QUOTE(Haledoch @ Jul 8 2018, 03:39 PM)
But there are two commandments in which we are told to obey,
Matthew 22
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Jesus made it clear, they are two different commands. What you are saying about loving each other only fulfills the second command. It doesn't fulfill the first and the greatest command. Why I say that because of this verse,
Luke 14
26 If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.It basically made a distinction between loving God and loving human, in which we must prioritize God over anything else. Abraham was told to sacrifice Isaac his son for God's sake. And he chose God over his son.
If we cannot reach the level of decision like Abraham, then our faith is not really faith. The truth is we don't have faith. Do you agree? Knowing this, does loving each other then suffice to meet God's standard of loving Him?
p.s. can we make it less tldr?
Before anyone think Jesus is asking us to 'hate' their family, the word 'hate' is to love less in Hebrew.
This phrase is a Hebrew idiom.
Good you brought out the Abraham sacrifice.
Many think that they love God and go on in sin and expect grace to overcome sin. This is a false gospel.
Love demands action.
Faith demands action.
Grace demands action.
Therefore
Romans 4
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised,
he was able also to perform.
22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
And
James 1
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
James 2
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.