Loving God's Way
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The Greatest Commands
The Greatest Commands
This will I really felt that I should talk about God’s love, and about how to Love the way that Yeshua commanded us to. We are going to start with the time Yeshua was asked about the greatest commandment, and then we will cover a bit of the John the Beloved’s perspective, and then look at Rav. Sha’ul’s view.
Let’s read Mark. 12: 28-31
One of the Torah scholars came and heard them debating. Seeing that Yeshua had answered them well, he asked Him, “Which commandment is first of all?” Yeshua answered, “The first is, ‘Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. And you shall love Adonai your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Loving God
Loving God
When Yeshua was asked this important question by one of the people who had studied Torah. What is the greatest commandment? There are 613 of them to choose from. It is interesting that Yeshua does not quote from the 10 commandments, but instead point to 2 commandments that encapsulate the whole.
The first is from Deut. 6:4-9 . Now we recite this Scripture , the Shema, every week. And while it is a tradition, it needs to be our foundation both of our Congregation and of our individual lives. We are to set God’s Word, His Commands, above our own hearts, our own wants, our own feelings, and our own thoughts. That means if there is a difference between the way we feel, and what the Word of God says, then we need to give way to God’s direction.
The rest of the passage in Deut. 6 is very clear that the way to love Adonai is through obeying the commands that He has given. We will cover this a little more when we touch on John’s perspective.
And although Yeshua was only asked what the greatest command was, and he could have stopped at 1, He knew that the second commandment was just as necessary.
Loving Others
Loving Others
So Yeshua quoted from Lev. 19:18 where it says:
You are not to take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am Adonai.
The question asked by the Scholar was about how the Torah could be summarised. Yeshua had already answered several different questions that can be read in the previous chapters, and it was because of Yeshua’s wise answers that this man had posed this question. Yeshua’s response here is just as wise. There are many people who want to find a list of rules that they can follow so that they can enter Heaven, and there are many who are very loving but are not interested in following the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. But unless both of these commands are fulfilled, we have missed the mark.
Recognizing Yeshua’s wisdom, the man exclaims: Mark 12:32-33
“Well said, Teacher,” the Torah scholar said to Him. “You have spoken the truth, that He is echad, and besides Him there is no other! And ‘to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’ and ‘to love the neighbor as oneself,’ is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
Yeshua affirmed him and said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
John the Beloved’s Perspective
John the Beloved’s Perspective
John, the Talmid is called the Beloved, because he was the closest friend of Yeshua. I will read just a couple of verses from John 13:21-26
After He said these things, Yeshua was agitated in spirit and testified, “Amen, amen I tell you, one of you will betray Me!” The disciples began looking at each other, perplexed—who was He talking about? One of His disciples, whom Yeshua loved, was reclining at His side. Simon Peter nods to him and says, “Ask Him—who is He talking about?” Then he who leaned on Yeshua’s chest says to Him, “Master, who is it?” Yeshua answers, “It’s the one I will give this bit of matzah to, after I dip it.” After dipping the matzah, He takes it and gives it to Judah from Kriot, the son of Simon.
John refers to himself as the “Talmid whom Yeshua loved,” and on that night, the night of the Pesach Seder, John was reclining at the table right next to Yeshua. There is so much more there, but we will leave that for our talk in a few weeks on Passover. For now, I want to go over to the first letter of 1 John 2:3-6 and have a look at John’s perspective of the greatest command.
Loving God
Loving God
Now we know that we have come to know Him by this—if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God is truly made perfect. We know that we are in Him by this— whoever claims to abide in Him must walk just as He walked.
Here John gives us three way that we know if someone is following God.
We obey His commands. This is what Deut. 6 was saying. We are in a Covenantal relationship with Adonai, and the stipulations of that Covenant is that we love Him will all our hearts, mind and strength, and that we demonstrate that love through our obedience.
We are to keep His word. The concept of keep and guard are similar. The Word of God is to be precious to us. We are not to hold it lightly, but we are to honour and respect what Adonai has said.
We are to walk just as He walked. We are called to follow Yeshua. He is the perfect example that we are to model our lives after. We have not been asked to do something that Adonai is unwilling to do, rather we are to follow Yeshua’s pattern of life and teaching. This is the concept of Halakhah, which in English is translated, “the way that one walks.”
