I gave a recent post on the old man being crucified with Christ and given life being quickened by the Spirit. In other words, being baptized into Christ death and resurrection. Romans 6:3-4. Romans 8:8-13,
Paul gives gave these verses as a rebuttal to anyone having the old nature having dominion over them.
Here are some highly ignored verses and is whereby we "know! whether God spirit is in us or not. And is what should be a great concern!
A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:34-35.
He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. 1 John 2:9-11.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us.
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. 1 John 4:16-21.
Now "if" we have been baptized in Christ, we have the love of God in us to love one another.
Let's keep these two verses in mind while we go through this section.
Matthew 22:36-37. and 1 John 4:21.
and remember the context in the previous sections.
Notice the highlights!
Jesus answered and said unto him, "IF" a man love/Agape me
( HE WILL ) keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
( He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings and the word which ye hear is not mine but the Father's which sent me.
These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:23--26.
We've established that Agape is a fruit and can't be achieved by the flesh, "Mans efforts"
Man can not produce the fruit, the vine does. Man is the branch, he bares the fruit. John 15:4-5.
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, NEITHER CAN A CORRUPT TREE BRING FORTH GOOD FRUIT.
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:15-20. When you look at Matthew 7:13-14 the corrupt tree is any other way to God presented in the wide gate. for instance "WORKS"
That's why these often misused verses follows, Matthew 7:22-23.
This is a fruitless deceived group that thought they worked their way into Heaven.
So tell me why isn't the significance of Loving one another sought after and debated above anything else when it's paramount?
Because some know they don't have that love on display and don't bare it.
Jesus says in John 15:1-2 "my Father is the husbandman." Vine dresser"
This emphasizes fruit barring is a work of the Holyspirirt, not of you.
Let's consider that for a moment, FRUIT IS NOT GIFTS AND IT'S NOT SERVING AND IT'S NOT BY COMMAND.
So, when we come across these scriptures John 13:34-35. Mattthew 7:20. 1 John 2:11. 1 John 4:20. these are the marks of a Christian and is the ONLY way they are identified! And if you cannot be Identified by this you have John 15:6 to deal with.
Your faithfulness, intelligence, commitment, being noble, teaching, serving is all good but you're not identified as a Christian by none of these and can be told I "NEVER" knew you! Matthew 7:22-23.
Let's be clear on the recipient of this love that validates our position.
We are to love everyone, but our validation is specifically towards the Brothern.
The passages in 1 John speaks expressly about HATING you Brother.
God is truth, God is light, and God is Love. We are to worship God in truth and in Spirit. When the truth is spoken it shines light on darkness, and those in darkness hates the light and they will hate you!
HUMILITY.
Another fruit with great virtue. Woks of the law couldn't bring this either. It brought pride!
Being connect to the genuine vine brings humility. Look at what the Lord tells the Pharisees in Matthew 21:33-44. Right away you see the contrast of the two vines. Israel was to be a vine, but they became a degenerate vine. Jeremiah 2:9.
Now, place your attention on vs 43. Therefore, say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. (The Church) Peter calls the Church a Holy nation in 1 Peter 2:9.
Humility cast out pride doesn't it. We tend to want to place our spirituality on things we do, putting ourselves on display and pointing people towards us instead of Christ.
We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by "THE FAITH "OF" CHRIST", even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Who's faith? CHRIST FAITH! We were lacking faith it had to be given to us! Ephesians 2:8-9.
Some have objected to this interpretation, saying that faith (pistis) is feminine, while that (touto) is neuter. That poses no problem, however, as long as it is understood that that does not refer precisely to the noun faith but to the act of believing. Further, this interpretation makes the best sense of the text, since if that refers to by grace you have been saved through faith (that is, to the whole statement), the adding of and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God would be redundant, because grace is defined as an unearned act of God. If salvation is of grace, it has to be an undeserved gift of God. Faith is presented as a gift from God in 2 Peter 1:1, Philippians 1:29, and Acts 3:16.
Boy is that humbling! We can't produce faith, there is nothing to boast on that either!
That is why some say you can lose your salvation, and no one is saved until the Judgement.
THEY'RE NOT SURE. "VOID OF CHRIST FAITH"
Just believing is his name don't cut it either.
