"And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it."
2 John 1:6
I think that it is hard to understand the love=obedience concept. I don't think that it is true with most earth relationships. We are too likely to go on power trips and order people around, give unwise commands... or to obey foolish and harmful whims out of our desire to show some kind of love, and to get love in return. Love and obedience with God is different though. God isn't fallible, which I think is a difficult concept for us to understand and grasp in itself. We don't know anyone who isn't fallible, and so it is hard to picture anyone as perfect. God is perfect, and he also is motivated out of love for us. So, if we trust that perfect love and perfect motivation, then the best thing for us to do to show that trust is to be obedient... because we know that our obedience will help us to be the best people we can be, to get closer to our own perfection. We show our love and faith for God by acknowledging the fact that he knows more than we do, even about our own lives, and that he can point us in the right direction 100% of the time. The word "obedience" kind of grates on my nerves still... but I think that is just because I have some personal issues with authority I need to work out. :) God is trustworthy, and obedience with him really just means that we acknowledge who he is... perfect. There is no one else to follow, and we don't know the way. :)
2 John 1:6
I think that it is hard to understand the love=obedience concept. I don't think that it is true with most earth relationships. We are too likely to go on power trips and order people around, give unwise commands... or to obey foolish and harmful whims out of our desire to show some kind of love, and to get love in return. Love and obedience with God is different though. God isn't fallible, which I think is a difficult concept for us to understand and grasp in itself. We don't know anyone who isn't fallible, and so it is hard to picture anyone as perfect. God is perfect, and he also is motivated out of love for us. So, if we trust that perfect love and perfect motivation, then the best thing for us to do to show that trust is to be obedient... because we know that our obedience will help us to be the best people we can be, to get closer to our own perfection. We show our love and faith for God by acknowledging the fact that he knows more than we do, even about our own lives, and that he can point us in the right direction 100% of the time. The word "obedience" kind of grates on my nerves still... but I think that is just because I have some personal issues with authority I need to work out. :) God is trustworthy, and obedience with him really just means that we acknowledge who he is... perfect. There is no one else to follow, and we don't know the way. :)
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