Encore Post: That talisman worn by the LGBTQ activist inside and outside the church would have us believe that romantic love is completely equal to Christian love. Further, they would have us believe that human love is not corrupted/corruptible by original sin.
In the Greek language there are four different words for love. These refer to familial love, brotherly love, perfect/Godly love, and romantic love. Rather than getting into the weeds of the Greek here, there’s one important point for us in this discussion. The word for romantic love doesn’t appear in the New Testament.
So, each discussion of Love in the bible is referring to love in completely different way from the talisman: “love is love.” That use only means romantic love and specifically the sexual component of the romantic love. Moreover, this sexual love must be pure and good in their minds because “love is love.” This is self-referential justification.
Jesus talks about love this way: “And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 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.’” [Matthew 22:35-40]
Jesus summarized the entire first table of the Law, commandments 1-3, in love of God. And, He summarized the entire second table of the law, commandments 4-10, in love of your neighbor. Love cannot lead our neighbor into sin. Love as God defines it is in perfect compliance with His law for us.
The discussion of “love is love” revolves around the sixth commandment. In Martin Luther’s small catechism we learn it this way.
You shall not commit adultery.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God so that we lead a sexually pure and decent life in what we say and do, and husband and wife love and honor each other.
When Christians talk about romantic love, we may only speak about love between a husband and a wife, a man and a woman. Jesus says this in answer about marriage to the Pharisees. “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” [Mark 10:6-9]
Romantic love is only practiced in Christian love between a man and woman. A woman and a man, who are married to each other. The entirety of the acts condoned under the “love is love” talisman fall outside of Christian love. So too, divorce and extramarital sex of all sorts fall outside of Christian love. In that Mark chapter 10 passage, Jesus is specifically condemning divorce on grounds of personal preference.
Love is Love? No, human love is just as likely to be corrupted by our sinful nature as any other deed. It may even be more corruptible than other aspects of our modern life.
God loves you perfectly and intends better for you.
Rev. Jason M. Kaspar
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church & Preschool
La Grange, TX
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