The greatness of love

WHEN THE PHARISEES asked our Lord Jesus Christ which the great commandment in the law is, He answered that the first and great commandment is that man shall love the Lord God and the second is that he shall love his neighbor as himself (Matt. 22:36-39).

This is clear proof of the greatness of love. In fact, in the absence of love, anything that man does for his neighbor, and especially for the Lord God and Lord Jesus Christ is in vain – however great the deed may be. The Apostle Paul says, “… And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (I Cor. 13:13, New King James Version)

The emphasis placed on the superiority of love over faith and hope is not meant to diminish the importance of faith or of great works. According to the Apostle Paul, faith is important and valuable to our Lord Jesus Christ – if it is “faith working through love” (Gal. 5:6, Ibid.).

Thus a person who does not have love is nothing even if by all his faith he is able to remove mountains. The Bible explicitly states: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing” (I Cor. 13:1-3, Ibid.).

Therefore, the person who is worthy in the sight of God is he who genuinely loves Him. If anyone wishes his service and worship to be valued and accepted by God, he must make sure that he does it out of love, and not on account of selfish motive.

The Bible teaches that we, human beings, have been the ones chosen by God since the beginning to accord Him everlasting love. Even before the foundation of the world God had already chosen man to be holy and without blame before Him in love (Eph. 1:4).

The Bible also teaches how man will be able to accomplish this or how he should love God who created him. “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (I John 5:3, NKJV). Hence, man need not invent ways to express and manifest his love for God, for He has already made known through His words written in the Bible what He wants: We should prove our love for Him by keeping His commandments. Whoever refuses to obey God’s commands does not truly love Him.

“Let love be without hypocrisy,” says the Apostle Paul (Rom. 12:9, Ibid.) The love that is without hypocrisy is “love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith” (I Tim. 1:5, Ibid.). A person whose love is hypocritical, pretentious or insincere may be able to cheat his fellowman but he will never be able to deceive God, for He knows everything, even what is in man’s heart and mind. He thus knows well whether our love for Him comes from a pure heart or is hypocritical.

For this reason, those who purport to serve God but actually only pursue their own gain, those whose service does not stem from sincere love but merely seeks to satisfy themselves, do not please God but commit a terrible sin. And they will not be able to hide this from Him. God says through the prophet Ezekiel: “So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain” (Ezek. 33:31, Ibid.)

Here God reproves people who come to Him, but whose purported love for Him does not come form their heart, because they are obviously only after their own gain. Such people in our time are those whose only and real motive in joining a religion is so that God will help them succeed in their business, make progress in their profession, recover from illness, and other similar gains. And although apparently they desire to serve God, they nevertheless refuse to do His bidding, reasoning out that man will not be justified by works for, allegedly, faith alone is what really matters.

The proof that man who merely professes faith but does not demonstrate it by works will not become acceptable to God is Christ’s warning on what will happen on Judgment Day to those who do not do the will of God in heaven: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matt. 7:21:23, Ibid.)

Obedience to God’s command is an essential characteristics of a man who truly loves Him. But man whom God created is weak (Matt. 26:41) such that even though he aspires to do good, which is God’s command, yet he finds that by himself he is incapable of doing it, and instead what he does is the contrary – the evil that he does not wish to do (Rom. 7:12, 18-20).

Thus, before God created man, He predestined him to adoption as a son by the Lord Jesus Christ to Himself (Eph. 1:5) so that through man’s relationship with Christ His purpose can be achieved: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10, NKJV). Therefore, on his own, man will not be able to live up to God’s purpose that he be holy and without blame before Him in love because he sins. Man needs to be created in Christ and this is by means of being part of the one new man, which Christ created in Himself, as recorded in the Scripture: “having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandmentscontained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace” (Eph. 2:15, Ibid.). The one new man is composed of one head and one body. Christ is the head and the Church is His body (Col. 1:18).

Therefore, in order for man to fulfill God’s purpose in creating him he needs to join the true Church whom Christ recognizes as His own body. It is in this Church where man can prove his genuine love for God, which is manifested by his obedience to His commands.