John 2;23-24. "Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many "BELIEVED IN HIS NAME", when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
You have to believe in his work, through the Holyspirit. (FAITH OF CHRIST)
Romans 10:9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and SHALT BELIEVE IN THY HEART THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, thou shalt be saved.
The faith of Christ gives a fruit filled life to a believer by the power of Christ spirit in you.
The works you do is your nature!
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10. This is what James is saying.
These works don't produce life, they will be tested by fire and will confirm life and maturity! 1 Corinthians 3:10-15.
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. John 4:23.
The power of the Holyspirit displayed in Peter "After" conversion!
If we revisit Luke 22:32 "WHEN THOU ART CONVERTED, strengthen thy brethren" Wow! by now you would have thought he was already converted by just going through the motion of just following Jesus. No! An outward expression means nothing unless there's an inward cleansing. You see an example of this in Matthew 23:26 when the Lord rebuked the Pharisees.
But let's look at the difference in Peter after his conversion. We know by the Gospels Peter and the Desciples denied the Lord, fearing death. In John 21:18-19 the Lord tells Peter by which death he should glorify God, then he tells Peter "Follow me" This reminds us of John 13:36-37.
After Peters conversion and when he was strengthened by the Holyspirit Peter preached boldly whilst knowing his fate.
2 Peter 1:14. Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
This ought to be humbling! All you do should be to the Glory of God. When we're born again everything you have or do is supplied by the Holyspirit, Not of yourselves. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Romans 8:7-9
If you don't Love your brother it is because you can't! And you can't because God is not in you!!
The term "Thou shalt love" is not in command form. That is a Future Active Indicative in the Greek text. It is not a command. It is a factual statement. You will love!
Believers are supposed to love one another. But, neither in the Old Testament, nor in the New Testament, is it in command form.
As a matter of fact, the command in the Old Testament is YOU WILL love the Lord your God, and YOU WILL love your neighbor as yourself. It is a factual statement!
It all centers around where the commands came from, Deuteronomy Chapter 6 that has the SHEMA, the prayer that is prayed every morning and evening by Orthodox Jews.
In that prayer, they recite the fact that God says that I will put my Spirit in you, and I will put my laws on your heart, and YOU WILL love the Lord your God.
We are told inGalatians 5:22that love, AGAPE, is a fruit of God's Spirit.
In 1 John Chapter 4, it tells us that God is love. Now if I focus on the fact that God is love, and I've been commanded to love, and God is love, then what am I to do? Give you God, because He is love. Love is a person. Love is the nature of God!
In my human abilities, or in my human effort, I cannot produce God's nature of love. I can't produce that!
And as I said, Galatians 5:22tells us it is a fruit. It is produced by God's Spirit, just like faith, and all the other ingredients that make up the fruit of the Spirit. Some continue to take scriptures out of context and put pressure on themselves to produce these things, when the bible says no.
The bible says point-blank that if you're not loving your brother, then you don't know God!
If you do not have AGAPE love in you, you are not saved. That is what the bible says.
A precious gem given by a dear Brother which is widely held by true believers.
There is an interesting contrast when you look at the Greek words for "love" used in John 21:15-17. When Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me?" in John 21:15-16, He used the Greek word "agape," this Love us immeasurable, it means to be totally given in to! Only the Holyspirit can produce this.
Both times, Peter responded with "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you," using the Greek word phileo, which refers more to a brotherly/friendship type of love.
The third time Jesus asks, "Do you love me?" in John 21:17, He uses the word phileo! The Lord reduced the measure of love to peters and our capability.
Notice Peters reaction "Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, "phileo" thou me?"
The Lord knew Peter couldn't Agape him because the Holyspirit wasn't given to them yet.
I believe he was tasking Peter pointing him back to what he thought he could do on his own strength in Matthew 26:31-35.
It do well to note all the disciples thought they would be willing to die with Christ.
The Lord forewarned Peter in
Luke 22:31-32. And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
In the John account we see two interesting things right before the bold statement from Peter and the disciples,
First
John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. Later they showed this was a command they couldn't do on their own.
Second.
The commandment wasn't given until after Judas departed.
John 13:26-30.
All these scriptures suggests all our service we do don't even begin until after the New birth through baptism of the Holyspirit.
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13.
I'm indebted to a dear Brother on this site for sharing this in the Greek perspective.
"Thou shalt love" is not in command form. That is a Future Active Indicative in the Greek text. It is not a command. It is a factual statement. You will love!