Loving Others
Loving Others
A little later in John’s letter, he writes the following 1 Jn. 4:7-16
Loved ones, let us love one another, for love is from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. The love of God was revealed among us by this—that God sent His one and only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. This is love—not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atonement for our sins. Loved ones, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God abides in us and His love is made perfect in us. We know that we abide in Him and He in us by this—because He has given us of His Spirit. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son as Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Yeshua is Ben-Elohim, God abides in him and he abides in God. So we have come to know and trust in the love that God has for us. God is love. Now whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
The word that John is using here for love is Agape. Agape is defined as:
the quality of warm regard for and interest in another, esteem, affection, regard, love
Although it is used throughout the New Covenant writings, it is not very common in Greek Literature. One example is that of an “army officer, who is held in ‘high esteem’ by his country.”
John is telling us that if we do not have this sort of esteem, affection, regard and love for our fellow believers, then how can we say that we actually love God. John goes on and once again points out that we love others, because we have received the love of God first. We have the perfect example to follow.
It is from knowing this love of God, that we in turn can then love others. The times that we lose esteem for others and begin to regard them less favorable are usually the times that we forget just how much Adonai has demonstrated His love to us in sending us Yeshua.
I have noticed in my life, that the times I get angry with others because of how they have treated me or how they have messed up, and the times that I begin to demand justice because I have been wronged, I always seem to forget just how much I have been forgiven for.
But this love and forgiveness can only be found in acknowledging that Yeshua is Ben-Elohim, the Son of God. That is when Adonai abides in us through His Ruach.
Rav. Sha’ul’s Perspective
Rav. Sha’ul’s Perspective
I want to now go over Rav. Sha’ul’s perspective. I will be going over 1 Cor. 13, but before I do, I would like to read 2 verses that he wrote earlier in that same letter. 1 Cor. 6:7-8
Therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you have lawsuits among yourselves. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? But you yourselves do wrong and cheat—and against your brothers and sisters at that!
This comes at the end of a passage on settling disputes between brothers and sisters within the Community. Sha’ul seems to be astounded that members in the Congregation in Corinth are actually taking each other to court and can not seem to resolve their differences in the congragation. He finishes by asking 2 interesting questions.
Why not rather be wronged?
Why not rather be cheated?
Here he is asking if it would not be better to simply accept being wronged and cheated, then to hold a grudge and go after people to get justice. This is one of the hardest things to do, to simply release others of what they owe us whether it is a financial or an emotional debt. Why is forgiveness so hard?
Now lets go over to 1 Cor 13
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels but have not love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all that I own and if I hand over my body so I might boast but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not brag, it is not puffed up, it does not behave inappropriately, it does not seek its own way, it is not provoked, it keeps no account of wrong, it does not rejoice over injustice but rejoices in the truth; it bears all things, it believes all things, it hopes all things, it endures all things. Love never fails— but where there are prophecies, they will pass away; where there are tongues, they will cease; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect has come, then that which is partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. But now these three remain— faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love.
I want to focus in on verses 4 - 8 and look at the definitions of each of the attributes. And although it is sometimes easy to see our own deficiencies, I want to remember what John wrote, that “God is Love.” As we go through each of these let’s ask ourselves, “How does this describe God’s nature?” and secondly, “How can I grow in this area?”
Love is patient. Patience is, “the capacity to tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without becoming angry or upset.” How long does God wait before he brings judgement? How long did He wait for me?
Love is kind. To be kind means to be, “friendly, considerate, and generous.” How did Yeshua demonstrate friendship and consideration? How has Adonai been generous toward me?
Love doesn’t envy. Sometimes it is easier to define something by its opposite. Envy is the, “discontented or resentful longing aroused by another’s possessions, qualities, or luck.” Do I envy others?
Love doesn’t brag. To brag is, “to say something boastfully.” And to boast is to, “talk with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about oneself.” God is the creator of the universe, therefore it would be hard from Him to have an exaggerated view of Himself. But how easy it is for us to fall into pride?
Love isn’t puffed up. Philo of Alexandria said that and individual was “puffed “up with arrogance,” and Calvin said that the will and the mind become “puffed up and swollen with … pride.” Pride is defined as, “a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from achievements, qualities, or possessions that do one credit.” But also as, “the quality of having an excessively high opinion of oneself.” Do we have an accurate and proportionate view of ourselves?
Love isn’t rude. Rudeness includes all behaviour that is, “offensively impolite or ill-mannered,” especially when, “referring to sex in a way considered improper and offensive.” Do I laugh at crude humour? Do I feel the need to cut people down?