Moreover, inside the true Church man will receive God’s perfect love, as taught in the Bible: “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (I John 4:10,NKJV). Because of God’s great love for us, “ even when we were dead in trespasses, [He] made us alive together with Christ …” (Eph. 2:4-5, Ibid.). How was it that we were considered dead and because of that we need to be made alive? When we sinned we were placed under God’s judgment, the second death in the lake of fire, and hence we were then counted as dead. But on account of God’s great love, we were made alive, The Bible says: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Rom. 5:8-9, Ibid.).

God sent His only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to die for our sins. It is by this that God’s great love for man was made manifest because through this we have been justified and as a consequence we shall be saved from His wrath on Christ’s Second Advent.

We are certain that it is the Church of Christ which received God’s perfect love since it is the one justified by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood” (Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation).

What was also proven to us when the Lord Jesus Christ gave Himself up to us? He says, “Greater love has no one than this, that to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13, NKJV). Did not Christ do the greatest deed for the Church by making the supreme sacrifice for it? Thus, it is only just that we love the Lord God above all and the Lord Jesus Christ by being faithfully obedient to them for they accorded us the greatest love of all.

Many other gods? (Psalms 82:1, 6)

Juancho Corpuz Wrote:

IF THE FATHER is the only God as you claim, then why is it written in Psalms 82:l, 6 that "He - judges among the gods'' and "you are gods'?  And besides, what difference does it make if there are many true gods? Wouldn't it be better if there would be many gods? As the old adage goes, "the more the merrier?

Editor's reply:

     In response to your question, let us begin by quoting Psalms 82:1 and 6 in their entirety:

     “God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods.  
     “I said, ‘you are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High’.” (New King James   Version)

     The word “gods” in these verses refers to those whom God had placed as judges and leaders in the ancient nation of Israel. During the time of ancient Israel, the judges were called “gods’ although they were men. They were called “gods” not because they were truly gods by nature, but because they were appointed to execute God’s judgment in His nation. An example of this is mentioned in Exodus 21:6:

     “Then his master shall bring him to GOD, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for life.” (Revised Standard Version, emphasis ours)

     The same verses rendered in the New International Version of the Bible says:

     “Then his master must take him before the JUDGES. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.” (emphasis ours)

     Notice that the word “god” in the verse was used in reference to the judges. In the same manner, the “congregation of the mighty” mentioned in psalms 82:1 and 6 refers to the judges in ancient Israel-and not to many gods as if there were more than one God. Another proof that the word “gods” in Psalms 82:1 and 6 refers to the judges is the fact that they were condemned by the true God to die like mere men:

     “How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked?
     “But you will die like mere men; you will fall like every other ruler.” (Ps. 82:2, 7, NIV)

     “Gods” in Psalms 82:1 and 6 must not be used to support the claim of plurality of gods. The belief in many other gods contradicts the teaching of the Bible that there is only one God, the Father in heaven (I Cor. 8:6), who Himself said, “…there is no God besides Me” (Is. 45:5, NKJV).

     It is very important for one to have the right knowledge about God. According to Jesus Christ, to know and believe that the Father is the only true God is to gain eternal life (Jn. 17:1, 3). On the other hand, those who do not know the true God will be condemned (II Thess. 1:8-9). Regarding the belief in the true God, the adage “the more the merrier” does not apply at all.  

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Bible Study Suggestion: If you have further questions, please feel free to visit the Iglesia ni Cristo congregation nearest you. A minister or an evangelical worker would be happy to answer any biblical question you have in mind. 

Ang Itinuturo ng Biblia na Paraan sa Ikaliligtas

“Ito ang sinasabi ng PANGINOON: ‘Tumindig kayo sa mga sangandaan at magmasid. Magtanong kayo tungkol sa mga dating landas. Itanong ninyo kung saan ang mabuting daan, at siya ninyong lakaran’…”
Jeremias 6:16, New Pilipino Version

Kung pare-parehong sa Diyos ang lahat ng relihiyon, hindi na ipahahanap pa ng Diyos ang mabuting daan. Ngunit hindi lamang Niya ipinahahanap ito kundi pinalalakaran pa ito sa tao.

