VALENTINE: 5 Reasons We Should Love All Humanity

February 17, 2018


And an unbelievable report of Valentine deeds from from Nigeria

Michelle Obama

Posted by Ambassador T. Brikins

''...God so loved  the world that He gave…’’

It would have been  a paradox for God to hate or segregate love and claim to create the world and all humanity plus everything else in it for the benefit of all humanity. And because God created man in His image and likeness, He gave  commandments within man’s capacity to fulfill them.

Valentine .The 14^th of February,  like in   previous years and the years to come is the  day  the world pauses to focus on love. This year,  25,000+ searches on Google Trends on specific aspects of love ranging from Happy Valentine Messages for boyfriend to my love and for her. Michelle Obama former first lady of the United States of America and her husband Barak Obama exchanged romantic messages on such public platforms like Instagram.  From Michelle, 

‘’michelleobamaHappy #ValentinesDay to my one and only, @BarackObama. To celebrate the occasion, I’m dedicating a little Valentine’s Day playlist to you! Click the link in my bio to hear the playlist. ❤️❤️❤️’’.

As at this time of writing this has gotten over 1, 421,443 likes and comments.

Humanity   consists   all of the living human inhabitants of the earth.  Synonyms like world, human race, humanity, humankind, human beings mean the same thing. The Lion Handbook to the Bible defines humanity or   Human Relationships in the context of Christianity as, ‘’… the transformation where, every individual takes his place in the new ‘’family’’ of Christ. His own stock goes down. His opinion of others goes up. And individual gifts are pooled for the good of the whole Christian community. We put ourselves at God’s disposal, and we don’t pull out when the going gets hard. Old attitudes change-not only towards fellow Christians but toward the outside world. Instead of giving tit-for-tat when we are wronged, we treat the enemy as if he were our best friend, and leave God to do the judging.

This is the kind of love that Christianity offers humanity. It is not essentially the self-centred, ‘’Deep affection or fondness. Sexual passion. Sexual Relations’’, that the Illustrated Oxford Dictionary defines love as.

1.   1.    Biblical or Christian love in the context humanity says love your neighbor as yourself.

This is not an advice but a definite command, exercise of authoritative, control or power, over’’

COMMAND is divine, reflecting God’s holiness directed   for man’s highest good.

‘’You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.’’, Leviticus 19:18

Even before the  Christian era  when there was   sharp distinction between the Jews and other nationalities called Gentiles the moral law which came through Moses applies to everybody as it was focused on respect for life and reputation.

Jesus brought grace and truth(John 1:17)  but also said He came to fulfill the Commandments and not to destroy it. Jesus’ life, teaching, death and resurrection are inspirational of a life of service to others, of love- in- action. More than these, the person of Jesus represents God’s revelation to humanity, making communion with God possible.

2.     2.   Love is for all humanity in the New Testament as commandment is in the Old Testament too.

Commandment is also law. That is a body of rules, prescriptions,   social and moral codes, as well as policies that constitute government. These are regulations that establish and maintain order in a land or organization. Law restrains evil and wrong doing and promotes wholesomeness and obedience. Law not only include prohibitions, what should not be done, but penalties for their disobedience. The purpose of law is for the protection of the rights and liberties of a community, to ensure safety and prosperity of a land, kingdom, and its people. This is why politicians tend to often   place love for the people at the top of their manifestoes.

The Bible furthermore, uses the word law to mean a body of rules and regulations that direct, teach, instruct and produce the fountain of life. ‘’The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death’’. Proverbs 13:14. Laws are so powerful to weaken even the power of death.

Contrary to the teaching of the Pharisees, Jesus taught that outward compliance with the law was not as important as   love for enemies. This is revealed in His ethical laws in the double command regarding love.  ’’Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind’’ and ‘’Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself’’ (Mark 12:28-31; Matthew 22:35-40 and Luke 10:25-28). ‘’This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

The Apostles who carried on the teaching of Jesus Christ also commanded Love for humanity.

Romans 13:9, 10

‘’For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.’’ In other words, indeed, there is no other law than love.

Galatians 5:14 summarises, ‘’ For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself’’.

