Love and selfishness

[arunangelo]

Selfishness is fearful, because it is self-centered; love is fearless because it is selfless. Selfishness is sterile, because it does not go beyond self; love is life giving, because it dies to self so that others may have life. Selfishness condemns others, because it fails to see goodness in them; love is always forgiving because love sees goodness in others. Selfishness produces anxiety and turmoil in the heart, because, it is out of tune with God; love produces peace and tranquility in the heart, because, it is in unison with God. Selfishness makes us defensive and suspicious of others; love makes us outgoing and trusting of others. Selfishness makes us accusative and oppressive; love makes us forgiving and compassionate. Selfishness is revengeful; love is forgiving. Selfishness is destructive; love is life giving. Selfishness makes our soul lifeless; love gives eternal life to our soul. Selfishness selectively ignores the life of those who are most helpless (like babies in their mother’s womb); while love protects all human life. Selfishness results in despair; love brings hope to the hopeless. Selfishness has value for only those human beings from whom they can gain something; love has value for all human beings, including those who are in a vegetative state. Selfishness is always associated with hate because it thinks only about it self; love cares for all human beings and dislikes none. Selfishness is arrogant, proud and conceited; love is gentle, humble and gracious.



In the final analysis, there are only two choices we have in life. We can choose, either love or selfishness; and what ever we choose in this life, echoes for all eternity. In other words, if we choose love, love will be with us for all eternity. This brings us life and fellowship with all those who have eternal life. If we choose selfishness, we will be alone (i.e. a state of self-centeredness) for all eternity. In addition, because selfishness is devoid of life, those who chose selfishness will be in a state of death (which is total darkness).

 

[Bobinfaith]

Selfishness is fearful, because it is self-centered; love is fearless because it is selfless. Selfishness is sterile, because it does not go beyond self; love is life giving, because it dies to self so that others may have life. Selfishness condemns others, because it fails to see goodness in them; love is always forgiving because love sees goodness in others. Selfishness produces anxiety and turmoil in the heart, because, it is out of tune with God; love produces peace and tranquility in the heart, because, it is in unison with God. Selfishness makes us defensive and suspicious of others; love makes us outgoing and trusting of others. Selfishness makes us accusative and oppressive; love makes us forgiving and compassionate. Selfishness is revengeful; love is forgiving. Selfishness is destructive; love is life giving. Selfishness makes our soul lifeless; love gives eternal life to our soul. Selfishness selectively ignores the life of those who are most helpless (like babies in their mother’s womb); while love protects all human life. Selfishness results in despair; love brings hope to the hopeless. Selfishness has value for only those human beings from whom they can gain something; love has value for all human beings, including those who are in a vegetative state. Selfishness is always associated with hate because it thinks only about it self; love cares for all human beings and dislikes none. Selfishness is arrogant, proud and conceited; love is gentle, humble and gracious.



In the final analysis, there are only two choices we have in life. We can choose, either love or selfishness; and what ever we choose in this life, echoes for all eternity. In other words, if we choose love, love will be with us for all eternity. This brings us life and fellowship with all those who have eternal life. If we choose selfishness, we will be alone (i.e. a state of self-centeredness) for all eternity. In addition, because selfishness is devoid of life, those who chose selfishness will be in a state of death (which is total darkness).

Dear Arunangelo,

I praise God for His leading you to share this powerful message. LOVE has been the series of sermons at church for the past few weeks and your thread is a LOVING reminder for me.

Your servant in Christ Jesus.

 

[Hebrews11]

You know I read your post.. and if left me wanting... So let me explain myself...

While it sounded all nice and wonderfull upon first reading it.. There is no mention of Jesus... only God..,, a curisous absense... It was like reading some new age version of God...

Upon reading just your posting is seems like you are just choose to choose love.
but of course that is in scriptural error.. which is impossible because you can only get to God though Jesus..

Remember there in only mediator between God and Man and that man is Jesus.. A person can say they love God all they want .. But the truth is God doesnt save per say.. Jesus does

Matthew 10:32 - Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven
Matthew 10:33 - But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven

Actually the 2 choices we have in life is not love and selfishness but either to choose Jesus or the Devil... thats it.. Jesus said you are for me or against me.. Are either a child of the light or child of Darkness..

Even God made such a statement

Deuteronomy 30:19 - I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Life or death.... thats it..

In love

Kevin

 

[Everglaze]

Well, technically...if you love God, you love Jesus...and Jesus IS God, but I understand what you mean. Jesus is the one who must be accepted as Savior and LORD -- "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

"Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” - John 14:21

To break down the subject, there are only two sides; Love and Hate. Selfishness or self-seeking or self-gratification is all substantial fruits of the nature. They are sprouted from Hate. Love doesn't have any fruits like that.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and selfcontrol. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires." - Galatians 5:22-24

"This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands." 1 John 5:2

"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." - 1 John 4:8

Basically, I'm just elaborating on this. Whoever doesn't know God doesn't know Love because God IS Love. It's not possible to Love without God, it's not True Love. It's more like it's binded with Lust for selfish gain.

"Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." - Romans 8:5

"So I say, live by theSpirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." - Galatians 5:16

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." - 1 John 2:5

The more you love the things that come out of the world such as the obvious -- drunkeness, perversion, sexual immorality, pride, arrogance, slandering, murdering, stealing, boasting, etc...the more you're feeding the fire and thus, paving your own hole deeper to condemnation. Thus, in the end, losing it all and being condemned for eternity.

"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." - John 3:18

"And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother." - 1 John 4:21

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13

So if you love God, you must love your brother. There's that verse where it says that whatever you do, you're doing it or not doing it for Jesus. To prove your Love, you must show it. True Love can only be shown if you're in Christ because only then, is it truly righteous. Otherwise, we can look at the verse of...