The command in the Old Testament is YOU WILL love the Lord your God, and YOU WILL love your neighbor as yourself. It is a factual statement!
If you notice the word "with." Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Well, it is the Greek word EN, which means in.
All three prepositional phrases are "in." You will love the Lord your God (in) your whole heart, and (in) your whole soul and (in) your whole mind.
Please notice the location?
I am not going to love with it. I am going to be in it. It is going to be in me, in my inner being. That is how it is literally translated in the Greek.
You see, God gives us the ability to love Him because in the natural, we do not have that capability. So Jesus says this is the first commandment.
Is it a commandment? No,
The commandment is YOU WILL. There is no choice there! It is not an invitation like I hope you will, or could you, or should you.
You will, because God's Spirit is the one who has the love. He is the one who loves. And when you have God's Spirit in you, you are in God's love.
And we have to be sensitive to the fact that AGAPE love is not an action, something we have to go out and do. Agape love is a person. That person is Christ. And if we have Christ, we will love Him with all our heart, mind, and soul. And we will love our neighbor (fellow believer) as ourselves. It's not a command for us to go out and do. It is something we will do because His Spirit in us gives us the ability to do so!
Thank You Brother, for that Material.
You see an example of this with Peter in John 21:15-17.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.We love him, because he first loved us.If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?And this commandment have we from him, Thathe who loveth God love his brother also. 1 John 4:16-21.
Notice the last part of verse 21, "And this commandment have we from him, "That he who loveth God love his brother also" HE WHO LOVETH GOD LOVE HIS BROTHER ALSO! This is not asking you to do anything, it is telling you what is being done by God spirit being in you!
(And hereby we do know that we know him,) if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
Keep in mind this verse about loving "the brethren". This is Agape! This is a fruit; you don't produce this, you are the branch, you bare it.
Here by we know.
A Child of God can and should examine themselves.
I gave a recent post on the old man being crucified with Christ and given life being quickened by the Spirit. In other words, being baptized into Christ death and resurrection. Romans 6:3-4. Romans 8:8-13,
Paul gives gave these verses as a rebuttal to anyone having the old nature having dominion over them.
Here are some highly ignored verses and is whereby we "know! whether God spirit is in us or not. And is what should be a great concern!
A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:34-35.
He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. 1 John 2:9-11.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us.
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. 1 John 4:16-21.
Now "if" we have been baptized in Christ, we have the love of God in us to love one another.
This is virtue by being in him and him in you.
see part 2.
Fruit barring.
Let's keep these two verses in mind while we go through this section.
Matthew 22:36-37. and 1 John 4:21.
and remember the context in the previous sections.
Notice the highlights!
Jesus answered and said unto him, "IF" a man love/Agape me
( HE WILL ) keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
( He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings and the word which ye hear is not mine but the Father's which sent me.
These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:23--26.
We've established that Agape is a fruit and can't be achieved by the flesh, "Mans efforts"
Man can not produce the fruit, the vine does. Man is the branch, he bares the fruit. John 15:4-5.
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, NEITHER CAN A CORRUPT TREE BRING FORTH GOOD FRUIT.
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:15-20. When you look at Matthew 7:13-14 the corrupt tree is any other way to God presented in the wide gate. for instance "WORKS"
That's why these often misused verses follows, Matthew 7:22-23.
This is a fruitless deceived group that thought they worked their way into Heaven.
So tell me why isn't the significance of Loving one another sought after and debated above anything else when it's paramount?
Because some know they don't have that love on display and don't bare it.
God bless.
Jesus says in John 15:1-2 "my Father is the husbandman." Vine dresser"
This emphasizes fruit barring is a work of the Holyspirirt, not of you.
Let's consider that for a moment, FRUIT IS NOT GIFTS AND IT'S NOT SERVING AND IT'S NOT BY COMMAND.
So, when we come across these scriptures John 13:34-35. Mattthew 7:20. 1 John 2:11. 1 John 4:20. these are the marks of a Christian and is the ONLY way they are identified! And if you cannot be Identified by this you have John 15:6 to deal with.
Your faithfulness, intelligence, commitment, being noble, teaching, serving is all good but you're not identified as a Christian by none of these and can be told I "NEVER" knew you! Matthew 7:22-23.
Let's be clear on the recipient of this love that validates our position.
We are to love everyone, but our validation is specifically towards the Brothern.