James 2:8, expands the concept of love to play up to social superiors and despise those below us on the social scale. But Christians must not make these distinctions. We are to treat everyone with equal respect regardless of status, intellectual ability, race or color. When we fail to do so, we are breaking one of God’s greatest commandments.’’

‘’If you really fulfill the royal law,’’ according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.  But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.  For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.

‘’ If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well’ ’James 2:8-10.

3.     3.  Love for strangers or aliens

That is anyone who does not belong to the environment in which they are found.

God is concerned with the whole of life- with how we use our homes; how we respond to the needs of others, etc.

Leviticus 19:34

‘’You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God’’.

Hebrew 13:2

‘’ Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares’’

In a profound sense, do good to all is the message of love.

Galatians 6:10

‘’ So then, as we have opportunity, let us do well to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith’’.

4.      4. Love is also for our enemies.

''Father,  forgive them for they know not what they do''

Everyone includes enemies. It is important to know that the commandment in in the Old Testament has the whole code resting on the authority of God, not of a human king.

5.     5.  Love is not in compartments

'' As selfishness and complaint pervert and cloud the mind, so love with its joy clears and sharpens the vision''. Helen Keller.

There is no division between civil and religious law. Most Oriental codes deal with legal matters only: morals and religion belong somewhere. In the Bible legal, moral and religious laws are inseparable, which shows God’s concern for life as a whole.

There is one law for all, whatever a man’s status. Regulations protecting the weak and helpless {slaves, orphans, widows, foreigners} are particularly striking.

A high view of human life is demonstrated by fixed, limited penalties-one crime, one punishment.

Exodus 23; 4-5

‘’ If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him.  If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.’’

The old law and the new commandment of law converge on Jesus Christ.

Nothing can ever supercede or do away with the law God gave through Moses. But the law is a minimum standard. It can only deal with actions, not with the thoughts that gave rise to them. James takes 5 examples to show what the principles expressed in the law involve at the personal level. Sin begins in the mind and will. That is where it must be rooted out. The standards of the new society-God’s kingdom- are way above the standards of the law courts. E.g. Loving others [43-48; Leviticus 19:18;

Luke 10:29-37, ‘But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”  Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.  Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.  So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.  He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.  And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’  Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”  He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”’

Matthew 5:43-47

‘’ You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.’’

Jesus demonstrated this perfectness to the very end, loving his enemies. When one of his disciples struck one of the arresting party, Jesus performed a miracle Matthew 26:52 and at the cross, ‘’Father, forgive them for they know not what they do’’. (Luke 23:34).

Love as commanded by Paul

Romans 12:20-21

‘’ To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.’’

Love as commanded by Peter

In his  Instruction for living, Peter summarises, (3:3-22). Be at one. Be loving. Be humble. If suffering comes, let it be underserved, let it be for doing well.

1Peter 3:9

‘’ Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.’’

The love for all of humanity is the answer to the end of all woes. This is the clear distinction between Christianity and other religions. In his work Cristian Violatti writes,’’…the Christian understanding of the crucifixion points to the unparalleled   love that Jesus showed in sacrificing his life:’’Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay his  life for his friends’’. (John 15:13) and as the Father has sent him, so has he sent his followers.

In our loving acts ,therefore, lets  think humanity.

Will love for all humanity make the human race and the world a better place?

VALENTINE'S DAY REPORT IN NIGERIA SO FAR:

1. Engagements........6%

2. Heart breaks........90%

3. I don't care relationships/Flexing things/Unserious relationships........80%

4. Wives caught cheating........56%

5. Husbands cheating........57%

6. Condom sold........177million cartons

7. Fast food sales........N59.7billion

8. Visit to Motherless Babies Homes, Prisons, Cells, Beggars, Destitute........0.5%

9. Joint and cool spots sales........N21.50billion

10. Girls in hospital over Love........582,631

11. Boys in hospital over Love........155,506

12. Girls arrested for fighting over

Boys........960,876

13. Boys arrested for fighting over Girls........111,405

14. Wives fighting husbands in public........12,604

15. Husbands beating wives in public........1,109

16. Exchange of i-Phones/Money for Brazilian Hair........1.6billion

17. Divorce.......5,557

18. Pregnancy........305,572

19. Number of switched off phones........18million

20. Number of deactivated accounts......7.5million

STAY TUNED for more UPDATES!!!