What Love

Thought for the day often demonstrates the cognitive dissonance of the people in our modern age and can be shared through your own social media networks.

What Love

There seems to be a disconnect in the minds of many modern Christians between what the early Church was doing and why. Their practice of Pure Religion we can observe in the Acts of Early Christians was clearly seen in deeds of men like Paul and Barnabas who moved funds and supplies to help Christians during the "dearths" that swept across the Roman Empire.

The modern professing christians including many home churches seem to have no idea of why there was a need for an ekklesia of ministers appointed by Christ then and the obvious need for a gathering of the people in a network of love.^[1] There is a lack of knowledge of what they were doing and why and that a network of love was actually not simply feeling love but a practical network of abundant charity and sacrifice which made early Christians a peculiar people.

The Epistles of Paul and the later Apology to Emperor Antonius Pius in defense of the Christian faith and allegiance to Christ by Justin the Martyr describe in 150 AD what Christians were doing in the early Church that distinguished them from those pagan societies who were depending on the government Temples of the world.

“And the wealthy among us help the needy ... and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who succours the orphans and widows and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all who are in need.” "Justin the Martyr's Apology" to the Emperor Antonius Pius in 150 AD, (Ch. 65-67)^[2]

Christians would not take any relief or free bread from the Roman Government temples which provided the welfare for their people because it was not provided in love and charity.^[3] They would also not take from the treasury providing welfare through the temple system of the Pharisees which they started with Herod because 'their Corban made the word of God to none effect'.

This refusal to partake of those systems or eat of those temples and tables was a prohibition for the same reason which was a theme throughout all the prophets. Those systems were not the loving one another but the masses who were coveting one another's property, labor, and possessions.

Christ said we were not to be like the governments of the gentiles who provide the benefit of their welfare by forced contributions.

John the Baptist explained that is what he meant by repenting and caring for the needy of the society of people seeking the kingdom of God and his righteousness in a society that operates by charity which is love. The word for charity in Paul's 1 Corinthians 8:1 "Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth." This agape is the same word when Jesus says it is always translated "love" like in John 13:35 "By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love <26> one to another."^[4]

The temples providing welfare of Rome and the systems of that world used force to fill their treasuries and offer benefaction to the people. Herod was doing the same with the systems he set up in Jerusalem temple and the temple of Roma which he built. To desire those benefits provided by men who exercise authority rather than charity alone was the "covetous practice" which Peter warned us about. All the warnings about coveting in the New Testament and the old you would think the Modern Christians would easily see the connection and the distinction between them and the practices of the Early Church since "covetousness is idolatry".

All the Deacons and elders, the pastors and the free assemblies in the network of Tens which Christ Commanded His disciples to form were providing a Daily ministration through a sacrifice of fervent charity in Pure Religion according to the perfect law of liberty. But the Modern Christians who think they do not need ministers do go to the Benefactors who exercise authority one over the other in the covetous practices of the welfare state who desire benefits at the expense of their neighbor and imagine that they are followers of Christ or the righteousness of God.

The Christian conflict was clear and we were not to pray to the Fathers of the earth for our daily bread because their dainties for they are deceitful meats and would make us merchandise and curse children.

Those who come to seek and to save that which was lost do not desire simply to be separate from the benefits, the iniquitous ways and covetous practices of the world. They choose to come together as Christ commanded to serve others by laying down their lives for their neighbors, providing for a daily ministration through the Charitable practices in the sacrifice we see in the early Church.
If those claiming to be believers and followers of the Christ are not gathering to regularly and freely give and forgive to those near and far, there is no grace nor righteousness.
Such people are not the children of God nor the servants of Yahweh. They remain slothful workers of iniquity that are fit only to be turned way and shut out like the foolish virgins, for they will Not inherit the kingdom.

