Re: Re: DID JESUS TEACH MEN TO LOVE THEMSELVES? Part 2 of 6
| Posted On: 05/29/06 08:27:45 AM |
Age 57, VA |
Why would the Bible tell us to die to self? Why would it teach us that WE must decrease, that He COULD possibly increase in our lives. Why would it teach us to do all for the Glory of God? How could we possible be glorifying God, if we tried to find or love ourselves? Why would the Bible say in Galatians 5 that the works of the flesh (self) sets its desire AGAINST the Spirit and the works of the flesh and the works of the Spirit are in opposition to one another so that you may not do the things that you please....NOW those who who belong to Christ Jesus have CRUCIFIED the flesh, with its passions and desires, if we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit??!!! Secondly, in Romans 7:18 Paul said as a Born Again believer, " I know that NOTHING GOOD DWELLS IN ME, that is in my flesh...But Paul then continues to give us the answer to this problem as he continues. He has NOT begun this topic of struggle to leave us in a place where we will never be able to overcome it, as some would teach. No there is a solution! The solution is 1-"that the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. Some sort of greater Law went into effect through Christ's Death, Burial, and Resurrection, called the "Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus." It was a Law that supercedes the "Law of Sin and Death," the Law that set in motion the sin and death that entered the earth realm when Adam fell and through it all me would sin and die both physically and spiritually. But the "Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus" has been made available and operates in the life of a believer. It is what sets us free indeed! It is what empowers us to overcome the enemy and ourselves. It is the Law that gives us LIFE, HIS LIFE, CHRIST IN US THE HOPE OF GLORY. And it is the very thing that has made it even possible for us to overcome the struggle that Paul describes in Chapter 7. Romans 8:2 says, "For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has SET US FREE from the Law of Sin and Death." As Paul continues he tells us this: " For the mind set on the flesh (self and what it wants to do and be) is death, BUT THE MIND SET ON THE SPIRIT IS LIFE AND PEACE. We cannot focus on self and find peace. We have to focus on the Spirit of God and all that God is and all that God wants in order to find life and peace. It is through LOOSING that we GAIN. It is through taking our eyes off ourselves and becoming like HIM that we find Peace. We are never trying to find or love ourselves. WE are always panting after Him, to know HIM and the power of His resurrection. If we even try to seek our own self-esteem, we will fall. Seek First the Kingdom of God (the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost) and THEN these things shall be added to us. If we seek after anything else it will get messed up. The things that we desire will always escape us or burn us if we seek after them. All that we need and all that we are to become will happen as we seek Him First. Today, ANYTHING good that I see or others see in me comes from HIS Spirit in me. It is not me, it is HIM IN ME. If I say it is me, "I" have just taken credit for the credit that belongs to HIM. No good thing dwells in me EXCEPT Christ and when others see HIM in me I must say it is of Him, otherwise I am proud and boastful, for it is not mine to be proud of or boast of. It is His!
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Re: Re: DID JESUS TEACH MEN TO LOVE THEMSELVES? Part 2 of 6
| Posted On: 05/26/06 09:03:02 AM |
Age 43, TX |
Thanks for replying. I do believe that you are reasoning and not holding strictly to what the Word says, ie. you pose: "Does it not also say that we are created in the image of God? Do you think that God loves himself?" The Bible says "God is love" but never says He loves Himself. Why would He need to love Himself if He is love? Why would we need to learn to love ourselves if HE who "is love" lives in us and "casteth out all fear"? (1 Jn. 4:16,18) You also said: "I believe that we have to find our "true-selves" in Christ before we can help others...if it is founded around, through and in Christ then this so called "self-love" is true." Where is this found in the Word? Where did the LORD tell us to go find ourselves? We are not wicked, but rather "desperately wicked" and need to find out who HE IS IN US and then He will make known to us who we are in Him. The term "self-love" in the antithesis of what Jesus taught and the term should never be used by believers except in expose'. It sounds like you are a sincere believer but need to ask our LORD for more understanding. Self-love is not part of the divine nature nor did He ever teach us to love ourselves.
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Re: DID JESUS TEACH MEN TO LOVE THEMSELVES? Part 2 of 6
| Posted On: 05/25/06 07:47:11 PM |
Age 21, WA |
I don't fully agree with your statements about the "self-love" message, for many reasons. For one if you are going to give, or quote scripture use the whole thing, ie phil. 2:3-8. I think that you are right about being outside of Christ, but what about the scripture that says that Christ found himself in the scriptures (luke 4:17)? Are we not called to imitate Christ? Does it not also say that we are created in the image of God? Do you think that God loves himself? If not then why would he tell us to love our neighbor as ourself (matt.19:19 & 22:39)? I believe that we have to find our "true-selves" in Christ before we can help others. I don't know what the others are saying but if it is founded around, through and in Christ then this so called "self-love" is true. If we cannot love ourselves like Christ does than how can we love others. We are supposed to be like Christ, and he loved himself, yes he denied his flesh, but he still loved himself and that is why he could minister and love others so effectively. This "self-love" is rooted in God and what Christ has done. I am a child of God and if I don't love myself then I am slapping God in the face and saying that I don't love Him, because I am created like him. Now, we do deny our carnal selves and take up the cross but when we are doing God's will we are being our "true-selve".
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Re: DID JESUS TEACH MEN TO LOVE THEMSELVES? Part 2 of 6
| Posted On: 05/25/06 04:11:32 PM |
Age 64, NY |
Jesus did His best teaching us to love others as He loves us. Everything you said is true. However, you should have dealt with Lev. 19:34 and Eph 5:33, because God knows we love ourselves,so He advised us to take care of others and our mates as we would ourselves.
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Re: DID JESUS TEACH MEN TO LOVE THEMSELVES? Part 2 of 6
| Posted On: 05/23/06 09:23:24 AM |
Age 34, CO |
Thank you for the much needed words. This is so clearly scriptural, and so few seem to know it. How different the church would be if only we applied what you have said to our lives.
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