LAX

Keep love in focus and we won't have the same problem with gossip as last year?

Focusing on love instead of other minor things, or what you might view as defects in other people keeps you open to God and also helps you view other people in a more compassionate, loving way. It allows you to connect to the people you meet.

I'm also thinking this verse could go into the practice what you preach section as well. Except that it sounds like the people Paul(I think it's Paul who wrote this isn't it? I could be way off tho)were talking about were teaching things completely different from the truth.

 

There are so many religions out there that claim to be close to God, but only follow laws and rules. I think laws take away from your relationship with God. You compare yourself to others based on how well you follow the rules. What these verses say is that rather than being driven by laws we should be driven by love- pure and simple love. So when we go to LA instead of telling everyone what they're doing wrong in their lives we should just love them and serve them because that is all God wants us to do.
~ Heidi

 

I agree with Heidi, I think too many rules and regulations takes away from the meaning. It's like everything was so much more simple when you were a kid becuase you didn't worry about that. You just loved Jesus, you didn't worry about how you loved him or why or anything like that, you just did. Simply love.

 

I agree with both Chelsea and Heidi but I also think that it's a warning against false teachings, that God is warning us not to let "myths and spiritual pedigrees" lead us away from what he wanted, his purpose for the instruction, "that all believers be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, clear conscience, and genuine faith." I like the way Chelsea put this. Simply Love.

 

Oh man, it sounds kind of repetative to say this but... I agree with Heidi, Chelsea, and Bri in that we should simply love. Not only to love Jesus but to show love to the people we will be encountering.

I also think that we should keep love in our hearts and yeah, then we wont have the problem with gossip like we did last year. We should keep our focus on why we are there: To tell people about God's love.

 

I like Joyce's first line. Maybe that's what happened. It actually makes sense. People of the world don't love each other so Gossip was created.
I like how the verse said not to contaiminate love with other things. Because Love is already pure if it comes from God- so there's no need to put it with anything else. And I think that people can see the difference between showing God's love or just love...trying to be pure.

 

So...if it's just love.....

How do we do that? What does it look like?

 

Throughout the Bible, this is the continuing theme: love. And love is defined as patience, kindness, not boasting and so on...so how do we do this? I think if we just forget about all the crazy so-called "rules" that define who we should like and not like. To me, this looks like smiling at that person who you know is frowned upon or handing the stapler to the guy who gets on your nerves and could easily get up himself and get it. Furthermore, you could refrain from saying something that you know hurts like heck to someone. That's what I think.
Cassie

 

when i read this i read verse 4 and looked at that more. when it talkes about introducing fantasy stories, and not pulling people in. How i read this is there are other people out there making up stories and such that are pulling people away from God and the mission that we are here for. I think that all about the love is true, but how many times do you see other people following the wrong faith for the wrong reasons. thats how i looked at this

aaron

 

All of these comemnts have something to it, that is for sure. I think that some people think that just by following rules, and taking care of themselves, how to get to the heaven the easiest way possible, forget about listening to other people's needs and help them deal with life and help them get back on track.
We need to love people, help and serve them. Give them everything we can, becaude Jesus gave his life for us.
Barbora

 

The goal of the comment is love.

That certainly should be our goal, should it not? If you let other things in to cloud the true purpose of the mission, then what was the point in going?

Rambling on about nothing gets us nowhere. It is the action that will achieve what needs to be done.

 

Reading verse 3 reminded me of why I am going to LA. Timothy advised them to stay in Ephesus. While God has advised us to stay in LA and teach his word. Also, verse 4 talks about people who make up silly stories to get out of doing something. I think that people do this so they don't have to go to church, or share their faith. This is a key in going to LA because you can't make up stories to get out of it; the whole point of us going is to deepen the faith of others.

Kayla

 

I think its saying that God put us here for a reason. We shouldnt give tell others these false statements that only brings gossip and lies. We need to stay true not just tell people what the want to here about our faith. Its harder than they think, but in the long run they'll be ALOT happier.
-shanda

 

you can't be a hypocrite saying that you love everyone and God and be teaching it to everyone when you have really once loved all that but you have fallen away from God and now all of that talk means nothing.
~Jacob