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Footnotes

↑ Rocky ideas from a comment on a home church group like the following statement inspired this article: "Was looking at some Wayne Jacobsen quotes. This caught my eye. "Because he didn’t have to run a ministry or manage a congregation, he was free to engage people exactly as he found them. He didn’t have to make them do anything for him; thus, he was free to love them and they were free to respond to that love or reject it. He didn’t need their tithes to pay his salary, their attendance to validate his ego, or their time to fill out his program.""
↑ alternate translation:
“And they who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who succours the orphans and widows and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all who are in need.” Chapter LXVII
Geof T Emery interlinear:
6. Οἱ εὐποροῦντες δὲ καὶ βουλόμενοι κατὰ προαίρεσιν ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ὃ βούλεται
The prospering and also wishing according to choosing each one the of himself what willing
δίδωσι, καὶ τὸ συλλεγόμενον παρὰ τῷ προεστῶτι ἀποτίθεται, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπικουρεῖ
he gives, and the being collected with the having presided is deposited, and he he gives aid
ὀρφανοῖς τε καὶ χήραις, καὶ τοῖς διὰ νόσον ἢ δι’ ἄλλην αἰτίαν λειπομένοις,
to orphans both and widows, and to the through sickness or through other cause being in want,
καὶ τοῖς ἐν δεσμοῖς οὖσι, καὶ τοῖς παρεπιδήμοις οὖσι ξένοις, καὶ ἁπλῶς πᾶσι τοῖς ἐν
and to the in chains are, and to the sojourning being strangers, and briefly to all the in
χρείᾳ οὖσι κηδεμὼν γίνεται.
in need being a guardian he is.
↑
26 ~ἀγάπη~ agape \@ag-ah’-pay\@ from 25; n f AV-love 86, charity 27, dear 1, charitably+ 2596 1, feast of charity 1; 116
1) {Singular} brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence {#Joh 15:13 Ro 13:10 1Jo 4:18}
1a) Of the love of men to men; esp. Christians towards Christians which is enjoined and prompted by their religion, whether the love be viewed as in the soul or expressed {#Mt 14:12 1Co 13:1-4,8 14:1 2Co 2:4 Ga 5:6 Phm 5,7 1Ti 1:5 Heb 6:10 10:24 1Jo 4:7 Re 2:4,19} &c

1b) Of the love of men towards God {#Lu 11:42 Joh 5:42 1Jo 2:15 3:17 4:12 5:3}

1c) Of the love of God towards man {#Ro 5:8 8:39 2Co 13:14}

1d) Of the love of God towards Christ {#Joh 15:10 17:26}

1e) Of the love of Christ towards men {#Joh 15:8-13 2Co 5:14 Ro 8:35 Eph 3:19}

2) {plural} love feasts expressing and fostering mutual love which used to be held by Christians before the celebration of the Lord’s supper, and at which the poorer Christians mingled with the wealthier and partook in common with the rest of the food provided at the expense of the wealthy. {#Jude 12 2Pe 2:13 Ac 2:42,46 1Co 11:17-34}
- Syn.: ~φιλία~ 5373 ~ἀγάπη~, signifying properly (v. s. ~αγαραω~ 25) love which chooses its object, is taken from the LXX, where its connotation is more general, into the NT, and there used exclusively to express that spiritual bond of love between God and man and between man and man, in Christ which is characteristic of Christianity. It is thus distinct from ~φιλία~, \@friendship\@ (#Jas 4:4 only), ~στοργη~, \@natural affection\@ (in the NT only in its compounds, v. s. ~ἄστοργος~ 794) and ~ερως~ \@sexual love,\@ which is not used in the NT, in its place being taken by ~επιηυμια~ 1939.
↑ Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love <26> of many shall wax cold.
Luke 11:42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love <26> of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

John 5:42 But I know you, that ye have not the love <26> of God in you.

John 13:35 By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love <26> one to another.

John 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love <26>.

John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love <26>; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love <26>.

John 15:13 Greater love <26> hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

John 17:26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare [it]: that the love <26> wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

[1] Rocky ideas from a comment on a home church group like the following statement inspired this article: "Was looking at some Wayne Jacobsen quotes. This caught my eye. "Because he didn’t have to run a ministry or manage a congregation, he was free to engage people exactly as he found them. He didn’t have to make them do anything for him; thus, he was free to love them and they were free to respond to that love or reject it. He didn’t need their tithes to pay his salary, their attendance to validate his ego, or their time to fill out his program.""

