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NASB | John 3:16 ¶ "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 3:16 ¶ "For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life. |
Bible Question: If Love is the Greatest Commandment, then why is it today that I hear so many No-believers refer to Christians as being not loving? Have they forgot this Most higest commandment? I personally am seeing too many Christians being bound by the Law and not the Spirit, they cannot look into the heart of a person and seek compassion, they are too busy trying to argue thier point instead of seeing the point of a person needing loving guidance and direction. Is not the Father in heaven a Loving God? Is this not what we need to display? |
Bible Answer: Dear Lamplight: Greetings from snow covered Ontario Canada. Jesus in answering the Pharisees as to which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus said, "you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and foremost commandment. And the second is like it, you shall love your neighbour as yourself" (Matt. 21:37 to 39) We must have the love of God in our heart first and then we will be able by his grace to love our neighbour. Would you not agree that the love of the Saviour himself was demonstrated in his compassion, his kindness, concern, sensitivity and truth. His greatest act of love was when he offered himself a sacrifice unto God for our sins, that we who are so unloveable might be forgiven. The love of God and of Christ is pure and unconditional toward us. He reveals to us our need and unworthiness before him in addition to the great provision which he accomplished for us on the cross. What I am trying to say, is that I would not be loving to my neighbor if I withheld the truth from him. It is a sad thing to live day by day with fellow travellers to eternity without warning them of the downward road they are travelling on. I agree that we turn people away with argument and needless legalism. We must "live Christ" and look for his guidance in our dealings with others who have not yet come to know him as saviour. Paul in speaking to Timothy said, the servant of God must not strive" It is amazing joy and yet an awesome responsibilty to those who are saved by the Grace of God, that we are intended to reflect Christ to those around us. Arguing "religion" will never bring a soul to Christ. Spreading the good news by our example and message will allow God to bring sinners to himself by his Spirit. We have nothing in ourselves to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. I think in fairness to faithful believers, that at times unbelievers criticize them because the truth hurts. I believe the Love of God and the Holiness of God are equal. That is way Calvary was an absolute necessity when we consider that God in all his love can never overlook sin. It was on the cross where "heavens love and heavens justice met" May the love of God fill our hearts A sinner saved by his grace Robert |