LOVE AND PRAY IN CHRIST - FOR ALL
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation (according to Romans 1:16).
If any doctrine (or idea, or tradition) causes one to suspect or believe that any human shouldn't be loved and/or prayed for ... That doctrine (or idea, or tradition) is not from Jesus Christ.
For Christ Jesus teaches us even to love our enemies and pray for those who despitefully use and persecute us. And with this being true, even how much more in Christ are we to love our brother and our neighbor in Christ?
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."
~ Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 5:44-45 KJV)
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
(Matthew 22:37-40 KJV)
"If ye love me, keep my commandments."
"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." ~ Jesus of Nazareth (John 14:21 KJV)
"Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." (John 14:23 KJV)
LOVE AND PRAY IN CHRIST - FOR ALL
Notice, however, that loving and praying for all is different than receiving all. For example, it would be foolish for a woman with children to receive a deceiver to stay in her house. There is at least one specific warning about this in scripture...
"... unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth ... many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds ..." (2 John 1:1-13)
Loving and praying for all does not at all mean to submit to all. Loving and praying for all does not at all mean to partake with all. This is wisdom that is made clear in the full counsel of God which includes (Romans 13:1-14 and 2 John 1:1-13). God has given us authorities for a good reason. God has given us wisdom for a good reason.
Remember this: God changes people through prayer.
One of the most amazing conversions is the transformation of Saul to Paul. Consider the following. Before Paul was converted, Jesus Christ taught his disciples to "pray for them who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44-45). Then along came Saul of Tarsus, persecuting the disciples of Jesus Christ (Acts 7:58-60, 1 Corinthians 15:9). Stephen, a disciple of Christ Jesus, (Acts 6:1-7) was the first to be persecuted to death. This happened in the sight of Saul who kept the coats of those who stoned Stephen to death (Acts 7:58 and Acts 22:20). It is written that Stephen prayed for his persecutors when he was stoned (Acts 7:58-60) and it is written that Jesus witnessed this act and the prayers of his disciple Stephen (Acts 7:55-56). Yes. "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good" (Proverbs 15:3). God saw that Saul was among the group of those persecutors that received Stephen's prayers (Acts 7:58-60). But Saul's behavior didn't change exactly at that moment. Saul continued to persecute. "Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison" (Acts 8:3). But Stephen, remembering the teachings of Jesus, had prayed for Saul and the persecutors; "Lord, do not hold this sin against them" (Acts 7:60). It is likely also that other disciples, remembering and obedient to the words of Jesus, prayed for Saul who persecuted them.
Did prayer make a difference with Saul?
"And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." (Acts 9:1-6)
Yes! It appears so. For certain: God heard and answered the prayer of His faithful, the way of prayer that He Himself taught. And for certain: God intervened to changed Saul of Tarsus (a persecutor of Christ) into Paul the Apostle. These events are undisputed. Additionally, it is a fact that Jesus taught Paul the Apostle the same message that was taught to the rest of His disciples: "Pray for them who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44-45) Paul, later (as a disciple of Jesus) wrote that "... prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made FOR ALL MEN ..." (1 Timothy 2:1-15).
Prayer Changes People’s Wills
All things are possible with God (Matthew 19:26).
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation (according to Romans 1:16).
If any doctrine (or idea, or tradition) causes one to suspect or believe that any human is a devil (anything less than a human) ... That doctrine (or idea, or tradition) is not from Jesus Christ.
If any doctrine (or idea, or tradition) causes one to suspect or believe that any human shouldn't be loved and/or prayed for ... That doctrine (or idea, or tradition) is not from Jesus Christ.
For Christ Jesus teaches us even to love our enemies and pray for those who despitefully use and persecute us. And with this being true, even how much more in Christ are we to love our brother and our neighbor in Christ?
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."
~ Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 5:44-45 KJV)
Who is it that you know that isn't your brother, or isn't your neighbor, or isn't your enemy?
That list surely includes everyone who you will ever encounter in your life.
LOVE AND PRAY IN CHRIST - FOR ALL
Now we have rulers, authorities, laws, forces, and prisons to deal with people who are a danger to one another. People who are dangerous and/or abusive should be dealt with according to the authorities. There is no argument about that according to Romans 13.
However, notice also in the text of Romans 13 that it says: "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law" (Romans 13:8 KJV).
JESUS IS PERFECTLY CLEAR IN HIS WORD - IN HIS COMMANDMENT - TO LOVE
"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
~Jesus of Nazareth (John 13:34-35 KJV)
That list surely includes everyone who you will ever encounter in your life.
LOVE AND PRAY IN CHRIST - FOR ALL
Now we have rulers, authorities, laws, forces, and prisons to deal with people who are a danger to one another. People who are dangerous and/or abusive should be dealt with according to the authorities. There is no argument about that according to Romans 13.