[2] ternate translation:
“And they who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who succours the orphans and widows and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all who are in need.” Chapter LXVII
Geof T Emery interlinear:
6. Οἱ εὐποροῦντες δὲ καὶ βουλόμενοι κατὰ προαίρεσιν ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ὃ βούλεται
The prospering and also wishing according to choosing each one the of himself what willing
δίδωσι, καὶ τὸ συλλεγόμενον παρὰ τῷ προεστῶτι ἀποτίθεται, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπικουρεῖ
he gives, and the being collected with the having presided is deposited, and he he gives aid
ὀρφανοῖς τε καὶ χήραις, καὶ τοῖς διὰ νόσον ἢ δι’ ἄλλην αἰτίαν λειπομένοις,
to orphans both and widows, and to the through sickness or through other cause being in want,
καὶ τοῖς ἐν δεσμοῖς οὖσι, καὶ τοῖς παρεπιδήμοις οὖσι ξένοις, καὶ ἁπλῶς πᾶσι τοῖς ἐν
and to the in chains are, and to the sojourning being strangers, and briefly to all the in
χρείᾳ οὖσι κηδεμὼν γίνεται.
in need being a guardian he is.

[3] 26 ~ἀγάπη~ agape \@ag-ah’-pay\@ from 25; n f AV-love 86, charity 27, dear 1, charitably+ 2596 1, feast of charity 1; 116
1) {Singular} brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence {#Joh 15:13 Ro 13:10 1Jo 4:18}
1a) Of the love of men to men; esp. Christians towards Christians which is enjoined and prompted by their religion, whether the love be viewed as in the soul or expressed {#Mt 14:12 1Co 13:1-4,8 14:1 2Co 2:4 Ga 5:6 Phm 5,7 1Ti 1:5 Heb 6:10 10:24 1Jo 4:7 Re 2:4,19} &c

1b) Of the love of men towards God {#Lu 11:42 Joh 5:42 1Jo 2:15 3:17 4:12 5:3}

1c) Of the love of God towards man {#Ro 5:8 8:39 2Co 13:14}

1d) Of the love of God towards Christ {#Joh 15:10 17:26}

1e) Of the love of Christ towards men {#Joh 15:8-13 2Co 5:14 Ro 8:35 Eph 3:19}

2) {plural} love feasts expressing and fostering mutual love which used to be held by Christians before the celebration of the Lord’s supper, and at which the poorer Christians mingled with the wealthier and partook in common with the rest of the food provided at the expense of the wealthy. {#Jude 12 2Pe 2:13 Ac 2:42,46 1Co 11:17-34}

Syn.: ~φιλία~ 5373 ~ἀγάπη~, signifying properly (v. s. ~αγαραω~ 25) love which chooses its object, is taken from the LXX, where its connotation is more general, into the NT, and there used exclusively to express that spiritual bond of love between God and man and between man and man, in Christ which is characteristic of Christianity. It is thus distinct from ~φιλία~, \@friendship\@ (#Jas 4:4 only), ~στοργη~, \@natural affection\@ (in the NT only in its compounds, v. s. ~ἄστοργος~ 794) and ~ερως~ \@sexual love,\@ which is not used in the NT, in its place being taken by ~επιηυμια~ 1939.

[4] Syn.: ~φιλία~ 5373 ~ἀγάπη~, signifying properly (v. s. ~αγαραω~ 25) love which chooses its object, is taken from the LXX, where its connotation is more general, into the NT, and there used exclusively to express that spiritual bond of love between God and man and between man and man, in Christ which is characteristic of Christianity. It is thus distinct from ~φιλία~, \@friendship\@ (#Jas 4:4 only), ~στοργη~, \@natural affection\@ (in the NT only in its compounds, v. s. ~ἄστοργος~ 794) and ~ερως~ \@sexual love,\@ which is not used in the NT, in its place being taken by ~επιηυμια~ 1939.

[4] Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love <26> of many shall wax cold.
Luke 11:42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love <26> of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

John 5:42 But I know you, that ye have not the love <26> of God in you.

John 13:35 By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love <26> one to another.

John 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love <26>.

John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love <26>; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love <26>.

John 15:13 Greater love <26> hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

John 17:26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare [it]: that the love <26> wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

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What Love

What Love

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