LOVE WORKETH NO ILL TO HIS NEIGHBOR
2010 July 21
LOVE WORKRTH NO ILL TO HIS NEIGHBOR
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:10
“Love” is fulfilled not only by positive commands Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Romans 12:9, but it is also fulfilled by negative commands as well. All of the commandments mentioned here are in negative form. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 1 Cor 13:4-6
(1) POSITIVE
Love is positive, yet it is also negative in that it accounts for the human propensity towards sin, selfishness, and cruelty. Eight of the ten commandments are negative because sin comes naturally when goodness does not. The first true evidence of Christian love is a turning from sin and all that brings or causes harm and sorrow to others. It is turning completely from those things which even look wrong or activities where our Christianity can be questioned. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 2 Cor 6:17 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2
(2) CHRISTIAN ETHICS
The idea that Christian ethics must only be positive is a fallacy that is based on the ides of a society that seeks to free itself from prohibitions that curb their sinful nature’s unrestrained desires. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal 5:19-21
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