Habakkuk 1:5 Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. -LORD God
Jude 1:2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
This is the second time the word αγαπαο/agapao or “love” is used by Jude. For what it’s worth, scholars argue whether the term is used three or four times by Jude.
This is αγαπαο/agapao. This is God’s “love” for us. Defined as love, affection, good will, benevolence, to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly. This love is the nature of God.
Get the flutter out of your stomach and the tingle out of your senses. This love is purposeful with selection. God chooses us despite our issues.
God is love. He is αγαπαο/agapao.
1 John 4:8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:16 And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
God demonstrated His αγαπαο/agapao for broken humanity by sending His Son.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
In response to God’s love, we are called to αγαπαο/agapao. We are called to love with all of our being and all that we have to offer; heart, soul, mind, and strength. In the verses below from Mark 12, the original language communicates this love is a future action. Jesus is telling us how and who to love.
Which begs the questions, do we put God first in our lives? Order matters to Jesus. He put God above others. Have we made personal sacrifices for God? Do we love God with intensity and passion? Do we sacrifice ourselves on behalf of others? Do we love our neighbors with the same gusto as we love ourselves?
Mark 12:29-31 Jesus answered, “The most important is, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Jude places the focus on the concepts of mercy and peace and love. May these ideals be multiplied and lavished. May an abundance be heaped upon you, the believer in Jesus Christ.
We have sadly become a selfish society. We only care about ourselves & certain others. We have those that bash our President because he wants to get along with Russia & North Korea. God didn’t say to hate your enemies, he said to love them. He also said to love your neighbors as yourself. Well, your neighbors are not just like you. They are black, white, brown, red, gay, straight, tall, short, big, small, or whatever. Jesus didn’t turn anyone away because they were different. He always taught & healed in love. God didn’t say we had to agree with or do what others do, only to love them. I’ve seen enough hate to last a lifetime, let’s love instead. Don’t bash what you dislike, but do praise what you love.
Mark 12:31 The second is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself, there is no other commandment greater than these.”
Luke 6:27 “But I say to you that hear, love your enemies. Do good to those that hate you.”
Revelation 22:15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
1 Timothy 1:10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine…
Slavery… Does Islam condone slavery? Does Islamic teaching allow Muslim men to keep women as sex slaves?
Islam neither ignores nor condemns slavery. In fact, a large part of the Sharia is dedicated to the practice. Muslims are encouraged to live in the way of Muhammad, who was a slave owner and trader. He captured slaves in battle. He had sex with his slaves. And he instructed his men to do the same.
The Quran actually devotes more verses to making sure that Muslim men know they can keep women as sex slaves (4 verse) than it does to telling them to pray five times a day (zero verses).
Quran 33:50 O Prophet! We have made lawful to thee thy wives to whom thou hast paid their dowers; and those (slaves) whom thy right hand possesses out of the prisoners of war whom Allah has assigned to thee.
This is one of several personal-sounding verses “from Allah” narrated by Muhammad, in this case allowing a virtually unlimited supply of sex partners. Other Muslims are restricted to four wives, but they may also have sex with any number of slaves, following the example of their prophet.
Genesis 2:24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.
Titus 1:6 …namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion.
Quran 23:5-6 …who abstain from sex, except with those joined to them in the marriage bond, or (the captives) whom their right hands possess…
This verse permits the slave-owner to have sex with his slaves. See also Quran 70:29-30. The Quran is a small book, so if Allah used valuable space to repeat the same point four times, sex slavery must be very important to him.
Muhammad was relatively reticent on matters of human compassion and love.
Quran 4:24 And all married women (are forbidden unto you) save those (captives) whom your right hands possess.
Even sex with married slaves is permissible, a reference to war booty, of which slaves were a part.
Quran 8:69 But (now) enjoy what ye took in war, lawful and good.
The Muslim slave master may enjoy his “catch” because (according to verse 71) “Allah gave you mastery over them.”
1 Peter 4:8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
Mark 12:30-31 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” -Jesus
Breeding slaves based on fitness…
Quran 24:32 And marry those among you who are single and those who are fit among your male slaves and your female slaves…
Quran 2:178 O ye who believe! Retaliation is prescribed for you in the matter of the murdered; the freeman for the freeman, and the slave for the slave, and the female for the female.
The message of this verse, which prescribes the rules of retaliation for murder, is that all humans are not created equal. The human value of a slave is less than that of a free person. And a woman’s worth is also distinguished from that of a man.
Leviticus 19:15 You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.
Quran 16:75 Allah sets forth the parable (of two men: one) a slave under the dominion of another; He has no power of any sort; and (the other) a man on whom we have bestowed goodly favors from ourselves, and he spends thereof (freely), privately and publicly: are the two equal? By no means; praise be to Allah.
Yet another confirmation that the slave is not equal to the master. In this case, it is plain that the slave owes his status to Allah’s will. According to Quran 16:71, the owner should be careful about insulting Allah by bestowing Allah’s gifts on slaves, those whom the god of Islam has not favored.
Romans 3:22 …the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction…
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 6:9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.
Sadly, we have become a nation of the offended. Do I support the KKK or Neo Nazis?No! Do I support the Black Panthers or Black Lives Matter movement? No! They all teach separation & that is only repeating history. You can’t erase history by removing some statues, but you can repeat its mistakes. Do I agree with the beliefs of Robert E. Lee? No! Do I agree with the beliefs of Malcom X? No! Does it affect me in any way that they both have statues here in the United States? No! Stop being offended by every little thing. Stop supporting racism on one side or the other. Stop doing anything that supports segregation. Stop the hate!
Martin Luther King Jr said, “Darkness can not drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate can not drive out hate, only love can do that.”
Love & understanding are the answer.
It’s not my job to necessarily change people’s views, but to live the way I feel is right & good in God’s eyes. If by example I change their views, then awesome. To clarify, I could care less the color of someone’s skin or their race. I care about their character & how they treat others. I’m gonna love them regardless.
Morgan Freeman said it best when he said, “Stop talking about it. I’m going to stop calling you a white man, and I’ll ask you to stop calling me a black man.”
We have to stop viewing each other differently.
Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.
Mark 12:30-31 “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” -Jesus