Love doesn’t seek its own way. Love isn’t selfish. Self-centred behaviour is, “concerned chiefly with one’s own personal profit or pleasure at the expense of consideration for others.” Our entire culture is constantly telling us that it is all about us, so this is a significant struggle. But think about this, none of the things that God asks us to do are for His benefit at the expense of us. This is why he says, in Deut. 30:19-20 “Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, by loving Adonai your God, listening to His voice, and clinging to Him. For He is your life and the length of your days, that you may dwell on the land that Adonai swore to your fathers.”
Love isn’t provoked. To provoke is to, “stimulate (a reaction or emotion, typically a strong or unwelcome one) in someone, or to deliberately annoy or anger someone.” As Fathers we are specifically told not to provoke our children or else they will become discouraged. Col. 3:21 But are we easily angered, or irritable? Am I expecting more from my children then they are able at their age? Do the small things bother me?
Love keeps not account of wrongs. Resentful is the, “feeling or expressing bitterness or indignation.” Am I quick to forgive others? Or do I remember and hold onto the wrongs they have done to me? Bitterness is like a weed that can cause pain to many people Heb. 12:15.
Love doesn’t rejoice in injustice, but rejoices in the truth. Do I seek the truth regardless of the consequences? Does injustice sadden or anger me? But let’s look at this from God’s perspective. Adonai tells us that we must not have unjust balances or weights, Lev. 19:35 because He is just and always true. We recently covered this in Rev. 19:2 “For His judgments are true and just.”
Love bears all things. To bear means, “to manage or tolerate” something that is negative. Tolerance is always defined negatively, i.e. we tolerate what we don’t agree with. How well do I tolerate people I disagree with?
Love believes all things. The definition of believe that I believe is correct is that we, “accept the statement of someone as true.” Do we always give people the benefit of the doubt? It is hard after we have been hurt by others, and this may take time. But are we willing to give people another go?
Love hopes all things. Today Hope is defined as, “A feeling of expectation and desire,” but the older definition includes, “a feeling of trust.” Do we hope the best for people? Do we hang on to the hope of our salvation? Remember that God is also hoping that all will humble themselves and repent 2 Pet. 3:9. Do we do the same? Or have we given up?
Love endures all things. Endurance is defined as to “suffer something painful and prolonged patiently.” This sounds like long-suffering to me, and there is only one way to learn it. The question is can we do it without complaining?
Love never fails. Westley from The Princess Bride said this, “Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.” We also know that this is true, just as Sha’ul wrote to Timothy, 1 Tim. 1:16 “Yet for this reason I was shown mercy—so that in me as the foremost, Messiah Yeshua might demonstrate His complete patience, as an example for those about to put their trust in Him for eternal life.”
Application
Application
Peter asked Yeshua how much he should endure and how many times he should forgive. Yeshua’s answer should give us all plenty to thing about: Matt. 18:21-35
Then Peter came to Him and said, “Master, how often shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Yeshua said to him, “No, not up to seven times, I tell you, but seventy times seven! Therefore, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. When he had begun to settle up, a man was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But since he didn’t have the money to repay, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. Then the slave fell on his knees and begged him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I’ll repay you everything.’ And the master of that slave, filled with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt. “Now that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii. And he grabbed him and started choking him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe!’ “So his fellow slave fell down and kept begging him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I’ll pay you back.’ Yet he was unwilling. Instead, he went off and threw the man into prison until he paid back all he owed. “So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply distressed. They went to their master and reported in detail all that had happened. Then summoning the first slave, his master said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave all that debt because you pleaded with me. Wasn’t it necessary for you also to show mercy to your fellow slave, just as I showed mercy to you?’ Enraged, the master handed him over to the torturers until he paid back all he owed. “So also My heavenly Father will do to you, unless each of you, from your hearts, forgives his brother.”
I realise that for most if not all of us, we will see the areas that we need to grow. I am the same. But one thing thatI have noticed, is that when I remember how much I have been forgiven, then I find it easier to forgive. And when I remember how much I have been loved by Adonai sending his only begotten Son for me, then I find it easier to love and esteem others.
It is better for me to be motivated to change by the love that Yeshua has demonstrated to me, then to be motivated by the fearful realisation that if I do not forgive from my heart then God will not forgive me. However, either way, by the carrot or by the goad, I must become more like Yeshua. I must demonstrate the Fruit of the Spirit, which is Love, in my life. Sometimes growth happens by fertilizer, and sometimes it happens through pruning. Either way, Phil. 1:6
I am sure of this very thing—that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the Day of Messiah Yeshua.
I will close out with Yeshua’s new commandment: John 13:34-35
“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so also you must love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”