More thoughts on: “In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone.” (St. John of the Cross.)
Jesus said that the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love your neighbor, and that on these two commandments all the rest of the law hangs. (see Matthew 22:37-40) When it all come down to the end, when we must stand before God- how we we answer when asked of how we loved. Will we be able to say we always strove to love God (I know at times I fall short, and need to ever try harder) and will be able to say we always tried to love our neighbors? (Again, at times I fall short, and after repenting, strive again.)
There are many things in the Bible; guidance, wisdom, histories, sagas, poetry and passion. God's instructions for us are contained within, and His great, encompassing love for us. The sad story of sin and our fallen nature is revealed, as well as the plan and gift of redemption. We are told within the Bible's pages what we are like standing on our own merits (fallen, sinful, petty, vengeful people...and you know we all are.)....and we are told what we can be in God's eyes when covered by the Redemptive blood of Christ- then we are His adopted children, sinless and welcomed. We ourselves must make the choice of how we want to appear before God at the time of judgement, and whether our names shall be found in the Book of Life.
Whether or not our names will be found in the Book of Life has much do to with how we love. If we actually attempt to ever love God more, to learn more of Him and to honor Him. If we actually attempt to love our neighbors -and that means loving even those who are different (perhaps especially those who are different)..whether that difference is cultural, racial, political, sexual, etc or if we buy into the mainstream divisive nature of western religion. Sadly the church in the west (and perhaps in other places too, but I have not been there and can not speak of it) is often more concerned with being self righteous than spreading the Gospel, of having the right appearance rather than reaching the poor, of being politically aligned than being radical like Jesus. We cannot love our neighbors if we sneer at them, we cannot love our neighbors if we are too busy shouting and condemning them, and we cannot love our neighbors if we are too busy keeping up with the Jones to see the starving.
We cannot be Christ like while emulating the Pharisees. It doesn't work.
We will not always be able to love God as we should, nor our neighbors as we should- for we are fallible and will stumble. It is whether or not we repent of easing up our efforts that matters- and if we begin anew. If all the law hangs upon whether we love God and our neighbors- should those commandments not be what we work the hardest to follow? For if we truly love God and continually try and maintain communion with Him, the rest will come easy. The love for others, the keeping of His will, living a life more suited to the faithful- those are all fruits of loving God as we should.
In the evening of your life, will a life of love be evident?
Be blessed friends, and be a blessing to someone else.
-Beth Butler
Jesus said that the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love your neighbor, and that on these two commandments all the rest of the law hangs. (see Matthew 22:37-40) When it all come down to the end, when we must stand before God- how we we answer when asked of how we loved. Will we be able to say we always strove to love God (I know at times I fall short, and need to ever try harder) and will be able to say we always tried to love our neighbors? (Again, at times I fall short, and after repenting, strive again.)
There are many things in the Bible; guidance, wisdom, histories, sagas, poetry and passion. God's instructions for us are contained within, and His great, encompassing love for us. The sad story of sin and our fallen nature is revealed, as well as the plan and gift of redemption. We are told within the Bible's pages what we are like standing on our own merits (fallen, sinful, petty, vengeful people...and you know we all are.)....and we are told what we can be in God's eyes when covered by the Redemptive blood of Christ- then we are His adopted children, sinless and welcomed. We ourselves must make the choice of how we want to appear before God at the time of judgement, and whether our names shall be found in the Book of Life.
Whether or not our names will be found in the Book of Life has much do to with how we love. If we actually attempt to ever love God more, to learn more of Him and to honor Him. If we actually attempt to love our neighbors -and that means loving even those who are different (perhaps especially those who are different)..whether that difference is cultural, racial, political, sexual, etc or if we buy into the mainstream divisive nature of western religion. Sadly the church in the west (and perhaps in other places too, but I have not been there and can not speak of it) is often more concerned with being self righteous than spreading the Gospel, of having the right appearance rather than reaching the poor, of being politically aligned than being radical like Jesus. We cannot love our neighbors if we sneer at them, we cannot love our neighbors if we are too busy shouting and condemning them, and we cannot love our neighbors if we are too busy keeping up with the Jones to see the starving.
We cannot be Christ like while emulating the Pharisees. It doesn't work.
We will not always be able to love God as we should, nor our neighbors as we should- for we are fallible and will stumble. It is whether or not we repent of easing up our efforts that matters- and if we begin anew. If all the law hangs upon whether we love God and our neighbors- should those commandments not be what we work the hardest to follow? For if we truly love God and continually try and maintain communion with Him, the rest will come easy. The love for others, the keeping of His will, living a life more suited to the faithful- those are all fruits of loving God as we should.
In the evening of your life, will a life of love be evident?
Be blessed friends, and be a blessing to someone else.
-Beth Butler
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