-Gen. Jim – POW – 12/4/19
We must be careful not to confuse “self-love” with “love of self.” Luke 10:27,28 speaks of triadic love: “So he answered and said, ‘You shall love the LORD your God (1) with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind’ and ‘your neighbor (2) as yourself (3).’ And He (Jesus) said to him (lawyer), ‘you have answered rightly; do this and you will live.’” – 1: God – 2: Neighbor – 3: Self, – Triadic.
The search for God, for eternal life, is triadic. One minister has rightly said, “Love of self, neighbor and God are not 3 separate and distinct forms of loving. Love moves us into a deeper relationship with all of life. Any effort to open our hearts to God’s presence in life involves us in a love that is boundless, free and liberating.”
There is a “self-love” that is narcissistic, i.e. selfish. This kind of self-love the Word of God refutes. But loving one’s self because we’re made in God’s image/likeness is the proper kind of love – one that takes care of his/her body and allows the Spirit of God to enrich the spirit/soul.
While we concentrate lots of energy on “loving God,” we may fall short of loving our neighbor(s). But learning to love one’s neighbor is learning to love God – men are created in His image/likeness.
When Jesus told His disciples, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…” He was basically telling them (and us!) to love all peoples. In order to fulfill God’s heart (Father-Son-Holy Ghost), we can’t allow the misanthrope spirit to rule. There are too many calling themselves “Christian” while hating all people/races etc.
Racism is murderous – white, black, yellow, brown or red racism is not Christian.
Ps. 9:16 sums up the current situation worldwide: “The LORD is known by the judgment He executes; the wicked is snared in the work of his (her) own hands.” Then v.17 gets real graphic: “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God (or have never known God).” Psalm 9 applies to the nations today, including the U.S. of A! All nations have sunk into an ethical morass – decay and deterioration produces a STINK! Ethical /spiritual, i.e. Christian values rot away today. Spiritual /political /social quagmires suck both souls and nations down to the depths of HELL! Casual acceptance of what the Bible condemns is on the rise – even within the church itself. Who will sound the alarm??