IN THE PERSON OF HIS INCARNATE SON, JESUS CHRIST, GOD ONCE WORE A CROWN OF THORNS. THE APPROXIMATE SHAPE OF A CROWN OF THORNS IS CIRCULAR. THORNS PROTRUDE FROM IT. IF WE WERE TO CONSTRUCT A SYMBOL FOR GOD. THE SYMBOL WOULD CONSISTS OF A CIRCLE WITH FOUR ARROWS PROTRUDING FROM IT. THE LUTHERAN CHURCH HAS LONGED USED A CIRCLE AS A SYMBOL FOR GOD.
THE CHURCH HAS LONGED USED A CIRCLE AS A SYMBOL FOR GOD. THE CIRCLE EXPRESSES THE TRUTH THAT GOD IS ONE, AND THAT HE HAS NO BEGINNING AND NO END. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ARROWS GOING OUT FROM HIM IS THAT GOD IS ALWAYS ONE WHO ACTS, AND HIS ACTIONS GO OUT FROM HIMSELF. GOD DOES NOT SIT UP IN HEAVEN STUDYING HIS OWN NAVEL LIKE SOME CONTEMPLATIVE BUDDHA. HE ACTS CONSISTENTLY IN LOVE, KINDNESS AND MERCY., AND THESE ALWAYS FLOW OUT FROM HIMSELF. GOD IS LIKE A GREAT TANK FULL OF THESE QUALITIES- A TANK WHOSE FAWCETT IS ALWAYS TURNED ON. TO ENABLE THE CONTENT TO FLOW OUT. GOD MADE MAN TO BE A CREATURE WHO LOVES. MAN'S LOVE WAS TO FLOW OUT FROM HIMSELF TO GOD AND OTHERS. THE OLD TESTAMENT SPELLS OUT THE FIRST COMMANDMENT IN DEUTERONOMY 6: 4,5 " YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS. IT AND TRUST IN GOD MEANS? WE SHOULD FEAR, LOVE, AND THE SECOND COMMANDMENT IN LEVITICUS 19:18. JESUS WELDS THESE TWO COMMANDMENTS INTO ONE, MARK 12:28-34; MATTHEW 22:34-40; LUKE IO:25-28; JOHN 13:34, " AS I HAVE LOVED YOU"; SEE ALSO EPH. 5:1. THOUGH SOME EXPLANATION OF THE COMMANDMENTS SPEAK OF THEM AS TEN, AND OTHER S AS TWO, JESUS REALLY REDUCES THEM ALL TO A SINGLE COMMAND WITH TWO ARMS- THAT WHICH REACHES UP TO GOD IS CONNECTED TO ANOTHER WHICH REACHES OUT TO NEIGHBOR. SOME JEWS DEBATED WHO ONE'S NEIGHBOR REALLY IS, AND HOW MUCH ONE SHOULD GET INVOLVED IN HELPING HIM JESUS SAYS THE QUESTION IS, "TO WHOM AM I TO BE A NEIGHBOR, AND TO WHAT DEGREE AM I TO PLACE MY LIFE ON THE LINE IN SERVING HIM? ( LUKE 10:29-37). HE DOES AWAY WITH ALL LIMITATIONS (GOOD SAMARITAN). PLACED ON WHO THE NEIGHBOR IS AND THE SERVICE TO BE RENDERED TO HIM. PAUL REDUCES GOD'S WILL FOR HUMANITY TO ONE WORD "LOVE", ROMANS 13:8-10. THE WORD LOVE MEANS "SERVE!"
HUMANITY'S SIN IS THE REFUSAL TO SERVE GOD AND OTHERS. PEOPLE IN THEIR NATURAL STATE OF "FLESH" USE LIFE TO SERVE THEMSELVES, ROMANS 7;5 ( SHOWS OUR SIN). IT WAS CUSTOMARY FOR AN ANCIENT KING TO PLACE IMAGES THROUGHOUT HIS REALM, TO REMIND HIS SUBJECTS WHAT HE WAS LIKE. GOD HAS NO NEED FOR IMAGES OF WOOD AND STONE. HE MADE HUMANITY TO BE A WALKING, LIVING IMAGE, LIKENESS AND REFLECTION OF HIS CHARACTER . HAND AND HAND WITH BEING IN GOD'S IMAGE WENT A TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY: TO EXERCISE DOMINION OVER THE CREATED ORDER, TO CARE FOR IT FOR GOD, AND USE IT TO GLORIFY GOD BY SERVING PEOPLE. ( NOTE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN "IMAGE" AND "DOMINION" IN GENESIS 1:26, AND ADAM NAMING THE CATTLE, BIRDS AND BEASTS IN GENESIS 2 :20). WHAT'S " LOVE?" WHAT' THE WORD "LOVE IS SOMETIMES CONFUSED WITH THE WORD "LIKE." ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THIS IS THAT THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE HAS ONLY ONE WORD "LIKE." ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THIS IS THAT THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE HAS ONLY ONE WORD, "LOVE" TO EXPRESS A NUMBER OF IDEAS. THE GREEK LANGUAGE USES A NUMBER OF TERMS: HERE ARE 4 OF THEM:
1.) EROS ACTS IN RESPONSE TO AN ATTRACTION IN ANOTHER PERSON; IT USUALLY INVOLVES PHYSICAL OR SEXUAL APPEAL. IT IS AN ACT OF EMOTIONS, AND CANNOT BE COMMANDED.
2). PHILIA HAS TO DO WITH COMPANIONSHIP. WHILE IT SHOULD FIND A PLACE IN A MATURE MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP., IT DOES NOT HAVE SEXUAL OVERTONES.
3). AGAPE (AH-GAH-PAY) ACTS IN RESPONSE TO A NEED IN ANOTHER PERSON. IT IS AN ACT OF THE WILL, AND CAN BE COMMANDED. THE WORD IS USED TO DESCRIBE GOD'S LOVE FOR MANKIND, AND THE LOVE OF A FATHER FOR HIS DAUGHTER, OR THE LOVE OF A SON FOR HIS MOTHER. IT DOES NOT INVOLVE SEXUAL FEELINGS.
4). STORGE- (STORE-GAY) REFERS TO THE AFFECTION WITHIN THE ROUGH AND TUMBLE, GIVE AND TAKE, OF FAMILY LIFE. THE GREEKS SPOKE ALSO OF PHILADELPHIA, "LOVE OF BROTHER" , AND PHILANTHROPIA, " LOVE OF HUMANITY."
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