… and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
Summary: The workings of a camera illustrate how our Lord’s command works in our daily life.
In Part I of our study on this passage, we looked at what might qualify as “the command” given by Jesus. After some discussion, we focused on John 15: 17, “This is my command: Love each other.” Then, in Part II, we looked at the danger of not focusing on this one command; the danger of falling into division. Today, I would like to look at what it means to focus on this one command and see if it encompasses everything we need.
Technically, we humans can only focus on one thing at a time. As a practical matter, we seem to ‘multitask,’ or do several things at once. How does this work?
As a photographer, I visualize the answer to this question this way:
Think of our mind as a camera. A camera is basically a box with a hole in one side. Light comes in through a hole called an “aperture.” This is a small opening that regulates the amount of light that can enter. The light shines on a screen inside the camera. In an older camera, the screen is a celluloid film. In a newer camera, it might be a light-sensitive electronic device connected to a memory card. Both the film and the memory card preserve what is “seen” by the camera. What we “see” through the aperture depends on where the camera is and what it is pointed at. It also depends on the lens and filters the camera uses.
A filter modifies the light that enters the camera. For example, a polarizing filter reduces glare, just like polarizing sunglasses do. A dark green filter reduces the amount of light coming in and filters out light that is not green. Again, sunglasses are a good example. When a filter is used, some light is blocked. The camera cannot see it. In a sense, the camera becomes “blind” to whatever is filtered out. In this sense, we can do “two things at once.” We keep our filter in view at the same time we focus on something else.
Have you ever heard the expression, “Love is blind”? This is the same blindness that happens in a camera with a filter. When we are looking through a filter of love, we are blind to the faults of the person we are looking at. Another filter people use is anger. When a person is angry, they cannot see the good things about the person they are looking at.
When Jesus commands us to love each other, I hear him saying, “Look at life through the filter of love.” Not emotional love, or passionate love, but agapé love; godly love. This filter can see both the good and bad in others, but it filters out our reactions to what we see. It filters out our judgments, condemnation, resentment, fear, and pain. Instead, it looks at those around us the same way Jesus looks at you and me. He sees us for what we are, flaws and all, but loves us anyway. You might call this the “Jesus Filter.”
The Jesus Filter (Loving each other) has several special features. Because Jesus is God, when we use the Jesus Filter, we honor God above all else (Matthew 22: 37-28). We love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22: 39-40) and do to them what we would do for ourselves (Matthew 7: 12). The Jesus Filter is not judgmental (Matthew 7: 1-3) nor is it arrogant (Luke 9: 23-25, Matthew 20: 26-28). It filters out lust (Matthew 5: 28-30) and honors marriage (Matthew 19:4–6). In fact, all Jesus’ commands are included in this one filter. Even making disciples (Matthew 28:19–20) is included because we are modeling the kind of discipleship God wants us to live.
Application: Love is what God is all about (1 John 4:8). Do as he does.
Food for Thought: Does this idea of focusing on Jesus’ command to love others make sense? Do you think it is better to divide up our Lord’s commands? How do you think we can best implement God’s will?
Does this idea of focusing on Jesus’ command to love others make sense?
I heard it said once that your heart is a bucket, and it is filled to the brim. We think we are ok with what’s in our buckets until someone “bumps us,” and then we see what spills out. If you are focused on the hurts in your life, or self-serving interests, then that is what will spill out when you are bumped. Focusing on Jesus’s command to love does make sense because it’s you putting Jesus’s love in your bucket.
Do you think it is better to divide up our Lord’s commands?
I think that looking at each one and asking the Lord how and where they it into your life is a good idea. I wouldn’t want to put greater value of one over the other, but rather take them as a whole and as the Holy Spirit shows how they apply to my life.
How do you think we can best implement God’s will?
I think there is asking and there is obeying. There are times in my life when I can clearly recognize God’s leading, more often it comes down to my willingness to obey. I think the best way to implement God’s will is to pray for the recognition, and also pray for the strength of character to obey. I think also, it is not like God gives us “marching orders” and we are expected to go it alone, I think constant communication with God is important.
