The greatest commandment in the law

Matthew 22:36-37

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?
Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."

Originally posted by dj2becker
Matthew 22:36-37

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?
Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."

What do you think that would entail?

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
What do you think that would entail?

Well it would certainly require faith in the existence of God for a start, would it not?

Originally posted by dj2becker
Matthew 22:36-37

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?
Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."

What do you think that sycophantic behaviour would achieve?

Can you give an analogous situation which has been beneficial?

Originally posted by dj2becker
Well it would certainly require faith in the existence of God for a start, would it not?

Let me rephrase. What all do you think that would entail?

Originally posted by dj2becker
Matthew 22:36-37

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?
Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."

Everybody will do with is right in their own eyes.

Someone like you will see the word 'believe', and the expression 'love God', and you will form your opinion on what that entails eg you will call on Jesus name several times a day, or tell people how much to love God etc

There are some who will see these same things and will follow their conscience [and the Bible] which will tell them that these things must lead to a change of conduct otherwise it is just lip service, and these people will do the other things which Jesus commanded them to do.

Everybody in the end will be judged by Christ.

Originally posted by dj2becker
Well it would certainly require faith in the existence of God for a start, would it not?

Can't one love Truth or Peace? What does it mean to say that this "God" exists, any more or less than we think of Truth or Love existing? It seems to me that the entailment of existence as something one has duties toward, does not entail existence in some particular way. Some things can be loved without personifying or anthropogenizing them.

Originally posted by JS357
Can't one love Truth or Peace? What does it mean to say that this "God" exists, any more or less than we think of Truth or Love existing? It seems to me that the entailment of existence as something one has duties toward, does not entail existence in some particular way. Some things can be loved without personifying or anthropogenizing them.

That is an interesting concept that deserves its own thread.
Thumbs up.

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
Let me rephrase. What all do you think that would entail?

Let me rephrase. It would certainly require faith in the existence of God for a start. Would it not?

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
Let me rephrase. What all do you think that would entail?

It entails being redeemed by Jesus Christ, firstly.
And it entails receiving Jesus Christ into our hearts, that we may live in union with Him.

" But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God, to those who believe into His name,

Who were begotten not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12,13)

Originally posted by dj2becker
Let me rephrase. It would certainly require faith in the existence of God for a start. Would it not?

Yes. Whoever would come forward to God must believe that He exists.

"But without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to Him, for he who comes forward to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. "(Heb. 11:6)

Originally posted by JS357
Can't one love Truth or Peace? What does it mean to say that this "God" exists, any more or less than we think of Truth or Love existing? It seems to me that the entailment of existence as something one has duties toward, does not entail existence in some particular way. Some things can be loved without personifying or anthropogenizing them.

What we have in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John is a Person walking among us here on earth. Does He not embody truth ? Is there someone ELSE you would submit rivals Jesus Christ in a pure manifestation of truth?

What excuse do we have to expect a clearer manifestation of living Truth and Peace will supersede Jesus of Nazareth ?

" But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God, to those who believe into His name, "

To "believe into His name" should not be taken for granted. It means that His Person is behind His name. It means to believe into the realm of a living Person.

If Jesus is not risen from the dead and available as God-man there is no possibility that anyone can believe into His name.

"Who were begotten not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh,
nor of the will of man,
but of God." (John 1:12,13)

This new birth is NOT of three things and OF one thing.

It is "begotten ... not of blood". No one becomes a child of God because his parents were Christians. Each person has to receive the new birth; the regeneration individually. It is not passed on to offspring in the physical blood of the parents.

It is "begotten... not of the will of the flesh". The term "the will of the flesh" means the will of the fallen and corrupted man. That fallen sinful man that resulted from Adam's fall. The fallen man of the flesh cannot will into being the regeneration of the new birth.

It is "begotten ... nor of the will of man". The flesh denotes the fallen man. But there is an original created man that was innocent and even very good. We are kind of complicated beings. We have a fallen nature. But underneath all of that we do have that original "man" that God created. Regardless, the new birth cannot be brought into being by the will power of the original created man.

it is "begotten ... of God". God causes the new birth. We request. We receive the gift. We ask. But God dispenses His divine life into man for the begetting of children born of God.

In the new birth there is nothing left for man to boast of in himself. It is fully "of God".
We can come to God in prayer and receive what God is so willing to give.
We can 'receive" the Lord Jesus Christ to be born of God.

Originally posted by dj2becker
Well it would certainly require faith in the existence of God for a start, would it not?

Yes, it would require a faith in not just god, but to grasp it you would really need to know
God, the Almighty, Creator, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, who not only created the
universe as it is, but holds it together by the power of His Word. To know of Him is
nothing compared to knowing Him, He is our great shield and reward. As God reveals
Himself to each of us and we learn more and more about Him, He becomes even more
precious as a loving Father, a kind Shepard who leads us through life. He is a faithful
Lord who walks with us in this world and no matter what happens to us be it good or bad
He is there to ground us in love, because He is perfect in all of His ways. His Spirit fills us
and gives His wisdom, teaching us His ways, to avoid evil, and to walk in His grace and
mercy, so we can show the love we were shown to others.

Originally posted by KellyJay
Yes, it would require a faith in not just god, but to grasp it you would really need to know
God, the Almighty, Creator, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, who not only created the
universe as it is, but holds it together by the power of His Word. To know of Him is
nothing compared to knowing Him, He is our great shield and reward. As God reveals
Himself to ...[text shortened]... void evil, and to walk in His grace and
mercy, so we can show the love we were shown to others.

From what you always say it seems that
YOU KNOW OF GOD.
Because to KNOW GOD / CHRIST is explained here:

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments,
is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected:
hereby know we that we are in him.
He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk,
even as he walked. (1 John 2:3-6 KJV)

You talk of knowing God because knowing OF God
requires the following of His commandments.

Even better is when Christ knows you and abides in you.
And again this requires that the commandments are followed

There are nonChristians who following Jesus's commandments
while there are Christians who claim to know God but dont follow his commandments.