Essential Goal of Christianity???

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Esaias

They did not have the Spirit of Christ and they did not express the biblical definition of love. Here is how we know if anyone loves God -

Deu 11:1
Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.

Deu 30:16
In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

The above statements would be with regards to the Law given to Israel, not necessarily to the NT church.

Jhn 14:15
If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Jhn 14:21
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Let's look closely at Christ's point in this passage... Jesus continues on through chapter 15...

John 15:7-12 (ESV)
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."

Christ's commandments to the church are distinctly related to the universal law of loving God with all one's being... and demonstrating that love by loving others.

1Jo 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.


2Jo 1:6
And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

John actually explains this well...

2 John 1:4-6 (ESV)
4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.

It's all about loving God and loving others. No legalistic requirements are set down.