June 26, 2013

"'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself.  I am the LORD.  Leviticus 19:18

"'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matthew 19:19

Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'  Matthew 22:37–39

"'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30–31

So he answered and said, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.'" Luke 10:27

For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Romans 13:9

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Galatians 5:14

"Love your neighbor as yourself" is a oft repeated phrase in the Bible.  It is mentioned in the Old Testament, repeated in three of the four Gospels and then referenced twice more in the New Testament.  In fact is it one of the Big Two commandments according to Jesus Christ himself.  One can safely assume loving your neighbor as yourself must be a pretty important precept for a Christian.

But what if a person does not love himself?  What if the self love is overinflated?  What if a person is self-critical?

How does a person love himself, yet not become arrogant?  We know we are all sinners, but we are also sanctified.  We are forgiven of past, present and future sins, yet continue to sin on a daily basis.  We are coheirs with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realms, but Paul reminds us "do not think of yourself more highly that you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement."  Romans 12:3

There are many pardoxes in Christianity.  One of them being to remain humble while at the same time embracing our position as Children of God and realizing we are sanctified, purified, justified, forgiven, coheirs with Christ, blessed, protected and loved beyond measure.

In light of the great blessings that accompany Christianity, one must remember that these blessings are all a gift from God.  Christ's death on the cross reconciled our relationship to God.  Nothing we did.  Nothing we said.  Nothing we sang.  Nothing we sacrificed.  Nothing we deserve or could ever earn.  But through Christ alone.  His personal sacrifice made our relationship with God possible.

Our love of self should be based on the knowledge that we are justified, forgiven, sanctified, but only through the greatest of personal sacrifices by Jesus Christ.