I love this so much Martin! How our heavenly father leads us to a higher calling. Even throughout the old testament in covenant it's a thread, the scarlet thread of redemption throughout the whole of scripture of God's heart in a new life, of love, peace and resisting evil and sin. Showing & exemplifying God's justice, grace, mercy & forgiveness.
It was always God's original intention purpose and will towards a beautiful maturing relationship first of all with Him and everyone else, and then building up through the revealed promised ransom Saviour Jesus Yeshua. Through him He made everything fully clear and how we are redeemed from the penalty of sin, from the power of satan & evil, by the price Jesus paid on the cross for us, to a new freedom from sin, a new relationship to God, & new life of love by the appropriation of that atonement for our sins.
That's what our discipleship is, relationship. We are very profoundly broken people who have been infected with pernicious horrible sin affecting into all of humanity. And how much redemption we all are really in need of & of course Jesus, spiritual rebirth & can be delivered healed, transformed & sanctified through our heavenly father working with us patiently like a father works with his own son or daughter and then as they advance he cheers them on and then the more they can progress.
Real change comes through the kingdom of God & through Jesus Christ changing the hearts of his people. Empires & political entities come and go, but the kingdom of God is an everlasting kingdom without end, that the core concepts of God & Jesus teaches to those under his kingdom divine rulership of sovereignty and transforms us into how we relate relationally with each other.
When we practice loving our family, brothers and sisters, and because they are the closest to us, we will of course make mistakes & will sadly end up hurting one another, causing pain and upset to each other. But the better we can love those closest to us especially our brethren & sisters, the easier it is to also then practice loving our enemies. The first fruit of the Holy Spirit is love. And we are to follow & be led by the holy spirits guidance in us and in our lives. The holy Spirit will indeed give us guidance to love but then it's up to us if we will follow it or not.
Jesus said; "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." John 14: 21
& verses 23-24 Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.
Faith MUST be accompanied with love. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Galatians 5:6-7)
We have in 1 Corinthians 13 exploring the multifaceted nature of love, asserting that without it, even the greatest acts of faith and benevolence are meaningless. We are to practice God's love, grace, forgiveness and mercy in all aspects of life, highlighting that love is the fulfillment of God’s law and the prophets and the defining mark of TRUE discipleship and genuine authentic disciples. We are challenged to love everyone, firstly God, neighbors, brethren & sisters-above all things, having fervent love among yourselves, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8
and even enemies, genuine love requires continual effort, self sacrifice, self denial, selflessness patience, and forgiveness, expending our energies to bring change in our families, neghbouhoods, community, to the lost hurting and broken, that are long term & lasting through patience and God's holy Spirit one person at a time.
I love this so much Martin! How our heavenly father leads us to a higher calling. Even throughout the old testament in covenant it's a thread, the scarlet thread of redemption throughout the whole of scripture of God's heart in a new life, of love, peace and resisting evil and sin. Showing & exemplifying God's justice, grace, mercy & forgiveness.
It was always God's original intention purpose and will towards a beautiful maturing relationship first of all with Him and everyone else, and then building up through the revealed promised ransom Saviour Jesus Yeshua. Through him He made everything fully clear and how we are redeemed from the penalty of sin, from the power of satan & evil, by the price Jesus paid on the cross for us, to a new freedom from sin, a new relationship to God, & new life of love by the appropriation of that atonement for our sins.
That's what our discipleship is, relationship. We are very profoundly broken people who have been infected with pernicious horrible sin affecting into all of humanity. And how much redemption we all are really in need of & of course Jesus, spiritual rebirth & can be delivered healed, transformed & sanctified through our heavenly father working with us patiently like a father works with his own son or daughter and then as they advance he cheers them on and then the more they can progress.
Real change comes through the kingdom of God & through Jesus Christ changing the hearts of his people. Empires & political entities come and go, but the kingdom of God is an everlasting kingdom without end, that the core concepts of God & Jesus teaches to those under his kingdom divine rulership of sovereignty and transforms us into how we relate relationally with each other.
When we practice loving our family, brothers and sisters, and because they are the closest to us, we will of course make mistakes & will sadly end up hurting one another, causing pain and upset to each other. But the better we can love those closest to us especially our brethren & sisters, the easier it is to also then practice loving our enemies. The first fruit of the Holy Spirit is love. And we are to follow & be led by the holy spirits guidance in us and in our lives. The holy Spirit will indeed give us guidance to love but then it's up to us if we will follow it or not.
Jesus said; "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." John 14: 21
& verses 23-24 Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.
Faith MUST be accompanied with love. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Galatians 5:6-7)
We have in 1 Corinthians 13 exploring the multifaceted nature of love, asserting that without it, even the greatest acts of faith and benevolence are meaningless. We are to practice God's love, grace, forgiveness and mercy in all aspects of life, highlighting that love is the fulfillment of God’s law and the prophets and the defining mark of TRUE discipleship and genuine authentic disciples. We are challenged to love everyone, firstly God, neighbors, brethren & sisters-above all things, having fervent love among yourselves, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8
and even enemies, genuine love requires continual effort, self sacrifice, self denial, selflessness patience, and forgiveness, expending our energies to bring change in our families, neghbouhoods, community, to the lost hurting and broken, that are long term & lasting through patience and God's holy Spirit one person at a time.