Yeah. Because then He would do what we want because He would be like us. But he doesn’t do what we want. In fact, He often calls us to do what we do not want to do. Like loving our enemies.
There’s no doubt in my mind that taking up your cross begins at agape love.
John 21:15-17 tells us of the absolute importance of agape love, in contrast to
phileo/friendship love in being able to Shepard the Lord’s sheep. Whenever
Peter says the word “love,” it is phileo; the Lord begins the dialog with agape/love.
A very important lesson by Jesus is given in John 13:35: “By this all men will know you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” That is a rock solid piece of doctrine that has escaped many who claim to believe in Christ.
It makes sense that that Love would be so inescapably important — it is one of the most difficult things to do. Imagine “loving” people, for example, who belong to Satan, the Black Hole of evil, by their own volition.
However, no problem — John divides life into Light and (spiritual) Darkness — the trick is being incapable of being imbued with darkness; then hating anyone is virtually impossible, even if you don’t love them quite the way you should all of the time. God can look at the worst of the worst and feel compassion; notwithstanding He will execute damnation despite His generosity.
The struggle which all true believers experience, delineated in Romans 7:14-25, partially explains why being religious, or better yet — being Christlike, can be so challenging.
If only God acted more like Humans? Religion would be so much easier?
Yeah. Because then He would do what we want because He would be like us. But he doesn’t do what we want. In fact, He often calls us to do what we do not want to do. Like loving our enemies.
We should be careful not to t our own ideas and desires above His.
One of my favorite cartoons
There’s no doubt in my mind that taking up your cross begins at agape love.
John 21:15-17 tells us of the absolute importance of agape love, in contrast to
phileo/friendship love in being able to Shepard the Lord’s sheep. Whenever
Peter says the word “love,” it is phileo; the Lord begins the dialog with agape/love.
A very important lesson by Jesus is given in John 13:35: “By this all men will know you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” That is a rock solid piece of doctrine that has escaped many who claim to believe in Christ.
It makes sense that that Love would be so inescapably important — it is one of the most difficult things to do. Imagine “loving” people, for example, who belong to Satan, the Black Hole of evil, by their own volition.
However, no problem — John divides life into Light and (spiritual) Darkness — the trick is being incapable of being imbued with darkness; then hating anyone is virtually impossible, even if you don’t love them quite the way you should all of the time. God can look at the worst of the worst and feel compassion; notwithstanding He will execute damnation despite His generosity.
The struggle which all true believers experience, delineated in Romans 7:14-25, partially explains why being religious, or better yet — being Christlike, can be so challenging.
It’s hard yet not impossible.