Love... Service
 

The "very best" Love in the Bible
The Greatest Love in the Bible
The Sweetest Love in the Bible
The Excess of Love in the Bible
The Judgment of God

    Jesus gave us "two Commandments":

        1- "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you" (Jn.15:12,17, 13:34,35).
        2- "He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" (Mk.16:15, Mt.28:19).

    Love is the "measure-stick" of our Faith:

    1- How others will recognize that you are a Christian?:
        By your love: "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (Jn.13:35)... not in the fact that you say you have "faith" in Jesus, but because you love your neighbor!.

    2- How do you  recognize that you are Christian?:
By your love to your neighbor: Anyone who says "I love God", but hates his brother, is a liar. For whoever who does not love the brother whom he can see, can not love God whom he has not seen" (1Jn.4:20)... We don't see the "Faith in Christ", the love to God... but we see the "love to our neighbor"... and that's the measure-stick of our "love to God", that we are good Christians.   

    3- How God recognizes that you are Christian?:
        Also by your love: God would recognize that you have been a good Christian by your love to your neighbor, as stated in the descriptions of the "Final Judgment", "I was hungry, and you gave me to eat..." (Matt.25:31-46, Rev.20:11-15, Rom.2:5-11, 2Cor.5:10, Jn.5:28-29).

    If Jesus would come today to earth looking for Christians, he would look for those who love their neighbor!... for those who do good service to their relatives and friends and enemies... see The Judgment of Jesus, the King 

    So, what the Faith in Christ is good for?... to become Love!:

    It is a most glorious gift, the greatest treasure on earth, able to fill us with the love of God, because Jesus Christ Himself comes freely into you, just by faith,  and then you can love and do good deeds, and not you, but Jesus who is in you! (Gal.2:20)... In Christianity, faith is the foundation of the building, love is the building itself, and hope is the windows of that building, to receive fresh air and light and warmth... (1Cor.13:13, Gal.5:5-6).

    ... True faith always brings good works, and joy, and peace, like the lighted wood always gives light and heat... and indeed, love is the only measure of faith, the only one measure used in all passages of the Last Judgment in the Bible, not faith, but love... but, of course, there is also "false faith", the faith that is good for nothing, say Jesus and Paul, or the faith of the Devil, says James (Matt.7:21-23, 1Cor.13:1-3, Jam.2:18-20)... please, keep on reading for more on this., what Paul and James and Jesus say about this "false faith"

    ... we all want to love, but no one can love, because we all love ourselves since Adam, and selfishness is exactly the opposite of love... but if Jesus is in your heart, then you are going to have the love and joy and peace that only God can give, and that no one can take away (Gal.2:20, Rom.8:28-39).

    Paul is specific on this issue: "If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing" (1Cor.13:1-3)... nothing!... faith without works is the faith of the Devil!... the Devil believes, but trembles, he knows about the Bible more that all humans put together... the Devil knows about Christ, but he can't be another Christ, and because he "knows" and "is not", that's why he is the Devil, and the Christian who knows about Christ but he is not another Christ is like the Devil... it is "to be", not just "to know", the essence of being a Christian (James 2:18-20).

    Some Protestants often mention Ephesians 2:8-9, but they usually skip he next verse, 2:10, which states very clearly that a Christian have been saved freely, by grace, as a Gift of God, not by works... like a Prince!... but read next verse: "To do good works!" (2:10)
    8: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God--
    9: not because of works, lest any man should boast.
    10: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

    Thanks God most Protestants I know do not do what they say: The say, "only faith, without works", but then they all do good missionary works, they preach even in the streets, and they feed the hungry, and they care of the poor and the sick, and they have programs to improve housing and jobs and neighborhoods... they do lots of good works, praise the Lord!.

    Jesus Himself is more specific and even frightening!: He states that "many" Christians will go to Hell, it is not just to believe, but to have the right faith that produces fruits of good deeds!... many Christians with faith enough as to be preachers or prophets, even who cast out demons in the name of Jesus, and who did mighty works in the name of Jesus, will go to Hell!: "Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.' (Matt.7:21-23).
    Often, "many" says Jesus, the "false faith" is used to justify bad works, the ambition of the bad preacher who only looks for his honor and glory and money...

    "Faith" in "Christ", or in "God":

    The Gospel of St. John talks both about the "faith in Christ" and the "faith in God", and in both cases says that he who has faith in Christ or in God "has eternal life" (Jn.3:36, 5:24)... A Christian has faith in Christ; Abraham had faith in God; many Indians, and Jews, and Hindus, and Muslims, have faith in God... and they have "eternal life"... a glorious life, like in eternity... but they are not yet in Heaven, they can still loose that life, if they do bad works, after having faith in God or in Jesus Christ...

    So, what's the difference between a Christian and a Jew or  a Muslim or a Hindu?: Every human being has God with him, to guide him, to protect him... the uniqueness of a Christian is that he has God within him, in his heart!, he is another Christ!... this is indeed the greatest difference between the Old an the New Testament: In the Old Testament, God was with His people, guiding and protecting them, in the New Testament, God is within every Christian!.