The passages in 1 John speaks expressly about HATING you Brother.
God is truth, God is light, and God is Love. We are to worship God in truth and in Spirit. When the truth is spoken it shines light on darkness, and those in darkness hates the light and they will hate you!
HUMILITY.
Another fruit with great virtue. Woks of the law couldn't bring this either. It brought pride!
Being connect to the genuine vine brings humility. Look at what the Lord tells the Pharisees in Matthew 21:33-44. Right away you see the contrast of the two vines. Israel was to be a vine, but they became a degenerate vine. Jeremiah 2:9.
Now, place your attention on vs 43. Therefore, say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. (The Church) Peter calls the Church a Holy nation in 1 Peter 2:9.
Humility cast out pride doesn't it. We tend to want to place our spirituality on things we do, putting ourselves on display and pointing people towards us instead of Christ.
more to come.
Its Christ faith were saved by not ours!
See part 9.
The faith of Christ.
Galatians 2:15-16.
We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by "THE FAITH "OF" CHRIST", even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Who's faith? CHRIST FAITH! We were lacking faith it had to be given to us! Ephesians 2:8-9.
Some have objected to this interpretation, saying that faith (pistis) is feminine, while that (touto) is neuter. That poses no problem, however, as long as it is understood that that does not refer precisely to the noun faith but to the act of believing. Further, this interpretation makes the best sense of the text, since if that refers to by grace you have been saved through faith (that is, to the whole statement), the adding of and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God would be redundant, because grace is defined as an unearned act of God. If salvation is of grace, it has to be an undeserved gift of God. Faith is presented as a gift from God in 2 Peter 1:1, Philippians 1:29, and Acts 3:16.
Boy is that humbling! We can't produce faith, there is nothing to boast on that either!
That is why some say you can lose your salvation, and no one is saved until the Judgement.
THEY'RE NOT SURE. "VOID OF CHRIST FAITH"
Just believing is his name don't cut it either.
John 2;23-24. "Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many "BELIEVED IN HIS NAME", when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
You have to believe in his work, through the Holyspirit. (FAITH OF CHRIST)
Romans 10:9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and SHALT BELIEVE IN THY HEART THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, thou shalt be saved.
1 Corinthians 1:18.
See part 9.
James 2:14-26.
God bless.
Part 10.
The faith of Christ gives a fruit filled life to a believer by the power of Christ spirit in you.
The works you do is your nature!
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10. This is what James is saying.
These works don't produce life, they will be tested by fire and will confirm life and maturity! 1 Corinthians 3:10-15.
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. John 4:23.
God bless.
The power of the Holyspirit displayed in Peter "After" conversion!
If we revisit Luke 22:32 "WHEN THOU ART CONVERTED, strengthen thy brethren" Wow! by now you would have thought he was already converted by just going through the motion of just following Jesus. No! An outward expression means nothing unless there's an inward cleansing. You see an example of this in Matthew 23:26 when the Lord rebuked the Pharisees.
But let's look at the difference in Peter after his conversion. We know by the Gospels Peter and the Desciples denied the Lord, fearing death. In John 21:18-19 the Lord tells Peter by which death he should glorify God, then he tells Peter "Follow me" This reminds us of John 13:36-37.
After Peters conversion and when he was strengthened by the Holyspirit Peter preached boldly whilst knowing his fate.
2 Peter 1:14. Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
This ought to be humbling! All you do should be to the Glory of God. When we're born again everything you have or do is supplied by the Holyspirit, Not of yourselves. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Romans 8:7-9
If you don't Love your brother it is because you can't! And you can't because God is not in you!!
More on the command to Love in part 6.
By way of recap.
fromMatthew 22:37.
The term "Thou shalt love" is not in command form. That is a Future Active Indicative in the Greek text. It is not a command. It is a factual statement. You will love!
Believers are supposed to love one another. But, neither in the Old Testament, nor in the New Testament, is it in command form.
As a matter of fact, the command in the Old Testament is YOU WILL love the Lord your God, and YOU WILL love your neighbor as yourself. It is a factual statement!
It all centers around where the commands came from, Deuteronomy Chapter 6 that has the SHEMA, the prayer that is prayed every morning and evening by Orthodox Jews.
In that prayer, they recite the fact that God says that I will put my Spirit in you, and I will put my laws on your heart, and YOU WILL love the Lord your God.
