Love and lifestyle. It's that basic. We can cut through a multitude of commandments, teachings, and doctrines, and arrive at these two key essentials. Everything else must spring from these.
"Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,' and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. " (Romans 13:8-10)
Jesus reduced the essence of it all to these priorities: love the LORD your God with heart, mind, soul, and strength, and your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-40). Paul echoes this great truth in Romans 13:8-10.
Add to this the priority of lifestyle; especially in light of the urgency with shortness of time: "Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light." (Romans 8:11-12)
Without love, we are nothing (1 Corinthians 13). Without lifestyle, we are disqualified and in danger of missing the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 9:27).
While love and lifestyle are key, they are not an end in themselves. They are the beginning, not the sum total. Important teachings and disciplines are to be added to these essentials, as we train for citizenship in the kingdom of God. As such, we are left with a great summary challenge in Romans thirteen:
"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." (Romans 13:14)
The ongoing priority - based on love and a desire for godly lifestyle - is to always "cloth ourselves" with Christ, and not "make plans" to indulge our sinful nature. These two are mutually exclusive! We must deliberately plan to put on Christ, and we cannot - at the same time - plan for sinful indulgence. A choice must be made.
May we be intentional and focused in our growth and progress today, with love as our motivation, and lifestyle our goal.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2012
"Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,' and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. " (Romans 13:8-10)
Jesus reduced the essence of it all to these priorities: love the LORD your God with heart, mind, soul, and strength, and your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-40). Paul echoes this great truth in Romans 13:8-10.
Add to this the priority of lifestyle; especially in light of the urgency with shortness of time: "Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light." (Romans 8:11-12)
Without love, we are nothing (1 Corinthians 13). Without lifestyle, we are disqualified and in danger of missing the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 9:27).
While love and lifestyle are key, they are not an end in themselves. They are the beginning, not the sum total. Important teachings and disciplines are to be added to these essentials, as we train for citizenship in the kingdom of God. As such, we are left with a great summary challenge in Romans thirteen:
"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." (Romans 13:14)
The ongoing priority - based on love and a desire for godly lifestyle - is to always "cloth ourselves" with Christ, and not "make plans" to indulge our sinful nature. These two are mutually exclusive! We must deliberately plan to put on Christ, and we cannot - at the same time - plan for sinful indulgence. A choice must be made.
May we be intentional and focused in our growth and progress today, with love as our motivation, and lifestyle our goal.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2012
posted by steve @ 9:12 AM
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