• There is nothing more important than the individual. I am self-sustaining and free from any authority I do not choose to follow.
• The highest of human values and experiences is personal satisfaction and pleasure. I am entitled to my share of pleasure and comfort.
• I must constantly be vigilant that my “needs” will be met.
• The most important of loves is the love of self. Without this, I will be unable to function.
This is the dead opposite of what Christ taught. When He said “follow Me,” His anticipation was that we would put Christ first, others next, and ourselves last. Consider these verses from Romans 12 “I urge you, in view of God’s mercy, to offer yourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God…. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds…” (Romans 12:1-2). Paul’s message here is plain and clear.
Besides Paul’s exhortation in Romans, we have this dramatic statement from Jesus: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:26). Extreme, you say? Jesus was making a strong point. He wants us 100% focused and committed. The cost of discipleship, of following Christ, of being committed to missions, is to be sold out on everything else except Him. He is entitled to ask that of us because He was utterly committed to us. He didn’t pull back from Gethsemane or the cross. He didn’t bother
Taking into account person centred values makes me work better for the individual person, rather than imposing my own choices on them and taking away their own right to independence and choice.
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage” (Lao Tzu). In the myths Nanabush Creates the World, Orpheus and Eurydice and Savitri and Satyavan, they all have someone that they love. Their loved ones may be their weakness, however, the bravery they have comes from their loved ones. There are different kinds of loves exist whether it is in the past or in the present. Loves are everywhere, it is just how you see it. For example, love in a family can make one’s family strong and reliable and love between wife and husband can make create trust and responsibility. No matter what they must go through, they always willing to save each other.
21). I agree, it is vital that the disciple is involved in an intentional, ongoing plan that challenges themselves to greater Christ-likeness which manifests itself in the nurturing of others toward wholeness. This is what we are called to do when we become children of God. Christian Spiritual formation cannot happen in solitude; therefore, the purpose of spiritual formation is to ultimately lived out in community. This aligns with my view of personal and corporate spiritual formation. If we are not conformed to the image of Christ, we cannot incarnate in our relationships with others. Therefore, if we say we love God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit we are to love others. The image of Christ will be seen as the ultimate reality of human wholeness, the consummation for which each heart longs (Mullholland, p. 21). Therefore, God’s people has a role in healing brokenness and injustice in the world (p. 21). We are to be the salt and light of the world (Matthew
“The greatest thing in life is love, and be loved in return” (Eden Ahbez). “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (Cor 13:7). Love also influences all things. It is a powerful force that drives people to do things they would normally not do. In the news, there are several instances of murder in the name of love or robbing a bank because a person needs money for the person they love. There are also everyday instances of moving cross country for the person you love, leaving the person you love just to see them happy, or choosing another career path just to be with your significant other. In the literary works The Epic of Gilgamesh and Medea. Gilgamesh and Medea prove
“‘Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all” (Miriam-Webster 253). This quote has been used for centuries as both persuasion in favor of loving and also as comfort in times of heartbreak and loss. However, is this statement completely true, or does it offer false hope to anguishing lovers? In fact, are the rules and costs of loving and being loved so great that in fact it is actually better to never have loved at all? When pondering these questions, one must first consider the rules of loving and being loved to determine the physical, emotional, and psychological costs they entail. In order to do so, one could use Andreas Capellanus’ The Art of Courtly Love as a guideline for the rules of love.
Love is a key ingredient of a moral life.Choices based on love of self and others are to be encourage and labeled good.Love promotes acceptable and a peaceful relationship between individuals, as well as groups and nations.
The principle of consecration could be considered weak by spiritually superficial people because it excludes people from following who are not quite ready for full commitment. They may be ready tomorrow, but not today, not at the time of the call. Spiritually superficial people would complain that the requirement of an immediate decision and follow through is “unfair”. Jesus’ response to such was not to beg them to follow Him. He was interested in those who had leadership potential, those who were willing to count the cost and pay the price, today. Jesus clearly spoke to the multitude to let them know that the cost of being His disciple was high. He said, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes and his own life also he cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”10
We as Christians do not grasp that the principles of discipleship are lifelong commitments. We fail to understand that discipleship, obeying Christ constantly, is a never ending journey. There are two key ingredients to becoming, and making effective disciples for Christ. We must be in His word daily, and bring our sins out of the darkness of secrecy. Discipleship is not something that we do, and finish; it is a climb with God one step at a
Paul continues to instruct Christians in how they should live. He begins by stating that Christians should respect and honor the governing authorities because they have been appointed by God. Also, Paul commands us to love one another. As he explains, all of the other commandments will be fulfilled by loving our neighbor. Therefore, “love is the fulfilling of the law” (13:10). Finally, Paul urges Christians to live in preparation for the day that Christ returns. Constantly fighting sin, we must put on the mindset and character of Jesus Christ, in preparation for that day.
First, love is the most important quality. It is the essence of our being and the reason we are put on this Earth is to
Martha asked Jesus, didn’t he care that she did all the work by herself? However, Martha was allowing her emotions to get in the way by worrying about the preparations. Although her emotions were trying to take control of the situation Jesus saw this. He told her not to be worried or anxious only a few things were needed. Our emotions are God-given and they are our servants and not our masters. Our emotions affect our character and how we act toward one another. Therefore, we cannot let our emotions dictate who we are. Here in this text, Jesus who is a servant of his father took time from his journey to have fellowship and to teach the word of God. Romans 10:15 says: “And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?” As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.” If Jesus took the time why can’t you? What have you allowed to take precedence in your life more than spending time in the presence of Jesus? Do not allow distractions of anger, un-forgiveness, and negative talk keep you from the word of God. Mary demonstrated true discipleship when Jesus entered the house and sat at his feet. When we humbly submit ourselves at the feet of Jesus, under his word, his Holy Spirit will dwell within us and guide us into all
This includes love for anything from a person to music. Knowing this, you will understand that love will maintain you.
The Bible is clear that we are to be in obedience with God, it is so important that Jeremiah tells us that we should obey God whether it is good or bad (Jeremiah 42:6 NRSV).It is in my understanding as a Christian that we are to live in obedience
Why is love so important in a person’s life? In society, love is such a vital aspect which most center their lives around. For many it is what creates meaning in their daily lives and what makes us continue to chose to live. People move across the country for love, do outrageous acts that declare their love, and spend their lives dedicating time, energy, and commitment to those they chose to love. “Love is what makes the world go round” because it is such a strong feeling of attachment we feel for our partners, children, and friends. As humans we have strong emotional needs and many make the mistake of ignoring when these needs are not being met.
It seems to be without question that love is at the core of what every human desires. We seek it from the start of life, before we even know the word or emotion, in the bond of parent and child. We look for it in friendships and family relationships as we grow throughout childhood. When mature, we long for the companionship that a lifelong vow of love and marriage will satisfy. The Bible mentions love hundreds of times and places it high above almost anything else, naming it as the center of our salvation in Christ and our hope of life eternal with Him. It’s almost too simple of a concept that love matters, but as Sue Gerhardt shares throughout her book Why Love Matters: How Affection Shapes a Baby’s Brain, somehow we lose sight of just how important love really is, and the fallout from this neglect can change a person’s life completely.