We are told inGalatians 5:22that love, AGAPE, is a fruit of God's Spirit.
In 1 John Chapter 4, it tells us that God is love. Now if I focus on the fact that God is love, and I've been commanded to love, and God is love, then what am I to do? Give you God, because He is love. Love is a person. Love is the nature of God!
In my human abilities, or in my human effort, I cannot produce God's nature of love. I can't produce that!
And as I said, Galatians 5:22tells us it is a fruit. It is produced by God's Spirit, just like faith, and all the other ingredients that make up the fruit of the Spirit. Some continue to take scriptures out of context and put pressure on themselves to produce these things, when the bible says no.
The bible says point-blank that if you're not loving your brother, then you don't know God!
If you do not have AGAPE love in you, you are not saved. That is what the bible says.
A precious gem given by a dear Brother which is widely held by true believers.
Next;
More on the fruit of the Spirit.
See part 7.
God bless.
There is an interesting contrast when you look at the Greek words for "love" used in John 21:15-17. When Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me?" in John 21:15-16, He used the Greek word "agape," this Love us immeasurable, it means to be totally given in to! Only the Holyspirit can produce this.
Both times, Peter responded with "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you," using the Greek word phileo, which refers more to a brotherly/friendship type of love.
The third time Jesus asks, "Do you love me?" in John 21:17, He uses the word phileo! The Lord reduced the measure of love to peters and our capability.
Notice Peters reaction "Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, "phileo" thou me?"
The Lord knew Peter couldn't Agape him because the Holyspirit wasn't given to them yet.
I believe he was tasking Peter pointing him back to what he thought he could do on his own strength in Matthew 26:31-35.
It do well to note all the disciples thought they would be willing to die with Christ.
The Lord forewarned Peter in
Luke 22:31-32. And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
In the John account we see two interesting things right before the bold statement from Peter and the disciples,
First
John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. Later they showed this was a command they couldn't do on their own.
Second.
The commandment wasn't given until after Judas departed.
John 13:26-30.
All these scriptures suggests all our service we do don't even begin until after the New birth through baptism of the Holyspirit.
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13.
See Part 5.
God bless.
Mathew 22:37.
I'm indebted to a dear Brother on this site for sharing this in the Greek perspective.
"Thou shalt love" is not in command form. That is a Future Active Indicative in the Greek text. It is not a command. It is a factual statement. You will love!
The command in the Old Testament is YOU WILL love the Lord your God, and YOU WILL love your neighbor as yourself. It is a factual statement!
If you notice the word "with." Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Well, it is the Greek word EN, which means in.
All three prepositional phrases are "in." You will love the Lord your God (in) your whole heart, and (in) your whole soul and (in) your whole mind.
Please notice the location?
I am not going to love with it. I am going to be in it. It is going to be in me, in my inner being. That is how it is literally translated in the Greek.
You see, God gives us the ability to love Him because in the natural, we do not have that capability. So Jesus says this is the first commandment.
Is it a commandment? No,
The commandment is YOU WILL. There is no choice there! It is not an invitation like I hope you will, or could you, or should you.
You will, because God's Spirit is the one who has the love. He is the one who loves. And when you have God's Spirit in you, you are in God's love.
And we have to be sensitive to the fact that AGAPE love is not an action, something we have to go out and do. Agape love is a person. That person is Christ. And if we have Christ, we will love Him with all our heart, mind, and soul. And we will love our neighbor (fellow believer) as ourselves. It's not a command for us to go out and do. It is something we will do because His Spirit in us gives us the ability to do so!
Thank You Brother, for that Material.
You see an example of this with Peter in John 21:15-17.
Will share more on this over the weekend.
God bless.
Part 2.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.We love him, because he first loved us.If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?And this commandment have we from him, Thathe who loveth God love his brother also. 1 John 4:16-21.
Notice the last part of verse 21, "And this commandment have we from him, "That he who loveth God love his brother also" HE WHO LOVETH GOD LOVE HIS BROTHER ALSO! This is not asking you to do anything, it is telling you what is being done by God spirit being in you!
(And hereby we do know that we know him,) if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
Keep in mind this verse about loving "the brethren". This is Agape! This is a fruit; you don't produce this, you are the branch, you bare it.
see part 3
only light can do that. Hate can not drive out hate; only love can do that." MLK. Jr.
Well stated!
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