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Obeying the great commandment

Discussion in '2005 Archive' started by TexasSky, May 3, 2005.

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  1. TexasSky

    TexasSky Guest

    In Matthew 22:35 - 40 Christ tells us what the greatest commandments are.

    A lot of Christians spend a lot of time trying to catch people "breaking the commandments," but I wonder if we spend enough time encouraging people to obey the greatest commandments.

    I also see people who seem to merge hating a sin and hating a sinner. They either hate both, or they love both. Christ differentiated. He loved the sinner, but he also told them, "Stop sinning." Have we forgotten how to do that?

    What are you feelings on this?

    Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
     
    #1 TexasSky, May 3, 2005
  2. billreber

    billreber New Member

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    I think you are right that we need to "hate the sin and love the sinner". I find myself hating both (at times) and pleading with God to correct me.

    Unfortunately, many of the "sinners" (non-Christians) equate hatred of the sin and hatred of the sinner. This is the human response, of course. That is why we who preach against homosexuality, abortion, and so forth, are often labeled as "intolerant" or "hateful".

    As for me, I will continue to preach holiness and forgiveness of sin. I will strive to love the sinner, while hating the sin. Perhaps God will call the "sinners" to repentance. My job is just to show them God.

    Bill
     
    #2 billreber, May 3, 2005
  3. ktn4eg

    ktn4eg New Member

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    In light of what has already been posted on this topic, would someone please explain what the Holy Spirit meant to convey when He inspired the psalmist to write these verses in Psalm 5:

    4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
    5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
    6 Thou shall destroy them that speak leasing [falsehood]: the LORD will abhor the bloody [bloodthirsty] and deceitful man.

    I would especially draw your attention to the last part of Psalm 5:5 ("thou hatest all workers of iniquity.").

    Here God's Word tells us that He hates the workERS of inquity, not just the WORKS of iniquity.

    Am I to believe from that statement taken from His infallible Word that God hates the sinner? If not, then what exactly is the last half of Psalm 5:5 telling us about God?
     
    #3 ktn4eg, May 4, 2005
  4. TexasSky

    TexasSky Guest

    ktn4eg,

    Psalms 5:5 is a song writer's words to God about God. It is how the psalmist viewed God.

    Christ's great commission is from Christ Himself to His followers. Christ told us to love those that hate us. He also told us the world would hate us because we aren't of the world.

    Christ set the example of loving even the sinner, but telling them to stop the sin.

    Also, there is a difference in someone who "commits" the sin, and in someone who leads others into sin. One is making a very bad mistake, the other is pushing other people into disobedience of God.
     
    #4 TexasSky, May 4, 2005
  5. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    How about we love God becasue He first loved us, before we were christians He loved us enough to send His Son to die for our sins.
    or John 3:16
    I don't think God's love is conditional.
     
    #5 donnA, May 5, 2005
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