"All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD ." - Proverbs 16:2

I know that maybe a lot of these verses aren't relevant to this thread but...it's just a picture.

It is through Jesus that Love can actually be produced in order to show to others, just as comfort and encouragement is.

Then there's the "having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them." - 2 Timothy 3:5

This could be the non-Christian mothers or parents who love their children and THAT's a form of godliness but they don't acknowledge God, or they deny God.

 

[arunangelo]

Ofcourse, Jesus is love incarnate. The fullness of love is relvealed in Jesus. When we offended God and were unfaithful to Him, He did not take revenge. On the contrary, He compensated for our offenses that we committed against by sacrificing His own life. To forgive therefore, is not to just say I forgive you, but to sacrifice our own self in the process of bringing healing to our offenders.
The following are some scripture references to this thread:
Selfishness is fearful, because it is self-centered; love is fearless because it is selfless (1John 4, 17-18). Selfishness is sterile, because it does not go beyond self; love is life giving, because it dies to self (Ephesians 5,1-5) so that others may have life (John 15,14-16& 1John 3,16)). Selfishness condemns others, because it fails to see goodness in them; love is always forgiving because love sees goodness in others. Selfishness produces anxiety and turmoil in the heart, because, it is out of tune with God; love produces peace and tranquility in the heart, because, it is in unison with God (1John4, 9). Selfishness makes us defensive and suspicious of others; love makes us outgoing and trusting of others. Selfishness makes us accusative and oppressive; love makes us forgiving and compassionate. Selfishness is revengeful; love is forgiving. Selfishness is destructive; love is life giving. Selfishness makes our soul lifeless; love gives eternal life to our soul. Selfishness selectively ignores the life of those who are most helpless (like babies in their mother’s womb); while love protects all human life. Selfishness results in despair; love brings hope to the hopeless. Selfishness has value for only those human beings from whom they can gain something; love has value for all human beings, including those who are in a vegetative state. Selfishness is always associated with hate because it thinks only about it self; love cares for all human beings and dislikes none. Selfishness is arrogant, proud and conceited; love is gentle, humble and gracious (1 Cor. 13,4-8)

 

[hunniezu]

I loved reading this - thank you for writing this. Very well written.

 

[XenaMaria]

Selfishness is fearful, because it is self-centered; love is fearless because it is selfless. Selfishness is sterile, because it does not go beyond self; love is life giving, because it dies to self so that others may have life. Selfishness condemns others, because it fails to see goodness in them; love is always forgiving because love sees goodness in others. Selfishness produces anxiety and turmoil in the heart, because, it is out of tune with God; love produces peace and tranquility in the heart, because, it is in unison with God. Selfishness makes us defensive and suspicious of others; love makes us outgoing and trusting of others. Selfishness makes us accusative and oppressive; love makes us forgiving and compassionate. Selfishness is revengeful; love is forgiving. Selfishness is destructive; love is life giving. Selfishness makes our soul lifeless; love gives eternal life to our soul. Selfishness selectively ignores the life of those who are most helpless (like babies in their mother’s womb); while love protects all human life. Selfishness results in despair; love brings hope to the hopeless. Selfishness has value for only those human beings from whom they can gain something; love has value for all human beings, including those who are in a vegetative state. Selfishness is always associated with hate because it thinks only about it self; love cares for all human beings and dislikes none. Selfishness is arrogant, proud and conceited; love is gentle, humble and gracious.



In the final analysis, there are only two choices we have in life. We can choose, either love or selfishness; and what ever we choose in this life, echoes for all eternity. In other words, if we choose love, love will be with us for all eternity. This brings us life and fellowship with all those who have eternal life. If we choose selfishness, we will be alone (i.e. a state of self-centeredness) for all eternity. In addition, because selfishness is devoid of life, those who chose selfishness will be in a state of death (which is total darkness).

Selfishness is fearful, because it is self-centered; love is fearless because it is selfless. Selfishness is sterile, because it does not go beyond self; love is life giving, because it dies to self so that others may have life. Selfishness condemns others, because it fails to see goodness in them; love is always forgiving because love sees goodness in others. Selfishness produces anxiety and turmoil in the heart, because, it is out of tune with God; love produces peace and tranquility in the heart, because, it is in unison with God. Selfishness makes us defensive and suspicious of others; love makes us outgoing and trusting of others. Selfishness makes us accusative and oppressive; love makes us forgiving and compassionate. Selfishness is revengeful; love is forgiving. Selfishness is destructive; love is life giving. Selfishness makes our soul lifeless; love gives eternal life to our soul. Selfishness selectively ignores the life of those who are most helpless (like babies in their mother’s womb); while love protects all human life. Selfishness results in despair; love brings hope to the hopeless. Selfishness has value for only those human beings from whom they can gain something; love has value for all human beings, including those who are in a vegetative state. Selfishness is always associated with hate because it thinks only about it self; love cares for all human beings and dislikes none. Selfishness is arrogant, proud and conceited; love is gentle, humble and gracious.



In the final analysis, there are only two choices we have in life. We can choose, either love or selfishness; and what ever we choose in this life, echoes for all eternity. In other words, if we choose love, love will be with us for all eternity. This brings us life and fellowship with all those who have eternal life. If we choose selfishness, we will be alone (i.e. a state of self-centeredness) for all eternity. In addition, because selfishness is devoid of life, those who chose selfishness will be in a state of death (which is total darkness).

I was going to post a question to find the answer to something specific..... and I came upon this post...... and It was exactly what i was looking for. Thank you.