Occasional thoughts

It is a few weeks since I read, for the umpteenth time over the years, the words ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’. They are used on a number of occasions in Scripture from the Jewish Law, by Jesus and by the Letter writers. I quote a few but there are many more to be found.

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

Matthew 22:38-40 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: “Love your neighbour as yourself.

James 2:8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself,’ you are doing right.

Galatians 5:14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’

I am not sure if I have ever seriously considered the question before but on this occasion I found myself asking if this means that I should love myself. As I have thought about it I am convinced that this is the case but then had to ask myself how and why.

The answer seems to be found in the fact that God created me and loves me
Genesis 1:27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

God created me/us and He loves us.
He made us in his image but we know that we have not lives in that image but have allowed sin to become part of us.
But God still loves us and loves us so much that He sent Jesus to die for our sins. Paul in Acts 13 says “38 ‘Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39 Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law”.
God has forgiven and wiped out our sins and loves us but more than this when we were in our sin He loved us.

As I was thinking on this I was reminded of a hymn that has come to my mind numerous times in recent months. I have copied it below and was particularly thinking of the words y sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part but the whole Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more
When peace like a river, attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well, with my soul

It is well (it is well)
With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come
Let this blest assurance control
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate
And hath shed His own blood for my soul

It is well (it is well)
With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, o my soul!

It is well (it is well)
With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul
It is well (it is well)
With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul.

We know that God has forgiven us for all our sins but we retain the memory of many of them and the more we try to forget the more difficult it becomes. We can be left the memories oif what we have done and this can make it difficult to like, let alone, love ourselves.

In Isaiah 43:25 ‘I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more’.

God loves us and we should love Him and ourselves. God loves the whole of mankind and we should strive, with God’s grace to love them.

It is almost 4 years since I wrote the following after I was asked by someone about Agape after he had heard a sermon that had left him confused.

Perhaps I need to read again and apply the thoughts not only to others but also to myself.

Trying to understand agape
1.The word “love” can mean different things.
Romantic love as the pop star sings.
We say we love things such as our food.
We love our neighbour if in the mood.

2.One Greek word for love is “agape”.
Hard to live out whatever we say.
Unconditional, forgiving love
like that which brought Jesus from above.

3.Jesus came for us just as we were.
He died for us to show his great care.
This is the love we are called to show
to everyone whether friend or foe.

4.Sometimes it’s easy to love this way.
Sometimes it is hard for us to say
that we love folk who seem not to care
and those whose behaviours we cannot share.

5.How does God see the way that we live?
He knows us fully but does still give
free forgiveness for all of our past,
with his spirit and love that will last.

6.When we struggle to show agape
Look to the Lord’s Prayer and then we say
“Forgive us our sins as we forgive”
in the power of God, love and live. 7th September 2022