There is little ambiguity in the statement of Jesus in John 14:15. "If you love me, you will keep my commands," he says. While several other comments of Jesus might be intentionally vague, such as some of his parables, the contents of John 14:15 are not. Thus, he blatantly says that following his instructions is what demonstrates that someone who claims to be committed to Christianity truly loves him. There is little to no depth in anyone's professed love of Christ or Christianity if they do not even comply with the clear things that Jesus prescribed.
Since Jesus explicitly affirms particular punishments in Mosaic Law (such as in Matthew 15:3-9), it follows that anyone who refuses to follow these commands or regards them as contrary to New Testament ethics--as if there is any distinction between the two in terms of ideology, and as if the foundation of the New Testament is not more important than the vague moral teachings of much of the New Testament--does not love the Biblical Jesus in any thorough, genuine, or consistent sort of way.
Even if Jesus, Paul, or any other New Testament figure did contradict the Old Testament's laws about criminal punishment while using them as a theological foundation, it would only mean that it is the New Testament rather than the Old Testament that is in error. The Old Testament can be true even if the New Testament is not; however, the New Testament, given that it hinges on the Old Testament, cannot be true if the Old Testament is not and cannot be true if it contradicts the Old Testament.
In light of this, it is folly to treat the later books of the Bible as if they somehow displace Mosaic Law or have more ethical authority and broader theological significance than the Old Testament. Many teachings of Jesus would fall into a philosophical vacuum or, worse yet, into a state of contradiction if any true disparity existed between each "Testament." A foundation can stand without a building above it, but a building without a foundation is unstable and therefore potentially dangerous.
Rather than admit that this is the case, of course, conservative and liberal Christians alike almost always hold up the utterly ambiguous New Testament comments about love as if they somehow invalidate Mosaic Law despite the latter expanding on what it means to love God and others more than any other part of the Bible. Still, the Jesus of the gospels is clear: if someone loves him, they will keep his commands. There is no such thing as a sound, consistent Christian who rejects the very Mosaic Law upon which many of the most important parts of Christian theology are built.
So this is going to be super candid haha. Recently I've come to terms with a recurrent issue that has considerably been a source for a lot of my mental suffering and at worst wilted a couple of my past friendships. I think my biggest moral flaw is Envy. It usually comes up in the context of relationships. Like if a friend I liked ends up dating someone else, it's very hard for me to be happy for her, especially if she's aware of my feelings for her.
ReplyDeleteThoughts like "she should've been with me" or "what does this guy have that I don't" come up. When I ruminate for too long, I almost end up despising the dude, even though he hasn't done anything and doesn't know me. He could be an actually decent guy and I'm the one being the asshole here. I take it personally as if this whole situation is at my expense, even though it's not their intention.
Something similar happened recently that has sparked these poisonous thoughts again, but I've caught it early on and I want to be smarter this time. Obviously I won't act on my feelings (not making that mistake again), but I just wanted some rational perspective and peace of mind. Do you know any good ways to quell envious thoughts and learning to be glad for someone else's successes? I'd appreciate it
I think that one way to start overcoming envy is remembering that there is nothing envious about wanting some category of things that another person has, whether that thing is a significant other (not that a person is a mere "thing") or money or some luxury item. Envy is only present when you specifically want the exact thing another person has in the sense of wanting their own personal home for yourself, for example. Distinguishing between envy and other feelings that may only seem like envy can be helpful and can even potentially avoid an unnecessary sense of guilt, at the very least! At that point, focusing on the fact that other people's successes do not necessarily rob you of your own might be the best approach.
DeleteIn the context of the relationship issue you brought up, this could mean remembering that someone else's positive qualities that make them an ideal dating partner for another person don't mean that you lack those or other positive qualities--and you do have many, such as your genuine intelligence and sincere desire to overcome the problems caused by envy! It might mean nothing more than that there is some sort of emotional or circumstantial bond between a female friend you're romantically interested in and some other man that happens to catch her interest. Since romantic relationships can have so many variables even apart from the intellectual and moral standing of each partner, there could be some very particular or random reason why two people date once worldviews and lifestyles are already accounted for.
Of course, catching your own patterns at the beginning like you have means you are already going in the right direction! Just be cautious and continue to analyze yourself as needed. In the type of situation you mentioned, honesty with the friend can also be called for in at least some cases so that a frustration with the circumstances doesn't build up and then lead to worse relational issues. If a friend has already noticed envious attitudes, that might help them see that you do not merely view them or their successes selfishly. You do not always have to mention things like that, but openness can communicate your genuine desire to leave envy behind and preserve relationships worth keeping!
Yeah, that makes sense! I'm aware of the distinction between envy and a mere simple desire to have something. In my cases though, there was definitely envy present because it was about wanting this one specific person for myself. It's also true that other people being successful doesn't rob me of my own personal successes and strengths. It's just really tough for me to not take it personally because of the very nature of relationships, it's inevitably a personal thing.
DeleteI'm happy I caught it early on, it is a toxic pattern I just gotta unlearn. I've been thinking long and hard about it and also because of this specific blog post thought if I want to live the Christian life, I probably shouldn't harbor envious feelings towards the friends I love. That sure doesn't bring any good, right?
As you catch things like this early on, hopefully you'll get used to different patterns that make it less and less likely for envy to surface. It might not be a quick process, but it would make friendships so much more peaceful (at least on the inside). Hopefully you will get to experience some fulfilling moments in your relationships that both make it easier to resist or avoid envy and allow you to feel increasingly content with your life circumstances! I appreciate your willingness to be open about this. As always, I look forward to exchanging comments with you about this or anything else!
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