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Thoughts on the Golden Rule Matthew 7:12 ¶ Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. We call this the Golden Rule. It is not just a suggestion for living. It is a spiritual law straight from the mouth of our Savior. It sums up the intent of all the law and the prophets (Mt. 22:40). What are some of the things spelled out by the law and the prophets? Leviticus 19:18 states that we should not avenge or bear a grudge, but rather love our neighbor as ourselves. Isaiah 1:17 states that we are to learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Micah 6:8 states that the Lord has shown us what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Zechariah 8:16-17 says that we are to speak truth to our neighbor and execute peace and judgment in our gates. Nor are we to have evil imaginations in our hearts against our neighbor and we can’t love a false oath. Why? Because these are things that the Lord hates! A Scribe questioned Jesus as to what was the most important commandments of all. Jesus answered that the first was to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and next in importance was to love our neighbors as ourselves. The scribe stated that doing this was more important than sacrifice and burnt offerings. Jesus approved of his answer and told him that he was not far from the kingdom of God (Mk. 12:29-34). Some New Testament definitions of love. Romans 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love [is] the fulfilling of the law. Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, [even] in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 1Timothy 1:5 ¶ Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and [of] a good conscience, and [of] faith unfeigned: We all want to be good people, don’t we? We don’t want to be crude, so we stop and consider, WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?). We don’t want to be considered stingy so we try to be generous to the less fortunate. That’s all good, but hopefully it comes about because of a heart conversion. I submit that it is impossible to love our neighbor as ourselves unless we have been regenerated by the Spirit of God. When we have been transformed by the power of God we don’t have to ask, “What would Jesus do?” We instinctively know what Jesus would do. Of course we still have difficulty mustering the spiritual inertia needed to overcome the resistance of our flesh, which is in constant warfare against our spirit. The apostle Paul acknowledged this conflict in Romans 7:15 when he stated “….for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.” Lest we use this as an excuse for not doing the right thing, he also stated in Galatians 5:16, “… Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. The Holy Ghost in our lives makes all the difference. God living in and acting out through us. When we came to Jesus we became a new creation in Him. Our old nature was removed and we began to see thing through the eyes of the Spirit (2Cor. 5:17). 2Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Things are different now, because Jesus lives on the inside. He gives us direction for every aspect of our lives. Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. When we obeyed the gospel and received the Spirit of God we were given an unfeigned love for our brothers and sisters. There’s nothing fake about it, it is Jesus within us causing us to share His love for all the members of His body. Obviously we come short of this or there wouldn’t be so many reminders in scripture to simply love one another. 1Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, [see that ye] love one another with a pure heart fervently: John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Romans 12:10 [Be] kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 1John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren. 1John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. John puts it quite bluntly. If we don’t love, it is because we don’t know God, for God is love and the first listed fruit of His Spirit is love. 1John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, We will all stand at the judgment seat of Christ to answer for the deeds of our flesh, both good and bad (2Cor. 5:10). There the motives behind all of our deeds will be examined. Our hay, wood and stubble will be burned up and our eternal reward will be based on the gold, silver and precious jewels that remain (1Cor. 3:11-15). 1 Corinthians 13:1 ¶ Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. A chorus composed by Roger Strader comes to mind Let Your love flow through me, Let Your love flow through me. Make me a blessing wherever I may go Keep me pure, Keep me clean, so that You may be seen Let your love, let Your love flow through me If we want the advantages of love, then we must be willing to take the risks of love. And that requires vulnerability. Of course, we can refuse this path and trod another one devoid of openness. But the toll on such a road is extremely high. - Charles (Chuck) Swindoll - Insight For Living Free Ebooks That You Can Download. An Expository Study on the Book of Colossians The I AMs of Jesus Your thoughts and Inquiries Contact@About-Him.Com Subscribe to this devotional? Subscribe to About-Him Devotional Keep Looking Up! Don and Marie Spooner About Him! Ministries The purpose of About-Him.Com is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ whom we preach as the Almighty God manifest in the flesh. It is our desire that everything presented on these pages increases your faith in our God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Home About Us About His Word Bible Studies Flash Movies Guest Writers Humor Links Midi Music Songs of the Church Thoughts on the Life of Christ Weekly Devotions Audio Devotionals Topical Studies Contact Last modified: 10-05-2011 Contact us About Him! Ministries |