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Your Question:
What does it mean to love our neighbors as ourselves in a world of division?
Answer:
To love our neighbors as ourselves in a world of division is to recognize that our love for others is not a feeling, but an action. It's not about liking or tolerating our neighbors, but about displaying behaviors that show we care for them. As the Bible says, "Love is not mere tolerance, a warm feeling for everyone out there or even special indignation for the oppressed in some distant place. It must be for one's neighbor - the person within reach." This means that our love for our neighbors must be self-giving and sacrificial. We must be willing to put their needs before our own and give of ourselves to help them. This is not about personal gain, but about showing God's love to them. As 1 John 4:9-11 says, "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." Our love for our neighbors is a reflection of God's love for us, and it's a command that we are to obey. In a world of division, loving our neighbors as ourselves can be challenging. It requires us to put aside our differences and focus on the needs of those around us. It means being willing to listen to and understand others, even if we disagree with them. As a pastor, I've seen this play out in my community, where people from different backgrounds and perspectives come together to love and serve one another. It's a beautiful thing to see, and it's a reminder that loving our neighbors as ourselves is not just a command, but a way of life.
Sources:
biblical critical theory
christopher watkin
kingdom of cults
walter martin
leviticus
jay slklar
meaning of marriage
timothy keller
mark
eckhard schnabel
introduction biblical ethics
robertson mcquilkin
power of a praying parent
stormie omartian
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