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Results from: Answers On or After: Thu 12/31/70 Author: Xerxes Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Tell us a little about yourself. | Bible general Archive 2 | Xerxes | 128329 | ||
EdB, Sorry for not filling it out earlier. I didn't think about it until you said something. It's filled out now. By all means, check me out. :o) Xerxes |
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2 | What is your definition of love? | John 13:34 | Xerxes | 128292 | ||
You know Ed, I want to answer these questions for you, but seeing your post, I'm inclined instead to first ask: What in the world is your problem!? Was this really necessary: "I have no interest in being inquisitioned here by you or anyone else."? Darn near every one of your responses has some sort of snide, sarcastic, condescending, or contemptuous comment in it. I seem unable to get the sweet from you without the sour. Again, what is your problem? I haven't done you any wrong. I haven't challenged your Christianity. I haven't called you names. I haven't insulted anything you've posted. All I've done is ask you for a more clear understanding on your perspective so I could meet you at your level and be of one mind in discussing the issue. Furthermore, the questions I asked were simple ones, asked in order to gain information and understanding, and instead of answering them with clear and concise answers so we could continue, you instead treat this whole thing like I'm playing some kind of game with you and mask your answers as though you're trying to avoid the simple yes or no that would have sufficed. I'm not playing a game. I think, however, that you need to decide if you are, because your defenses make conversation with you extremely difficult. What can I say that will not offend you or fetch some sort of rude comment? That said, I'm going to answer the questions as I promised I would: 1) Love is an emotion AND an action. Love, in its typical English rendering, is a noun. This would be the reckoning you are understanding. An emotion that is just there. A "person, place, or thing." The word "agapao," used in all the commands to "love," is a verb, and that means that love is not an emotion Biblically speaking. Love, in and of itself, is an action. [A Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament]: agapao: love (primarily of Christian love); show or prove one’s love; long for, desire, place first in one’s affections. [An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon]: agapao, f. eso: pf. egapeka: Ep. aor. 1 agapesa: (agape): I. of persons, to treat with affection, to caress, love, be fond of, c. acc., Att. for agapazo, Plato, etc.:—Pass. to be beloved, Id., Demosthenes. 2. in N.T. to regard with brotherly love, v. agape. II. of things, to be well pleased or contented at or with a thing, c. dat., Demosthenes, etc.:—also c. acc. rei, Id.:—absol. to be content, Lucian:—ag. oti. ., ei. ., ean. ., to be well pleased that. . Thucydides, etc. [NASB Hebrew and Greek Dictionary]: agapao: of unc. or.; to love. Agape is the emotion. Agapao is the action. You feel agape. You do Agapao. A new commandment I give you, that you agapao one another as I have agapao you. By this standard, to "Agapao your neighbor as yourself," is identical in context to, "Do to others as you would have them do to you." This is not an emotion, but an action. So when Paul says that agapao is the fulfillment of the law, and that there is no commandment we have that is not summed up by "Agapao your neighbor as yourself," it is not a motivator, it is an action that is the completion in and of itself. If you say you agape your father, that means you have feelings for him, and it establishes the motivation to agapao. Since agape is defined in 1 Cor. 13:4-8, I would have to say that it does, in fact, establish a standard of performance in us. We should agapao according to the standards of agape in 1 Cor. 1 John 3:18 "My little children, let us not agapao in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth." He is saying that we should not say we are performing the action, but actually do it. This does, in fact, not only imply but say, that we should agapao, and not simply sit back and agape. Your thoughts? Xerxes |
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3 | Christianity -- American style vs... | Matt 28:19 | Xerxes | 128169 | ||
Wow, Country Girl. That article was inspiring, and made me feel all bubbly inside. While not quite on that grand of a scale, this sort of thing has already happened to me. Just be the light. I have the reputation at several local bars for being the "bible thumper." There is no one I talk to that doesn't get a dose. I find that the way to witness effectively is to just do it. I don't look for openings. I don't manipulate people into the discussion. I just talk about it as though it were everyday conversation, and with an air about the conversation that silently suggests that only a dummy would think otherwise. This is not to say that I insult them, or even insinuate insult. To give an example, I broke up a fight at one of the bars. To do this, I exercised humility, meekness, patience, and told the man very plainly, "Look brother, Jesus wants us to love one another. Remember, we should turn the other cheeck and not render evil for evil." I still get a laugh from it. The guy looked at me as though I was crazy, and says, "Are you being serious?" To which, ten other people outside said, "Yeah, he's being serious. He's all into that stuff." *laugh* The man went home in peace, did not continue the fight, and didn't come back later for revenge. The next time I saw him, you'd have thought I was his best buddy. Just remember, witnessing is more than telling. It is living. It is life, not the story of what life should be. YOU aren't the one being strange by talking about it. THEY are being strange for not acting on the conviction. Always remember that your good conversation in Christ will shame those that think to do you evil. I hope I was able to edify. Xerxes |
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