The current focus on some lives more than others is the opposite of Almighty God’s view of humanity. Biblical people know that God’s relationship with humanity is the ultimate equality in which all lives and souls are equal in God’s sight. God sent Jesus to become a sacrifice for all of humanity since all have sinned and all will stand before the judgment seat when we leave this life.
Christians (Baptized Disciples of Jesus) or BDOJs have a large responsibility for a peaceful and egalitarian society because of Jesus’ words to the apostles. Jesus commissioned his disciples to “Go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, AND teaching them to obey everything I have commanded.” Obviously, unbaptized disciples are not obeying everything Jesus commanded his apostles. Obeying Jesus directions is the BDOJ charge in every situation, including relations with every soul.
So, what are Jesus’ directions on interacting with every other soul? Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment of the Biblical world and responded: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength’.This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” “Love your neighbor as yourself” is the Biblical foundation for all cultural relations and the foundation of America. The Biblical foundation for society is found in the Ten Commandments in the Old Testament and the words of Jesus in the New Testament which encompass the Ten Commandments.
The problem in society is that the word, “Love” is not well understood or employed because of the diversity of the meaning of the word “Love” in the Bible text. So, what is Agape love? Biblical neighborly love is not an erotic relationship and it is not brotherly or family or tribal relationship. The Greek word most (>98%) translated as love in the New Testament is ”agape” which is a relationship that is implemented by the heart, the soul, the mind and the strength of a disciple. Agape love is a decision of the disciple’s will to treat every soul as they themselves want to be treated or the “golden rule”. Agape Love is “equality love” in that the disciple is to consider the needs of the other soul as his or her own. Agape Love is also the “tough Love” of the parent child relationship in which the parent seeks the best interest of the child. The parent does not give the child everything the child desires but gives the child what is best, warns the child of things that are detrimental to their long-term health and teaches the child how to develop their own values and actions. Not teaching a child or any soul of the dangers of an acclivity and how to avoid the consequences is not love of any kind. Agape teaching is love.
The BDOJ relationship with every soul is an Agape relationship in which disciples of Jesus are not Almighty God’s judge and jury and thus do not convict and condemn. Baptized disciples of Jesus are only messengers of God’s wrath against all unrighteousness and simultaneously messengers of God’s Agape love. To respectfully inform a soul of the coming wrath of God is not hate, but Agape love that seeks the best eternal outcome for all souls.
The first step in Agape love is to understand who is your neighbor. Jesus was asked how to determine who is your neighbor and presented the parable of the Good Samaritan. The story of the Good Samaritan tells us that anyone a person encounters during this life who needs mercy and compassion is a neighbor or essentially everyone. It is important to remember that Justice, Mercy and Grace are the three steps to Almighty God’s actions regarding humanity. Justice is the situation when a law is broken and the perpetrator receives the full punishment defined by the law from the judge. Mercy is when the punishment for breaking a law is reduced because of compassion of the judge for the perpetrator. Grace is when the entire transgression of the law is erased completely, even without perpetrator merit. Thus, BDOJs’ neighbors are those who need compassion and mercy, especially those they encounter that are a victim of transgressions of others, independent of their personal transgressions.
Note that a religious official (Priest) and an elite (Pharisee) did not have compassion or mercy for the needs of the victim, but walked by on the other side. The Samaritan had compassion and mercy to help the savaged soul to stand and be treated and cared for his situation, before he went on his way. The Samaritan also checked on the savaged soul to make sure his treatment was completed and he could continue on his own. The Samaritan did not judge if the savaged soul was worthy of his assistance, he did not condemn the savaged soul for his situation, he just provided what was needed for the savaged soul. Thus BDOJs are to have compassion for those we encounter and show mercy for those that need our assistance, just as we would want to be treated in the same situation. Jesus behavior is the foundation for a peaceful and egalitarian society.
Yes, all lives matter to BDOJs because ALL SOULS matter to Almighty God!
Copyright © William Nunnally 7-1-2020.