SA PANANAW NG MARAMI, ang pangangailangan ng tao sa kaligtasan ay isang paksang hindi na dapat pagtalunan. Ang kontrobersya ay nasa pagkakaiba-iba ng mga paraan na itinuturo ng iba’t ibang tagapangaral ng relihiyon sa ikapagtatamo ng kaligtasan. Upang hindi magkamali ang tao sa susunding kaparaanan ay dapat niyang piliin ang pamamaraang itinuturo ng Diyos at ito’y mababasa sa Biblia. Kapag ang sinunod ng tao ay ang sarili niyang pamamaraan, hindi siya makararating sa pagpapawalang-sala na kaloob ng Diyos, anupa’t hindi siya maliligtas kahit taos-puso ang pagsisikap niyang maging kalugod-lugod sa Diyos, kung mali ang kaniyang batayan. Ganito ang sabi ni Apostol Pablo:

“Mapatutunayan kong sila’y nagsisikap na maging kalugod-lugod sa Diyos, subalit mali ang kanilang batayan. Sapagkat hindi nila nakilala ang pagpapawalang-sala na kaloob ng Diyos, at nagsikap silang magtayo ng sarili nilang pamamaraan sa halip na sundin ang pamamaraan ng Diyos.” (Roma 10:2-3, Magandang Balita Biblia)

Ang paraan ng kaligtasan sa panahon ni Noe
Sa mula’t mula pa, ang Diyos ay nagturo na ng paraan sa ikaliligtas ng tao sa hatol. Ang tao na sumunod sa paraang yaon ang nagligtas. Narito ang isang katibayan:

“Dahil sa pananalig sa Diyos, pinakinggan ni Noe ang babala ng Diyos tungkol sa mga bagay na mangyayari na hindi pa niya nakikita. Gumawa siya ng isang daong upang siya at ang kanyang sambahayan ay maligtas. Sa pamamagitan nito’y hinatulan niya ang sanlibutan, a siya’y ibinilang na matuwid ng Diyos dahil sa kanyang pananalig.” (Heb. 11:7, Ibid.)

Sa panahon ni Noe ay ipinasiya ng Diyos na lipulin sa pamamagitan ng malaking baha ang sanlibutan dahil sa kasamaan ng mga tao. Apatnapung araw at apatnapung gabi na bumuhos ang ulan at pagkatapos ay matagal na hindi humupa ang tubig. Ngunit bago nilipol ng Diyos ang sanlibutan noon, itinuro muna Niya kay Noe ang paraan ng kaligtasan. Inutusan Niya si Noe na gumawa ng isang daong.

Ano ang iniutos ng Diyos kay Noe at sa kaniyang sambahayan noong magawa na ang daong? Inutusan Niya sila na lumulan o pumasok doon:

“Datapuwa’t pagtitibayin ko ang aking tipan sa iyo; at ikaw ay lululan sa sasakyan, ikaw, at ang iyong mga anak na lalake, at ang iyong asawa, at ang mga asawa ng iyong mga anak na kasama mo.” (Gen. 6:18)

“At sinasabi ng Panginoon kay Noe, Lumulan ka at ang iyong buong sangbahayan sa sasakyan; sapagka’t ikaw ay aking nakitang matuwid sa harap ko sa panahong ito.” (Gen. 7:1)

Ang pagsunod ng wawalong tao sa paraang itinuro ng Diyos noon ay nagbunga sa kanila ng kaligtasan:

“At ang dating sanglibutan ay hindi pinatawad, datapuwa’t iningatan ni Noe na tagapangaral ng katuwiran na kasama ng ibang pito pa, noong dalhin ang pagkagunaw sa sanglibutan ng masasama.” (II Ped. 2:5)

Sa kabilang dako, ang mga hindi sumunod ay pawing nangapahamak:

“Sila ang hindi sumunod nang sila’y matiyagang hinintay ng Dios noong panahon ni Noe, samantalang ginagawa nito ang daong. Ilan lamang tao, walo lamang ang naligtas sa pamamagitan ng tubig.” (I Ped. 3:20, New Pilipino Version)

