Former location of "The Kingdom of the Heavens" blog, written by an incurable fool who is trying to become a holy fool!
In Matthew 5:23-24, Jesus gives what appears to be a simple command, though one that is almost never obeyed: before I may offer worship to God before other people, I must see that any offenses which I am aware that others hold against me are being reconciled and have been reconciled at least to some degree. This post quotes and discusses commentaries on this passage and its subject.
In just the same way that showing love toward those who hate me is acting like my Heavenly Father does, being supernatural. so being kind toward evil people and merciful toward all who need mercy is also showing God in my life. I cannot be free while judging other people worthy of bondage for their offenses against me. I will only find freedom by setting others free.
Application of the Golden Rule: When I love and do good to my enemies, I am doing what my Heavenly Father does for me.
And I am showing myself to be his child. I am being supernatural rather than merely natural.
I will now begin to apply an extended passage from Jesus’ “Sermon on the Plain,” recorded in Luke 6:27-40. Jesus’ message in this passage can be summarized as: The passage starts: Luke 6:27-30 (WEB) Here we are given a list of commands about how to treat those who hate, oppose or use us. But, by Jesus own words. these commands…
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The opposite of love is indifference, not hate. Indifference is love that has grown cold. The modern pop psychology concept advocating “cutting off” people who have hurt us teaches the advisability of indifference. It is unscriptural if understood to dehumanize or dematerialize the person cut off, making them non-entities beyond hope of repentance.
Full retraction of all previous blog content as the words of an ignorant fool. Declaration of a new purpose and an intention to now burn myself out following it.
About the shortness of my time remaining, the failure of my life thus far, priorities, how Don Quixote, the Serenity Prayer and Ponce de Leon fit, love is always passionate, and passion always hurts, and proudly wearing the craters on my heart.
To understand how to love people in each specific situation, I must ask God and listen to His answer. This is particularly important for me because of my condition. I can’t fake it.
A God who Speaks, Conversation with God, Conversation with others, Emotions, God Acts by Speaking, God Never Stopped Speaking, God Speaks to Us, God's purpose for us, God's Voice, His Friends, Human Rationality, In prayer, Knowing good and evil, Language and Speech, Logical thinking, The Bible, Through Jesus, Through others, To be in his image, To live in unity, Trusting sight over God's words, Ultimate reality, What is God's Word, What is sin?
There is only one kind of love, the love of God, who is unique, united in one. I must love God and my individual neighbor with the same unique, pure, undivided love with which God loves me.
My lifelong struggle with love, exacerbated by autism, and how my attempts to show love have often been flawed. I realize authentic love comes from God and that I must rely on the Holy Spirit rather than my own wisdom to truly love others.