One of the hardest challenges we face as humans is found in one of the most common experiences we talk about. We talk a lot about love, but we all find loving to be a tremendous challenge. We typically think that we would experience no difficulty in showing love if "he," "she," or "they" would simply be more lovable [by our personal definition]. The problem with showing love is always "them" and never "me." It is true in some circumstances "he, she, or they" are the challenging problem. However, whatever problem exists with showing love, "I am part of the problem." That is why in Christianity another human being is not the standard. The standard is God's love expressed in Jesus Christ.
Discuss the difficulty of loving people who are hard to love. Discuss the difficulty of loving people who are NOT "just like me" in thought patterns and in priorities.
There are many debts we can repay. We can repay money [if we borrow reasonably]. We can repay kindness by returning the kindness. We can repay an act of labor given to aid us by returning the act of labor in someone else's critical moment. We can repay friendship, neighborliness, thoughtfulness, or consideration--even gestures of grace and mercy.
Talk about the kinds of debts people can repay. Discuss how (a) selfishness and (b) unwise use of indebtedness [emotional and monetary] are significant factors in debts we cannot repay.
However, when we let God be the standard, there is something that we can never repay. If God is the standard, we can never repay our indebtedness to love. Consider Paul's statements earlier in this same writing:
Stress this fact: our indebtedness to God's love makes our indebtedness to loving other humans unpayable.
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. . . But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6, 8)
God did not love us when we were godly or righteous, but when we were ungodly and unrighteous--when we were everything He was not, and when we had not even accepted His offer to allow Him to make us righteous in His sight.
God loved us when we were helpless and unlovable by Someone Who is totally holy! God loved us when we were a mess and were powerless to help ourselves! God loved us when we were everything God is not--when we were His enemies!
The fact that God loved us when we were enemies should call attention to the enormous nature of God's love.
The Ten Commandments were to be the heart, the core of an Israelite's behavior. These commandments set the tone for human behavior in Israel. These commandments stood in obvious contrast to the behavior of most people at that time.
The Ten Commandments stress human behavior responses that were not typical of any society when those commandments were given. For centuries after they were given, a person loved many gods, not just one God. Loving many gods was considered a virtue and a practical way to live. Loving one God was considered an insult to the other gods. Also, people were to be used, not trusted. The ways of life common to the ancient world encouraged vengeance and the exploitation of people.
These commandments were given for the first time to ancient Israel in Exodus 20:1-17. They can naturally and easily be divided into two sections: (1) the way Israelites were to treat God; (2) the way Israelites were to treat each other.
Stress the two major, natural divisions of the Ten Commandments.
In the first section, verses 1-11, (a) Israelites were not to recognize other gods as rivals to the God Who led them out of Egypt. (b) They were not to make or worship idols. (c) They were to honor God's name. (d) They were to show respect for God by not working on the Sabbath.
Note each of the ways that Israel was to respect God. Put each command in practical, understood terms.
In the second section, verses 12-17, (a) Israelites were to care for their parents. (b) They were not to murder. (c) They were not to commit adultery. (d) They were not to steal. (e) They were not to lie. (f) They were not to covet.
Put in practical, understood terms the commands to respect other Israelites. [To confirm the way they treated Israelites sometimes differed from the way they treated people who were not Israelites, consider Leviticus 25:39-46.] Students need a practical understanding of the fact that Israelites were expected to care for their parents; and were not to exploit each other by murdering, committing adultery, stealing, or lying. Be certain they understand what the concept of "covet" is.
Paul [a Jewish scholar] said every human-to-human responsibility found in the Ten Commandments was honorably and completely fulfilled by loving your neighbor as yourself. The person who loves will not neglect his/her parents; or murder; or commit adultery; or steal; or lie; or covet. Since love does not do wrong to one's neighbor in any way or manner, love fulfills the law.
If you love a person, you will not murder him/her; commit adultery with her; steal from him/her; deceive him/her; or seek to exploit another by taking what belongs to him/her. Love shows kindness because love exists and kindness is a part of love's nature.
Christianity stresses the all encompassing value in the God-to-human relationship -- LOVE. This love is not a mere emotion that sanctions both godly and ungodly deeds and feelings. It is an intent that regulates human behavior by changing a person in his/her inner most level. It is much more than controlling one's actions. It is changing one's thoughts and motives so he/she does not even think in terms of ungodly acts. To control one's behavior is good. To change one's thoughts and motives in a manner that pre-empts ungodly desires is superior!
Do some research. The Greek language had four words for love. In Christianity, agape love was founded on the person's will or intent instead of his/her emotions. It is founded on an attitude of the mind. Thus the Christian can love the unliked and the unloving. He/she does not feel the same way toward a family member or a friend as he/she feels toward someone who is disliked or unloving. Feelings are based on emotional responses. Agape is based on the mind. Matthew 5:43-48 states we exercise this intent because I want to be like our God Who seeks the best interest even of the humans who oppose Him. The Christian's behavior is not controlled by emotions that are allowed to overwhelm him/her, but by a commitment to God's good will.
It takes very little insight to realize this commitment to God's love will not murder, use for adultery, steal, deceive, or be materialistic in his/her association with others.
It is not that Christian directives nullify God's laws concerning human behavior in the Old Testament. It is that Christianity stresses a value and motive that goes beyond behavior control. Even Israelites who viewed God's teaching as nothing more than behavior control or behavior modification failed miserably (consider scriptures such as Deuteronomy 6:5 and 10:16).
The ethic of agape does not set aside the Ten Commandments. It fulfills them and goes beyond them in honoring God and honoring people. It is not a mere mechanism to control behavior; it is a godlike commitment.
Paul did not seek to nullify God's law. Paul emphasized that Christians, whether Jews or former idol worshippers, were governed by a divine value that treated God and people properly. He or she would love! They would do more than go through the motions! They would do more than honor traditions! They would do more than behavior control or modification! They would love! Love of God resulted in obediently honoring God. Love of people resulted in obediently honoring people.
This is not merely the acquiring of a new behavior. It is acquiring the new nature of God's new creation produced by becoming a part of Jesus Christ.
Love is the unpayable debt. It is impossible for Christians to love too much! He/she loves the God who loved him/her while he/she was an unlovable enemy. God loved him/her before he/she proved himself/herself. God loved enough to pay forgiveness' full price [the death of God's son] before he/she responded to God's initiative. Thus, even if an enemy refused to respond to the Christian's initiative, the Christian still loved. Why? He/she existed because God's love redeemed and sustained. Love was [is] the unpayable debt!
We in our love can never give as much to God as God gave [and continues to give] us in redeeming us from sin. That is the foundation of love being the unpayable debt.
For Thought and Discussion
One of the hardest challenges we face is found in the challenge to love.
We typically think we would experience no problems if others we love would just be more lovable.
The problem of showing love exists because "I am part of the problem."
God is the standard of showing love.
God's love always surpasses human love in its sacrificial nature and its kindness [even to enemies].
The Ten Commandments can naturally and easily be divided into (1) treatment of God and (2) treatment of other Israelites.
Paul said the human-to-human responsibilities of the Ten Commandments are honorably and completely fulfilled by loving your neighbor as yourself.
Christianity stresses the ethical commitment of love is of all-encompassing value in the God-to-human relationship.
It is impossible for Christians to love too much.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 7