Ang may kaligtasan sa panahon ng mga propeta
Ngunit ang lahi ni Noe ay hindi nakapagpatuloy sa pagsunod sa Diyos. Subalit may sumunod na lahi na pinangakuan ng kaligtasan:

“Nguni’t ang Israel ay ililigtas ng Panginoon ng walang hanggang kaligtasan. …” (Isa. 45:17)

Pinatutunayan din ng Biblia na noon ay “walang Diyos sa buong lupa, kundi sa Israel” (II Hari 5:15). “Sila’y mga Israelita at itinuturing ng Diyos na mga anak niya. … Sa kanila nakipagtipan ang Diyos; sa kanila rin ibinigay ang Kautusan, ang tunay na pagsamba, at ang mga pangako” (Roma 9:4, MB). Kaya noon ay walang karapatang dumiyos sa Diyos ang “hindi kabilang sa Israel.” Ang sabi ni Apostol Pablo tungkol sa kanila: “… Wala kayong bahagi sa tipan at pangako ng Dios sa kanila. Wala kayong Dios o pag-asa sa kaligtasan” (Efe. 2:12, Salita ng Buhay).

Ang matandang Israel ay nagkaroon ng karapatan sa kaligtasan dahil sa tipan ng Diyos kay Abraham, na isinalin sa anak niyang si Isaac, na isinalin naman kay Jacob at sa kaniyang angkan (Awit 105:6, 8-10). Kaya, ang bayang Israel noon ang “pinili” ng Diyos upang maging Kaniya “na higit sa lahat ng mga bayan na nasa ibabaw ng balat ng lupa” (Deut. 7:6). Subalit, dumating ang panahon na ang Israel ay hindi nanatili sa pagsunod sa Diyos – sila ay tumalikod sa Kaniya at dahil dito ay nasumpa sila (Dan. 9:11).

Nagpatuloy ang Diyos sa pagtuturo ng paraan sa kaligtasan
Ang Diyos, palibhasa’y pag-ibig, ay patuloy na nagbibigay ng pagkakataon, at nagtuturo ng paraan sa ikaliligtas ng tao:

“Ito ang sinasabi ng PANGINOON: ‘Tumindig kayo sa mga sangandaan at magmasid. Magtanong kayo tungkol sa mga dating landas. Itanong ninyo kung saan ang mabuting daan, at siya ninyong lakaran, at doon ninyo masusumpungan ang kapahingahan ng inyong mga kaluluwa. Ngunit sinasabi ninyo, ‘Hindi kami lalakad doon’.

“Makinig ka, O daigdig: Ang baying ito ay padadalhan ko ng kapahamakan, ang bunga ng kanilang mga pakana, pagkat hindi sila nakinig sa aking mga salita at tinanggihan nila ang aking kautusan.” (Jer. 6:16, 19, NPV)

Kung pare-parehong sa Diyos ang lahat ng relihiyon, hindi na ipahahanap pa ng Diyos ang mabuting daan. Ngunit hindi lamang Niya ipinahahanap ito kundi pinalalakaran pa ito sa tao. Nangako ang Diyos sa mga nasa mabuting daan na sila ang makasusumpong ng kapahingahan ng kaluluwa. Ito ang kaligtasan at ang ipinangakong buhay na walang hanggan sa Bayang Banal sa piling ng Diyos (Apoc. 21:1-4). Subalit ang sabi ng iba, “hindi kami lalakad doon.” Kaya ang pasiya ng Diyos sa mga ayaw sa paraang itinuturo at ipinag-uutos Niya ay: “Padadalhan Ko [sila] ng kapahamakan, … pagkat hindi sila nakinig sa Aking mga salita at tinanggihan nila ang Aking kautusan.”

Sa panahong Cristiano, ang mabuting daan na dapat lakaran ng tao ay ang Panginoong Jesucristo:

“Sinabi sa kaniya ni Jesus, Ako ang daan, at ang katotohanan, at ang buhay: sinoman ay di makaparoroon sa Ama, kundi sa pamamagitan ko.

“Kaya’t muling sinabi ni Jesus, ‘Tandaan ninyo: ako ang pintuang dinaraanan ng mga tupa.

