.
This is very similar to The Beatles- “All you need is love. Love is all you need. Love, Love, Love.” (In other words, the second commandment, the love of man, without the love of God. Love as me, myself and I define love to be, and continuously redefined by sinful men.)
In essence, it is also the same principle as what Eve did in the Garden of Eden, forgetting about the Tree of Life, which is the first tree in the middle of the Garden, and instead referring to the second tree as “the tree that is in the middle of the garden.” [Genesis 3:3 & 2:9 2:17, 3:24]
Kind of like the Pharisees with Jesus, who were pushing the false idea that we can consider ONE commandment in the Law, alone in isolation, to be “the greatest commandment in the Law.”
Or like today, false teachers in the Chrislam – Purpose Driven – Seeker Sensitive – Emergent – Liberal – Ecumenical – New Age – world church movement pushing the false idea that the ONE RULE is “Loving God and Neighbor together.”
The Lord God Jesus the Jewish Messiah, Son of Yahweh the Most High God of Israel, said:
“All the Law and the Prophets hang on these TWO commandments.”
Not one. TWO.
Sometimes, Paul was wrong. Jesus is always right. I’m following Jesus.
Here are answers to 2 common objections:
.a) What about the so-called “Golden Rule”?
Jesus spoke the 3 chapters of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7, including 7:12. Jesus didn’t make PART of this one verse out of context into “The Golden Rule” or “one rule.” Jesus did not use the term “Golden Rule,” it’s simply a tradition of men. The sentence begins with “So” in the NIV and Amplified Bibles, and “Therefore’ in the NASB and King James Bibles, which ties 7:12 to the previous sentences. So 7:12 cannot stand alone as One Commandment.
.b) What about the so-called “Great Commission”?
Jesus spoke the words recorded in Matthew 28:18-20, including “make disciples of all nations.” Jesus never used the term “Great Commission,” it’s simply a tradition of men. Yes I agree it’s a commandment given by Jesus, it’s not optional, and it applies to us today. We need to carry this out, with our own God-given abilities and talents, using the skills, and circumstances we have. But we don’t need to put words in the mouth of Jesus, we can let Jesus speak for himself, and we can listen to Him – and obey Him.
Evangelism is part of the Second Commandment given by Jesus, to Love people. Evangelism is not the most important commandment, and it isn’t the entire Second Commandment. So if our priorities are “The Great Commission and the Great Commandment,” we have our priorities upside down and confused, and we are not listening to the voice of Jesus. Never mind what Paul said. Let’s listen to the voice of Jesus first, and get our priorities straight.
The people who will protest most loudly against this truth are the modern “Pauls:” traveling evangelists, speakers, writers, abusive absentee mega-church pastors, Crusaders, and self-appointed “apostles” like Paul, who find it “profitable” to “be like Paul” rather than follow Jesus the Jewish Messiah.
First, let me thank you for your detailed comment, it is appreciated.
Secondly, I agree that Jesus should be our guide to true faith over the opinion of all others.
Thirdly, I have one comment about true evangelism. True evangelism is done out of the love we have for God firstly. It is His desire to be reunited with His people and those who love Him evangelize out of the love in their hearts for God, and in doing so fulfill the first commandment. Truly, there is no evangelism with out a burning love for God.
Thanks again, and all God’s blessings!