    God wants every human to be saved (1Tim.2:4), and every human will have all the graces he needs to go Heaven, even those Indians born 5000 years ago, long before Christ... Jesus himself tells us that Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets are in Heaven ((Matt.8:11, Lk.13:28)... and they were born hundreds or thousands of years before Christ... because the redemption of Jesus Christ was for all, retroactive, for every human being ever born!, praise the Lord! (Rom.5:18).

    This present life on earth is very short, like a drop of water compared with the ocean... and it is a "period of trial": He who lives trusting in God, is going to do many good works, is going to be happy on earth... and, on top of it, he is going to go to Heaven... he who does not trust in the Lord, is going to have a miserable life on earth, trusting only in his nothingness, unable to do any good deeds, and on top of it, he is going to Hell...

     ... and this "trust in God", or "faith in Christ" is not just the decision of a minute, but a faith or a trust in God for every second of every day, the life lived every second of the day in Christ!... and for this, Paul says that "whatever does not proceed from faith is sin" (Rom.14:23)... and he who dies in sin goes to Hell!, be it a Christian or a Pagan...

    ... in fact, the message of every page of the Bible can be stated in three words: "Trust in God", in the Old Testament, or "Faith in Christ" in the New, which is almost the same.

    How to become "love":

    We all want to become "love", the nun and the prostitute, the criminal and the priest, and the poor, and the millionaire...

    The main problem is that all of us are "selfish", we love ourselves, which is exactly the opposite of "love"... but if Jesus is in my heart, then I am going to love, to feed the hungry and visit the sick... and not me, but Jesus who is in me (Gal.2:20)...

    So, "Faith in Jesus" is the fountain of love... We all, men and women, are like could "coal", we stain anything we touch... but when Jesus is in us, we become "lighted coals", shining, giving light and warmth, even if we don't try...

    ... "God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them" (1Jn.4:16)... Do you want to become God?, says St. Augustine... become Love, because God is love... Do you want to become love?, I say to you... become divine!, have Jesus in your heart... by Faith... and you will become "love".

   How to Love:

    1- Like your right hand loves your left hand:  

    "To love" is "to give... to give your time and money, and even yourself to the loved one... Jesus at Calvary, that's love!, he gave himself for us. ... ... And the way we are going to love, is like my right hand loves my left hand, because we all belong to the same body, the "Mystical Body of Christ"!... so, we have to love each other like your hand loves your eye...

    2- Your "neighbor"... is "Jesus":

    Every time I do something for my neighbor, I am doing it to Christ himself, as Jesus repeats 13 times in the Last Judgment of Matt.25:31-46... and that changes completely your life: When you cook to your family, you are cooking for Jesus; when you fix the car of an unknown, you are fixing the car of not the President of the Nation, but the car of Jesus...

    ... If the Pope or the President of your Country would go to the Office of a Doctor or a Lawyer, he would be treated with much respect, and honors... well, as a Christian, when a poor lady goes to your Office, you are dealing with someone more important than the Pope or the President, you are treating Jesus Christ himself... and that changes completely your life and work: You will work with more care, and more respect, and you would not dare to chit him!... (Matt.25:31-46, please, read it).

    This is the Christian faith: Jesus comes to us as a poor man, or as a rich one, as a professional or as a drunk... he is Jesus!... he stands at every corner of life as a white or a black... he is Jesus!

    "To love"... is "to give":

    "To love" is not easy, because it is "to give"... but it is the most glorious way to live the live on earth... and in Heaven!... The mother's care, that's love!... the lovers surrender, that's love!... Jesus at Calvary, that's love... if you do not want to suffer, don't love... but, if you don't love, what do you want to live for?...   

    God wants us to love:

    God wants us to love... so much, that he offers us "a hundred times" of what we give, in this life! (Mr.10:30)... or, in bank terms, 10,000%.... if you give one smile, you will receive 100; if you give $100, you will receive $10,000, in this life!... it is the best Bank... God is the very best stock or bond... try Him!...

    Love is something of "justice":

    "Love to your neighbor" is not just a pious thing, it is something of "justice":

    Your neighbor is not only the criminal that the news media show us: Thanks to your neighbor, you have your dress, and shoes, and car... because you do not know how to make watches, nor houses, nor glasses, nor roads... un unknown neighbor made them for you!... in "justice" we have to love our neighbor, who makes so many things for us... were it not for my neighbor I could not have even "a cup of coffee" or "milk": A neighbor planted the coffee, another milked the cow, another made the cup, and the spoon, and got the sugar for me... We have to love our neighbor in "justice"!... do some good for him, because he does so many good things for me!

