Jesus taught us to "love our neighbor as we love ourselves"
He also taught us to "deny ourselves (pick up our crosses and follow him)
Should then, we logically conclude that we are to deny our neighbors (if we are to deny ourselves and to love our neighbors the WAY we love ourselves)?
Or does this conundrum actually teach us the importance of being good to ourselves so we can be good to our neighbors.
Conundrum
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Elijah John
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Conundrum
Post #1 My theological positions:
-God created us in His image, not the other way around.
-The Bible is redeemed by it's good parts.
-Pure monotheism, simple repentance.
-YHVH is LORD
-The real Jesus is not God, the real YHVH is not a monster.
-Eternal life is a gift from the Living God.
-Keep the Commandments, keep your salvation.
-I have accepted YHVH as my Heavenly Father, LORD and Savior.
I am inspired by Jesus to worship none but YHVH, and to serve only Him.
-God created us in His image, not the other way around.
-The Bible is redeemed by it's good parts.
-Pure monotheism, simple repentance.
-YHVH is LORD
-The real Jesus is not God, the real YHVH is not a monster.
-Eternal life is a gift from the Living God.
-Keep the Commandments, keep your salvation.
-I have accepted YHVH as my Heavenly Father, LORD and Savior.
I am inspired by Jesus to worship none but YHVH, and to serve only Him.
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McCulloch
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Re: Conundrum
Post #2[Replying to post 1 by Elijah John]
This is similar to the question of how a masochist should interpret the Golden Rule, entirely missing the point.
This is similar to the question of how a masochist should interpret the Golden Rule, entirely missing the point.
Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.
First Epistle to the Church of the Thessalonians
The truth will make you free.
Gospel of John
First Epistle to the Church of the Thessalonians
The truth will make you free.
Gospel of John
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Overcomer
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Post #3
Actually, the two statements mean the same thing.
We naturally put ourselves first. Therefore, to love our neighbours as ourselves is to put our neighbours ahead of ourselves. To deny ourselves is to do the same thing, that is, not put ourselves first. Therefore, I don't see any conundrum there. In fact, I think the statements complement and reinforce one another.
We naturally put ourselves first. Therefore, to love our neighbours as ourselves is to put our neighbours ahead of ourselves. To deny ourselves is to do the same thing, that is, not put ourselves first. Therefore, I don't see any conundrum there. In fact, I think the statements complement and reinforce one another.
