What is the "Gospel/Good News"? Is it not that Jesus saves us from an eternity in hell? In this light even the term Social Gospel is a misnomer.
Whilst we do need to, and are in fact commanded to love our neighbour, it is - as dandvc correctly pints out - the 2nd most important commandment. If we concentrated a bit more on getting the first part right we might not have such an issue with the second part.
Is there really even a difference between the 1st and the second part? Matthew 25 : 40 seems to indicate, not:
"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
It seems it's not possible to love God unless you love your neighbor. So why quibble?
@robatrhema It's as easy as doing the second while knowing that what you are doing will bring you closer to God. Too many people go out and their caring for individuals seems to consist of nothing more than attempting to preach a gospel, which they so often don't understand themselves. Start by caring for people. Once we've done that then they may be open to hearing what we, as Christians, have to say about the Lord.
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating...he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this:...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: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'There is no commandment greater than these."
What is the "Gospel/Good News"? Is it not that Jesus saves us from an eternity in hell? In this light even the term Social Gospel is a misnomer.
Whilst we do need to, and are in fact commanded to love our neighbour, it is - as dandvc correctly pints out - the 2nd most important commandment. If we concentrated a bit more on getting the first part right we might not have such an issue with the second part.
robatrhema 2 years ago
Is there really even a difference between the 1st and the second part? Matthew 25 : 40 seems to indicate, not:
"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
It seems it's not possible to love God unless you love your neighbor. So why quibble?
ProudAnselmo 2 years ago
@robatrhema It's as easy as doing the second while knowing that what you are doing will bring you closer to God. Too many people go out and their caring for individuals seems to consist of nothing more than attempting to preach a gospel, which they so often don't understand themselves. Start by caring for people. Once we've done that then they may be open to hearing what we, as Christians, have to say about the Lord.
Padrino13 1 year ago
Mark 12:28-31 (NIV) (condensed to fit):
The Greatest Commandment
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating...he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this:...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: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'There is no commandment greater than these."
lostangel2004 2 years ago
See my reply to robatrhema.
ProudAnselmo 2 years ago
Jesus did not say the most important commandment is "Love one another." The most important commandment has always been "Love the Lord thy God..."
dandvc 2 years ago
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See my reply to robatrhema.
ProudAnselmo 2 years ago