However, notice also in the text of Romans 13 that it says: "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law" (Romans 13:8 KJV).
JESUS IS PERFECTLY CLEAR IN HIS WORD - IN HIS COMMANDMENT - TO LOVE
"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
~Jesus of Nazareth (John 13:34-35 KJV)
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
(Matthew 22:37-40 KJV)
"If ye love me, keep my commandments."
~Jesus of Nazareth (John 14:15 KJV)
"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." ~ Jesus of Nazareth (John 14:21 KJV)
Love and pray for your brother, your neighbor, and your enemy. Love and pray for ALL.
Contend for the faith! Don't allow any doctrine (or idea, or tradition) to separate you from the love and will and commandment of Jesus Christ.
"Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you [only] love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same... But love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; for your reward will be great (rich, abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High; because He Himself is kind and gracious and good to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful (responsive, compassionate, tender) just as your [heavenly] Father is merciful."
~ Jesus of Nazareth (Luke 6:31-36 AMP)
Contend for the faith! Don't allow any doctrine (or idea, or tradition) to separate you from the love and will and commandment of Jesus Christ.
"Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you [only] love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same... But love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; for your reward will be great (rich, abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High; because He Himself is kind and gracious and good to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful (responsive, compassionate, tender) just as your [heavenly] Father is merciful."
~ Jesus of Nazareth (Luke 6:31-36 AMP)
"Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." (John 14:23 KJV)
What doctrine (or idea, or tradition) is greater than the love of Christ Jesus?
LOVE AND PRAY IN CHRIST - FOR ALL
Notice, however, that loving and praying for all is different than receiving all. For example, it would be foolish for a woman with children to receive a deceiver to stay in her house. There is at least one specific warning about this in scripture...
"... unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth ... many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds ..." (2 John 1:1-13)
Loving and praying for all does not at all mean to submit to all. Loving and praying for all does not at all mean to partake with all. This is wisdom that is made clear in the full counsel of God which includes (Romans 13:1-14 and 2 John 1:1-13). God has given us authorities for a good reason. God has given us wisdom for a good reason.
Remember this: God changes people through prayer.
One of the most amazing conversions is the transformation of Saul to Paul. Consider the following. Before Paul was converted, Jesus Christ taught his disciples to "pray for them who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44-45). Then along came Saul of Tarsus, persecuting the disciples of Jesus Christ (Acts 7:58-60, 1 Corinthians 15:9). Stephen, a disciple of Christ Jesus, (Acts 6:1-7) was the first to be persecuted to death. This happened in the sight of Saul who kept the coats of those who stoned Stephen to death (Acts 7:58 and Acts 22:20). It is written that Stephen prayed for his persecutors when he was stoned (Acts 7:58-60) and it is written that Jesus witnessed this act and the prayers of his disciple Stephen (Acts 7:55-56). Yes. "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good" (Proverbs 15:3). God saw that Saul was among the group of those persecutors that received Stephen's prayers (Acts 7:58-60). But Saul's behavior didn't change exactly at that moment. Saul continued to persecute. "Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison" (Acts 8:3). But Stephen, remembering the teachings of Jesus, had prayed for Saul and the persecutors; "Lord, do not hold this sin against them" (Acts 7:60). It is likely also that other disciples, remembering and obedient to the words of Jesus, prayed for Saul who persecuted them.
Did prayer make a difference with Saul?
"And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." (Acts 9:1-6)
Yes! It appears so. For certain: God heard and answered the prayer of His faithful, the way of prayer that He Himself taught. And for certain: God intervened to changed Saul of Tarsus (a persecutor of Christ) into Paul the Apostle. These events are undisputed. Additionally, it is a fact that Jesus taught Paul the Apostle the same message that was taught to the rest of His disciples: "Pray for them who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44-45) Paul, later (as a disciple of Jesus) wrote that "... prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made FOR ALL MEN ..." (1 Timothy 2:1-15).
This is an amazing transformation: Paul changed from a violent persecutor of the church to a man exhorting the church to pray for all men.
"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."
~ Paul the Apostle - formerly Saul of Tarsus - forever changed by Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:1-6)
"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."
~ Paul the Apostle - formerly Saul of Tarsus - forever changed by Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:1-6)
Prayer Changes People’s Wills
All things are possible with God (Matthew 19:26).
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation (according to Romans 1:16).
If any doctrine (or idea, or tradition) causes one to suspect or believe that any human is a devil (anything less than a human) ... That doctrine (or idea, or tradition) is not from Jesus Christ.
LOVE AND PRAY IN CHRIST - FOR ALL
