Tuesday 8 November 2016

Remember this

Remember this
“So in everything, do to others 
what you would have them do to you, 
for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” 
Matthew 7:12
When I was a young Christian an older woman who loved the Lord deeply gave me a word of advice. Remember Matthew 7:12 and you will do the rest.
She meant you will obey Matthew 7:1,2 that states,
     “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  
     For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Matthew 7:1,2
The words of the apostle Paul
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12,13
The words of Jesus,
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  Matthew 5:43-46
You will show the kind of Love the apostle Paul describes,
“Love is patient, love is kind. 
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  
It is not rude, 
it is not self-seeking, 
it is not easily angered, 
it keeps no record of wrongs. 
Love does not delight in evil 
but rejoices with the truth.  
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 
Love never fails....
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.
 But the greatest of these is love.”  
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13
You will also remember the words of the writer of Hebrews,
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; 
without holiness no one will see the Lord.” 
Hebrews 12:14.
All of this is meant in the words of Jesus when He said,
“So in everything, do to others 
what you would have them do to you,
 for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” 
Matthew 7:12
Doing what the above verses say is the backbone of our faith. It all revolves around love.
Simply put you would not want anyone to judge you, harm you or even protest against you.
You would want them to love you. And as a Christian you should want to love those around you. It is the only sure way of pointing someone to heaven.
Think about it.

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