    Love is very simple:

    Love is easy, very simple...like God!... the work Jesus did as a carpenter in Nazareth was as important as the one he did at the Mount of Transfiguration... one our of your work is one hour of intense prayer, if you do that work for God, made present in your neighbor... "whatever you do to your neighbor you do it to me" (Mt.25:31-46)...

    What Jesus did as an infant was as important as what he did in the Mount of the Beatitudes... it is to do the will of God what it really counts!... if you cook to do the will of God, it is as important to the eyes of God as when you preach to a thousand people... Virgin Mary is the Queen of all Saints, and all she did was to be a house-wife most of her life... and the important work of Jesus Himself for 30 years was to be an infant, a regular youngster, a carpenter... little things?... no, great things, he was doing the will of God!... he was serving the neighbor!...fc

    The "very best" love in the Bible:

    Chapter 13 of 1Corinthians is a "hymn of love". Verse 4 impresses me:

    ... The very best love, the very best thing you can give to your family, is to help them to go to Heaven... you may give them your money, your time, your body... but always with the main purpose of helping them to go to Heaven... and that's love!... the very best one... the only good one love!.

    ... To be an Evangelist, a Missionary, is the actualization of the very best love... the only one love... you can use your money, or your time, or your skills to help your neighbors, but always with the main purpose to help them to go to Heaven...

    ... and to be an Evangelist, not thinking in foreign lands, like Africa, but in your own home, neighborhood, your place of work... that's love!.

   If you feel I am in "error", please try to help me!.

    The Sweetest Love in the Bible:

    It is God becoming a little child at Bethlehem, stretching his arms asking for help, and love...

    The Excess of Love in the Bible:  

    * And if any day you feel depressed, or lonely, or hurt, or too old... if you ever feel that you are good for nothing... you are still good enough to be a "Saint" in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Who will go to Heaven or to Hell?:
Christians?... Jews?... Muslims?... Hindus?... Buddhists?...

    The Bible is very clear on this:

    You will not be asked: Were you a Christian, or a Jew, or a Muslim, or a Hindu?... or rich or poor, wise or ignorant?... the only thing you will be asked by Jesus, the King, is: Did you do good to your neighbor?: So, come on to Heaven!... or, did you do bad to your neighbor?: So, go to Hell!...

   The Judgment of God, of Christ the King, is overwhelmingly clear in the teachings of the New Testament, in all the places that the Last Judgment is mentioned: Matt.25:31-46, Jn.5:29, Rom.2:5-11, 2Cor.5:10, Rev.20:11-5...

    1-  In the Judgment of Matt.25:31-46: This is how it is described by Jesus Himself:
    To Heaven will go those who fed the hungry, and gave water to the thirsty, those who clothed the naked, and visited the sick or in prison... and to Hell will go those who did not feed the hungry, nor visited the sick or in prison... and it is for all!, for those born 5000 years ago, and those to be born in the next 1000 or 5000 years!... for all!:

   "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left "Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did to me.'  (verse 40)
    "Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' "They also will answer, `Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do to one of the least of these, you did not do to me.'  (verse 45)
    "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." (verse46: Here is the execution of both these sentences)... and "Faith" is not even mentioned!.

    2- Paul says the same in Romans:2:5-11:
    "He will pay anyone according to each one's deeds", repeats in several ways... and Paul is more specific in 2:11: "for God shows no partiality": If a Christian or a Jew or a Muslim has done good woks will go to Heaven... if a Christian or a Muslin or a Hindu has done bad works, he will go to Hell... there is no partiality with God!... everyone will be measure with the same standard (Rom.2:11)... he mentions the Jew and the Greek... for the Jew too, there will be also glory and honor if he does good works!... here again, Faith is not even mentioned... only good deeds, works, because love is the only measure of faith!

But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. For he will render to every man according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for every one who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.

    3- In the Judgment of the "great white throne" in Rev.20:11-13:
    The same account is given : The dead were judged  by their "works", their "deeds", "by what they had done", as recorded in the book of life... notice again that the "works" are mentioned twice, and "faith" is not even mentioned.

        Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it; from his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead in them, and all were judged by what they had done.

    4- John and 2 Corinthians repeat the same: By the "Works":

- Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. (Jn.5:28-29)

- For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2Cor.5:10).

   Love, my brother, love... expressed in Service to your neighbor... in the good deeds you do for him!... we all were created by the same God in the image and likeness of God... and God is love (1Jn.4:8,16)... and we should become love, as the image and likeness of God... the aim of a Christian is to become Love!

    In the "image" and "likeness" of God?... Yes! (Gen.1:26):
    - Your picture is your "image".
    - But, if your picture could talk like you, and smile like you, an love or hate like you, then it would be "like you", your "likeness"... we were made in the image and likeness of God... and that's what we have to be, praise the Lord!.

    Salvation by Faith?... by Works?: Can a Jew or a Muslim or a Hindu go to Heaven?
    Jesus Christ our Righteousness, Luther based the entire work of the Reformation on the reality of an imputed righteousness.
    Salvation: Jesus Saves