“Ako ang pintuan. Ang sinumang pumasok sa pamamagitan ko’y maliligtas. …” (Juan 14:6; 10:7, 9 MB)

Ang Panginoong Jesucristo ang pintuang dinaraanan – hindi sinasampalatayanan lamang – ng mga tupa. Ang sinumang daraan at papasok sa pamamagitan Niya ay maliligtas. Ang nasusulat na “sinuman,” kaya hindi nagtatangi ng tao ang Panginoong Jesucristo; ang itinatangi ay ang paraan: dapat dumaan o pumasok sa pamamagitan Niya. Tandaan natin na Siya ay nagturo ng mga aral at utos ng Diyos. Ang sabi Niya, “ang turo ko ay hindi akin, kundi doon sa nagsugo sa akin” (Juan 7:16). Kaya, ang itinuro ng Panginoong Jesucristo ay paraan ng Diyos:

“Magsipasok kayo sa kaniyang mga pintuang-daan na may pagpapasalamat, At sa kaniyang looban na may pagpupuri: Mangagpasalamat kayo sa kaniya, at purihin ninyo ang kaniyang pangalan.” (Awit 100:4)

Ang mga magpupuri o sasamba at magpapasalamat sa Diyos sa tamang paraan ay pinapapasok sa pintuang-daan at sila ay makararating sa looban. Ang katumbas ng “pintuang daan” sa Juan 10:1 ay “pintuan ng kulungan ng mga tupa” o “pintuang dinaraanan ng mga tupa” (Juan 10:7, MB). Ang katumbas naman ng “looban” sa Awit 100:4 ay “kulungan ng mga tupa.” Doon pumaloob ang mga tao na pumasok sa Panginoong Jesucristo. Kaya saRevised English Bible ay ganito ang pagkakasalin:

“I am the door; anyone who comes into the fold through me will be safe. …” [Ako ang pintuan; sinumang pumasok sa loob ng kawan sa pamamagitan ko ay magiging ligtas. …] (John 10:9)

Ang “kawan” ay sheep pen sa John 10:9 ng saling God’s Word. Ito ang katumbas ng “kulungan ng mga tupa.” Kaya ang paraan tungo sa kaligtasan na itinuturo ng Diyos at ng ating Panginoong Jesucristo sa panahong Cristiano ay ang pagpasok sa pintuan na ang tinutukoy ay ang Panginoong Jesucristo o pagdaan sa Kaniya upang makarating sa loob ng kawan. Ang tutupad sa paraang ito ang pinangakuan ng kaligtasan sa ating panahon.

Ang kawan na tinutukoy ng ating Panginoong Jesucristo, na doon makakabilang ang mga taong tunay na pumasok sa Kaniya, ay ang Iglesia ni Cristo:

“… All the flock … the church of Chirst which he has purchased with his blood.” [… Ang buong kawan … ang iglesia ni Cristo na binili niya ng kaniyang dugo.] (Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation)

Ang katibayan pa na ang aral tungkol sa kaligtasan na itinuro ng Panginoong Jesucristo ay hindi Niya sariling pamamaraan kundi pamamaraan ng Diyos ay ito:

“Now glory be to God … because of his master plan of salvation for the church through Jesus Christ.” [Ngayon ay luwalhatiin nawa ang Diyos … dahil sa kaniyang pangunahing panukala ng kaligtasan para sa iglesia sa pamamagitan ni Jesucristo.] (Eph. 3:20-21, Living Bible)

Kaya kung tayo’y nasa tunay na Iglesia ni Cristo, ang kaligtasan ay para sa atin. Ito ay sapagkat pangunahing panukala ng Diyos na ang kaligtasan sa pamamagitan ni Cristo ay para sa Iglesia. Ito rin ang “bayan ng Dios” (I Ped. 2:10) ngayon. Tandaan din natin na nasa Iglesiang binili o tinubos ng dugo ng Panginoong Jesucristo ang pagpapawalang-sala at tiyak na kaligtasan (Roma 5:8-9, MB)

Kaya, ang tao na susunod sa paraang itinuturo ng Diyos ay tiyak na maliligtas at magmamana ng kaharian ng langit.