Results 1 - 5 of 5
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | love...as himself (if no self-love?) | Eph 5:33 | srchng | 65433 | ||
If a husband has very little self-love, or even self-respect, what good is it if he loves his wife the same way? Isn't this closely related to "love your neighbor as yourself" in that self-love seems to be assumed as a given? What if self-love is lacking? How does Christianity fill in the blanks? Where is the self-love found? | ||||||
2 | love...as himself (if no self-love?) | Eph 5:33 | Robert Nicholson | 65437 | ||
srching: I do not believe we will find "self-love" in the Bible. "God is love" (1 John 4:8) He is the source of all love in this world. True, unconditional love is found only in Christ. For those who know Christ as Saviour, our cold hearts have been filled with his love "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us". (Rom. 5:5) I believe that in this verse his love shines outward from us rather than inward to ourselves. If we truly appreciate the love of God we will than be willing to love those for whom Christ died. I find it difficult to separate self-love from pride which tends to be selfish. I understand where you are coming from. If we hate ourselves than how can we love others? Should we see ourselves as worthless? How does God see us? He saw us as lost, helpless and sinful, but not worthless! How do we know this? We must look at what it cost him for the price of our redemption, "he spared not his son" (Rom. 8:32) After we come to know Christ, we stand in awe as to the fact that he loved and continues to love us so. I believe that if I as a Christian I can in a measure appreciate that I am loved, that in the measure I appreciate God's love will be directly proportional to the love I can show to others. A husband who is enjoying the love of God within his heart will love his wife. The Lord Jesus is the example of selflessness and so it should be in our lives if we belong to him. If we appreciate the love of God toward us and think of the price he paid for our redemption, even though we did not deserve it, we should have a love for our neighbours who are fellow travellers to eternity. Peace in his Name Robert |
||||||
3 | love...as himself (if no self-love?) | Eph 5:33 | Rabbi Mark | 65453 | ||
Hi Robert, Very insightful. But consider this. The Lord Jesus did offer himself for our redemption. But is He truly selfless? Is He not to be exalted above all? Is He not to rule the earth? Is not everything to be subdued and put under His feet? Is not everything created by Him and for Him? Is this really selfless? I wouldn't say so. And neither can any man be selfless for we were created in His image. But we are expected to yield ourselves to Him. We are expected to sacrifice ourselves to His work as He sacrificed Himself for us. But we are to reign with Him. But I do agree with you that the man who is enjoying the love of God will show that love to his wife .... and to all humanity as well ... for as you said ... the Holy Spirit indwelling us is love and teaches us love. |
||||||
4 | love...as himself (if no self-love?) | Eph 5:33 | Robert Nicholson | 65481 | ||
Rabbi Mark: We read "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Heb. 12.2) I do not see this as a selfish, but the Lord Jesus saw the big picture, he knew that his sacrifice and suffering were worth it all, however, his sacrifice was not for himself, but for others and has resulted in their joy now and for eternity. In Phil. 2:6 about Christ Jesus "who being in the form of God, thought it not (a thing to be grasped at) to be equal with God" "Who being" refers to his eternal existance with God and "being in the form of God" his equality in the Godhead. "thought it no a thing to be grasped at" Jesus did not grasp for anything, he had and has all the things you have pointed out before he came to earth, yet he as it were set them aside. In Phil as we carry on we find "he humbled himself" we then read of his incarnation, his servant character, his total obedience "unto death even the death of the cross. In John 1 we find that he the Eternal Word is God manifest in the flesh, that he is the creator of all things and he is the Light of the world. In Heb. 1:3 he is shown as the one who "upholds all things by the word of his power" the one who purged our sins and the one who sits "on the right hand of the Majesty on high"V.3 The point I am trying to make is that Jesus Christ did not have to suffer on the cross for these things, because he already had them. His sacrifice on the cross was an act of grace motivated by love when it made it possible for those who were separated from him by sin, to be brought near by his precious blood. Peace in his name Robert |
||||||
5 | love...as himself (if no self-love?) | Eph 5:33 | Rabbi Mark | 65486 | ||
Dear Robert: Point well taken. But I did not use the word selfish to describe Jesus. And I hope that I did not imply this in my answer. I agree that Jesus had all these things before the cross and that He did not have to suffer any of these things to obtain them. What I was trying to show is that Jesus was not altogether selfless. He bought us with a price. And a person who is buying is not doing this for selfless reasons. It was necessary that Jesus suffer as a sacrifice in order to redeem us. He did not have to do it. But He desired our salvation because of His great love for us which no man can fathom. Personally, I would have scrapped all of us and started over. But I thank God that He is greater than I and that He is merciful and has such love. My intent was to point out that God is not altogether selfless (not inferring at all that He is selfish). And neither does He expect man to be selfless since He created us in His image. Nor do I see anywhere in the Bible where God expects us to be selfless -- although He does expect obedience, sacrifice, suffering, and patience on our part. I like your insight and your answers. Keep up the good work. Shalom |
||||||