The Cost
Love vs. Commitment
Love
is a very complex emotion least understood and commitment is a strenuous
challenge. Both these words are very easily misunderstood by humanity. . Yet, Love and Commitment are inseparable and its is like the two
sides of a coin!
We use the word "love" in many
different contexts- the love for our parents, best friend, romantic partner,
grandparent, married couples, children, sibling, job, automobile, etc.; and
also for ice cream if one likes it!
Love may well be one of the most studied, but least understood, of all behaviors as well. When we talk about love, we fail to understand to talk about the commitment which comes along with it
Meaning of love: Love is a strong feeling of affection towards someone or something, characterized by care, compassion, and emotional attachment.
Meaning of commitment: Commitment is an agreement, or pledge to do something in the future days to come, despite hurdles. Commitment involves huge dedication, and that is dedication of oneself to a particular role belief, or cause, with unwavering determination.
Greek has multiple words for love, each describing a different type of affection or connection, including agápē, érōs, philía, storgē, philautía, and xenía .[i]
“And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” Gen. 3:9-10.
Most Christians seem to have a hard time picturing God as weeping over His lost children. Hence, we use the more appropriate rendering of “where are you?” But while ayakah is an interrogative,* it is also an expression of grief. (*Interrogative means: conveying the force of a question)- Chaim Bentorah.
God is grief- stricken because the sin has caused to hide man from His presence- the presence He longs to share with all of us. When we look around, and the effects of Fall in our Globe; (ayakah - this rendering makes more sense, in my search for God’s heart!- ayakah in Hebrew means where are you?)
Quintessential passages for the Doctrine of Christ are: Col. 1: 15-17; Matt. 16: 13-16; Jn.1:1.
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every
creature: For by him were all things
created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible,
whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things
were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist; Col. 1: 15-17.
Now we can partly
understand, why God in His great love had to give His Son, for the remission of
this heinous crime, the terrible tragedy at the Garden, and the entrance of the
Original Sin! ( Original sin is, Peccatum-Originale-in Latin).
The cost of
God’s love is High! Can we wrap our mind around this great love and
His commitment for creating us in His image?
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life; Jn. 3: 16.
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;
Jn. 13: 34-35.
Strong's
Greek: 2537. καινός (kainos) -- New, fresh, unused, novel
The adjective translated “new” (Strong’s Greek 2537) appears forty-two
times across the New Testament, proclaiming God’s decisive in-breaking to
transform creation, covenant, humanity, …[ii]
“‘New’
(kainen) implies freshness, or the opposite of ‘outworn’
rather than simply ‘recent’ or ‘different.’” (Tenney)
“The ‘new commandment’ (mandatum novum in the Vulgate) has given its name
to the anniversary of the Last Supper: Maundy Thursday.” (Bruce)
This
commandment stands at the heart of communal ethics; moral ethics and as well as
for individual devotion. It transcends mainly mere affection. It is active for people to be in selfless service, humility, kindness, and
sacrifice. This is patterned after the example set by Jesus Christ in his
earthly ministry towards people and his disciples.
Self is the root, the tree, and the branches of all the evils of our fallen state. Read whatever chapter of scripture you will, and be ever so delighted with it - yet it will leave you as poor, as empty and unchanged as it found you unless it has turned you wholly and solely to the Spirit of God, and brought you into full union with and dependence upon him.- William Law[iii]
This is also patterned on the love and commitment of Christ for His Bride, the Church; HE died for her in order to restore her. This is patterned for healthy marriages, and relationships.
[i]https://www.bing.com/search?pglt=395&q=Greek+word+for+love&cvid=74ac
[ii] https://www.bing.com/search?pglt=299&q=greeek+word+for+new&cvid=5
[iii] William Law - Wikipedia
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