Chris,
I appreciate you sharing the story of the “bucket” today. That is a great illustration of what we consider ‘normal.’ And yes, I think that when we allow Jesus’ Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with godly love (agapé), what “bumps out” are the fruits of the Spirit; “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5: 22-23).
I appreciate your summation as well. “Constant communication with God is important.”
I like to think that whenever you come to a point of making a decision to do something to do it with kindness when you can. So it should apply with love even better. To treat and choose everyone with love. What is the loving thing to do? Love protects, love wants the best outcome. Love is something that I’m learning more about. I like to think that it is a trait that I inherited from my Creator and I need to learn how to use it better.
Prayer, Holy Spirit.
Yes. Concisely said!
Amen, Mr. T.
Well said!
I think it is also important to have a good definition of love. Is it always agreeing with someone? Is it sacrificing truth for unity or harmony? We would probably not say so. I have heard it said that love is God’s intended good for another. You have a good description above in the final paragraph. Another good description is 1 Corinthians 13: 4 – 8; 1 John 4: 7 – 21.
Rich,
Good point! Our understanding of the word “love” is critical to understanding the Scriptures.
12-05-2021 2 Peter 3b Part 3,
A. DOES THIS IDEA OF FOCUSING ON JESUS’ COMMAND TO LOVE OTHERS MAKE SENSE?
The greatest commandment is, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” Deuteronomy 6:5; 10:12; 11:1, 13; 13:3; 30:6; Joshua 22:5; Matthew 22:37-38; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27.
I believe we are to focus on God’s commands as we are instructed, if we give first priority to The Greatest Commandment, we will find ourselves living in obedience to the Second as Christ grows in us.
B. DO YOU THINK IT IS BETTER TO DIVIDE UP OUR LORD’S COMMANDS?
We are not robots, or clones, we remain the individual God has created. God as He ordained our genetic makeup, and directed our paths through the sum total of our experiences. These have resulted in each of us being a unique individual, predestined for our unique ministries, service for God.
The Bible is the inspired word of God, recorded by men who retained their individual characteristics. These are clearly reflected in their style. The message is from God, the style is the mans.
We are called to obey Christs commands. We are free to organize and implement these commands in whatever way is comfortable for us as unique individuals to accomplish this goal.
C. HOW DO YOU THINK WE CAN BEST IMPLEMENT GOD’S WILL?
The Bible is so very clear on this point to me. Simply look at every person in the Bible, how did they do on their own, compared to how did they do as they obeyed God? And to who did they all give the Glory of their success to??? Every great person in the Bible gave full credit for their success to God. It was by His power that each person was able to obey God’s commands. Without Him they were nothing, could not live in obedience under their own power. Without God, we are nothing.
We are saved in a moment but will be transformed over our lifetime as we are separated from the powers of our flesh and conformed to the image of Christ. We become Christlike allowing Him to have dominion over our lives rather than our impulses of this flesh.
I believe we implement God’s will by giving ourselves to Him, by dying to self, “stop allowing our pride to lead us into foolishly believing we have the power to do God’s will within ourselves.”
Romans 12:1-2, Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Continues Romans 3-8.
Ron,
Thank you! Well said!
You write “if we give first priority to The Greatest Commandment, we will find ourselves living in obedience to the Second as Christ grows in us.” — I completely agree! I know that my essay reversed the order, but I am working from Peter’s letter and I felt he pointed us a certain way. Yet the result is the same, in both cases we focus on God’s will.
I think my concern is not so much that anyone agrees with me on how I say what I am saying, but that we do not foster disagreements by arguing over things that are already the same. As you say, “We are called to obey Christ’s commands.” ALL of the commands are God’s will. There is a whole-ness about them. We cannot in good faith emphasize one to the exclusion of another, especially the command to love each other as Christ loves us.