'In the same way Christian Love (or Charity) for our neighbours is quite a different thing from liking or affection. We 'like' or are 'fond of some people, and not of others. It is important to understand that this natural 'liking' is neither a sin nor a virtue, any more than your likes and dislikes in food are a sin or a virtue. It is just a fact. But, of course, what we do about it is either sinful or virtuous.'
Mere Christianity C.S. Lewis
Christian love- DIFFERENT from LIKING or AFFECTION.
We 'LIKE' or are 'FOND' of SOME PEOPLE- and NOT OTHERS.
Automatically we tend to associate our feeling about someone with whether or not we are being Christian towards them. If we don't like them we instantly tell ourselves we are being uncharitable, but that's NOT the truth at all. You CAN love without LIKING someone.
I like what C.S. Lewis says next--
'It is important to understand that this natural 'liking' is neither a sin nor a virtue…'
It is NOT a sin to not like someone.
It is NOT a virtue to like someone.
If we do NOT USE CHRISTIAN LOVE towards someone we do not like then yes, it is a sin, just as it would be if we do not use CHRISTIAN LOVE towards someone we do like. We are to LOVE OTHERS this is the second great commandment and it is detailed a bit more in the last six of the ten commandments. We are to LOVE OTHERS- ALL OTHERS.
C.S. Lewis continues-
'It is important to understand that this natural 'liking' is neither a sin nor a virtue, any more than your likes and dislikes in food are a sin or a virtue. It is just a fact. But, of course, what we do about it is either sinful or virtuous. Natural liking or affection for people makes it easier to be 'charitable' towards them. It is, therefore, normally a duty to encourage our affections - to 'like' people as much as-we can (just as it is often our duty to encourage our liking for exercise or wholesome food) - not because this liking is itself the virtue of charity, but because it is a help to it. '
Natural liking or affection for people makes it EASIER to LOVE them with CHRISTIAN LOVE. This is so true. It is much easier to show Christian love towards someone you like, or even love as we generally love our family and our spouses. And yet, in some ways aren't we even more hurtful to those we love in that general way, at times? We lash out at them and still expect them to love us when the bad times are over. So while it is easier to be nice to someone you like or are fond of, it doesn't mean you won't show Christian love just to those, but also to those you like very, very much and have great affection for. We are to encourage 'liking' others in ourselves- simply because like C.S. Lewis says- it makes it easier. However, I have tried to encourage a liking of exercise and healthy food in myself and you know what- it really hasn't made it easier because I never really get to the place of liking those things. I might do them but it doesn't mean I like them and I probably never will 'like' them. I also will probably never 'like' some people but that doesn't mean I shouldn't 'LOVE them with CHRISTIAN LOVE'.
Christian love.
CHRISTIAN LOVE.
I really, really believe we NEED to make this distinction and SAY those words- CHRISTIAN LOVE. It truly IS different than love as we know love to be.
CHRISTIAN LOVE.
Our SAVIOR said this--
Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Mat 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
Mat 5:47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
LOVE YOUR ENEMIES.
ONLY with CHRISTIAN LOVE this is possible.
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Love the LORD thy GOD.
Love thy neighbor as thyself.
C.S. Lewis talked about loving as we love ourselves.
MEANING we WISH OUR OWN GOOD. We talked about that yesterday a bit, and it's truth.
Who among us does NOT wish our own good?
We are COMMANDED to love as we love ourselves.
We are COMMANDED to love God.
We really do need to study LOVE- CHRISTIAN LOVE, CHRIST's LOVE, GOD'S LOVE.
More tomorrow by the GRACE and MERCY of OUR LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!
All in HIM!
Mere Christianity C.S. Lewis
Christian love- DIFFERENT from LIKING or AFFECTION.
We 'LIKE' or are 'FOND' of SOME PEOPLE- and NOT OTHERS.
Automatically we tend to associate our feeling about someone with whether or not we are being Christian towards them. If we don't like them we instantly tell ourselves we are being uncharitable, but that's NOT the truth at all. You CAN love without LIKING someone.
I like what C.S. Lewis says next--
'It is important to understand that this natural 'liking' is neither a sin nor a virtue…'
It is NOT a sin to not like someone.
It is NOT a virtue to like someone.
If we do NOT USE CHRISTIAN LOVE towards someone we do not like then yes, it is a sin, just as it would be if we do not use CHRISTIAN LOVE towards someone we do like. We are to LOVE OTHERS this is the second great commandment and it is detailed a bit more in the last six of the ten commandments. We are to LOVE OTHERS- ALL OTHERS.
C.S. Lewis continues-
'It is important to understand that this natural 'liking' is neither a sin nor a virtue, any more than your likes and dislikes in food are a sin or a virtue. It is just a fact. But, of course, what we do about it is either sinful or virtuous. Natural liking or affection for people makes it easier to be 'charitable' towards them. It is, therefore, normally a duty to encourage our affections - to 'like' people as much as-we can (just as it is often our duty to encourage our liking for exercise or wholesome food) - not because this liking is itself the virtue of charity, but because it is a help to it. '
Natural liking or affection for people makes it EASIER to LOVE them with CHRISTIAN LOVE. This is so true. It is much easier to show Christian love towards someone you like, or even love as we generally love our family and our spouses. And yet, in some ways aren't we even more hurtful to those we love in that general way, at times? We lash out at them and still expect them to love us when the bad times are over. So while it is easier to be nice to someone you like or are fond of, it doesn't mean you won't show Christian love just to those, but also to those you like very, very much and have great affection for. We are to encourage 'liking' others in ourselves- simply because like C.S. Lewis says- it makes it easier. However, I have tried to encourage a liking of exercise and healthy food in myself and you know what- it really hasn't made it easier because I never really get to the place of liking those things. I might do them but it doesn't mean I like them and I probably never will 'like' them. I also will probably never 'like' some people but that doesn't mean I shouldn't 'LOVE them with CHRISTIAN LOVE'.
Christian love.
CHRISTIAN LOVE.
I really, really believe we NEED to make this distinction and SAY those words- CHRISTIAN LOVE. It truly IS different than love as we know love to be.
CHRISTIAN LOVE.
Our SAVIOR said this--
Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Mat 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
Mat 5:47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
LOVE YOUR ENEMIES.
ONLY with CHRISTIAN LOVE this is possible.
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Love the LORD thy GOD.
Love thy neighbor as thyself.
C.S. Lewis talked about loving as we love ourselves.
MEANING we WISH OUR OWN GOOD. We talked about that yesterday a bit, and it's truth.
Who among us does NOT wish our own good?
We are COMMANDED to love as we love ourselves.
We are COMMANDED to love God.
We really do need to study LOVE- CHRISTIAN LOVE, CHRIST's LOVE, GOD'S LOVE.
More tomorrow by the GRACE and MERCY of OUR LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!
All in HIM!
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