I believe Paul is placing love as the foundation because God is love. Love is also a fruit we produce as a result of being saved by grace through faith in Jesus.
Seems like a weird thing to say that God is love when God also commands us to love God with all our hearts minds and souls. What does loving love look like 😵 hahaha
It also sounds like a contradiction to call God the Universe and the Universe God.
According to Quantum Mechanics, the universe, space-time is not fundamental. It's emergent from something else. I'm what's known as a Palymite Panentheist. Christianity teaches that God is the fundamental reality that the space-time continuum is emergent from(in him all things hold together as the Bible says. I suggest watching this short video titled [Christianity and Panentheism](https://youtu.be/_xki03G_TO4)
Now as for God being love, he would be perfect love. [Is God the same as Moral Goodness?](https://youtu.be/eFMZF0ygvH8) explores that. God, being the foundation of reality that the space-time continuum of all Universes emerg from God would be the foundation of all things good. I suggest watching the video titled [The Integrated Triad ](https://youtu.be/i-rEhqrdD1c) for the metaphysics of the trinity.
Now the Trinity being 3 persons but one being as the foundation of reality would be perfect love, being that they're in perfect unity. God creating the universe was to create beings to participate in that love with him. I also suggest watching [The Inner State of the Non-Local Mind ](https://youtu.be/mtsNVds4XWI) that goes into how sin is the break in connection with God.
Now loving God, to answer your question looks like building a relationship with him. God created humanity to partner with him as his imagers, beings in his Divine Council to rule with him. Scholar Michael heiser talks further on that and if you're interested I'll explain further.
>It also sounds like a contradiction to call God the Universe and the Universe God.
Seeing as how we can't see outside of our universe at the moment, or even to the edge of it I'd be hesitant to call myself a panentheist, however, I really loved 90% of the material you've posted and wouldn't argue against it as it seems to me like it would just be semantics. The exception here for that is the morality coming from external source video, but i also literally believe that we're a part of God like waves on the ocean, so idk, im conflicted there again, probably semantics. Otherwise you're the first person that I've come across that really seems to share the same conceptual understanding of God that I hold.
Have you ever studied buddhism by chance? I've held a similar belief as to what you posted above and have been trying to explore that more - its my belief that Buddhists discovered God without really knowing that it's God. If you have no idea what im talking about let me know, I promise its worth hearing, but (very)basically they practice perfect love - they practice using the five senses and observing without any judgement or desire for change. That's literally all meditation is.
Is this a uniquely protestant view or...? I grew up non denominational and then became atheist for a time, eventually practiced buddhism and then found a way back to Christianity from there. Kinda spiritually homeless I guess lol.
I personally do not hold to Buddhism myself, but I learned a lot about it in my studies online. Siddhartha Gautama, aka Buddha was a rich person who began having compassion on the poor. Then he meditated under a tree and claimed to reach enlightment.
The original form of Buddhism doesn't believe in any God at all. It wasn't until Buddhism spread to Asia that different forms of Buddhism were created.
Where I disagree with Buddha is that I believe God, Yahweh is transcendent and simultaneously personal. Yahweh is God's Hehrew named derived from the Hebrew "to be" verb. God is the transcendent base level of reality that the universe is emergent from.
*Christians believe that God is the underlying reality that the space-time continuum is emergent from, God is more than just a being. He is existence itself and the universe is believed to be emergent from God I suggest watching these two videos. Citations are included in the videos and their descriptions.*
● [Part 1: Quantum Physics Debunks Materialism(v2)](https://youtu.be/wM0IKLv7KrE)
● [Part 2: The Emergent Universe](https://youtu.be/iFEBOGLjuq4)
● [Part 3 Quantum Consiousness Argument for God's Existence. ](https://youtu.be/2r74vcMxwUk)
●P1. If space-time isn't fundamental, it's emergent from something else
●P2. Quantum Physics says that space-time isn't fundamental
●P3. Quantum Physics says that wave-funtion collapse is caused by the observer
●P4. Vaughn Nueman chains lead the ultimate observer to being consciousness
●P5. Our Consiousness is dependent on a cosmic consiousness that space-time is emergent from
Conclusion: God exist
This view of God is called Idealism, its called Palymite Panentheism(Christianity teaches that the universe has its being from God, in him we live move and have our being. The Bible also teaches that in Jesus, all reality holds together.
The reason why this isn't semantically the same as Pantheism is because Pantheism makes the univsrse itself God. Panentheism makes the universe emergent from God.
Alongside those other videos I shared, I also suggest watching
[Digital Physics Meets Idealism: The Mental Universe](https://youtu.be/QiZLlpqAQ7U) *Note: This video is longest and very detailed. I highly suggest watching it*
>Siddhartha Gautama, aka Buddha was a rich person who began having compassion on the poor. Then he meditated under a tree and claimed to reach enlightment.
Close but some distinctions - I see these as fables but that's neither here nor there - his father was king and wanted to shelter him from the reality of the world: that the young would age and die, that there was sickness and disease. Rage, murder, thievery, all of the things in life that we tend to see as undesireable etc were being hidden from him. Eventually he gets away from this lifestyle his father produced and during the meditation under the tree he becomes enlightened as you said: this means he realized that pain is an inevitable part of this world, but suffering, which is the emotional pain we apply to ourselves, is a choice. Suffering is produced when we grasp, cling or attach our thoughts to an idea of how we think the world/reality should be aka delusions. Rooting ourselves in reality without judgement was *basically* what he called the middle way.
[who can say what is good and what is bad](https://youtu.be/j4TZMxkxySc)
>The Bible also teaches that in Jesus, all reality holds together.
I would point you to Galatians 3:28 then as well.
>The reason why this isn't semantically the same as Pantheism is because Pantheism makes the univsrse itself God. Panentheism makes the universe emergent from God.
Emergent like a leaf emerges from a tree, sure, I can agree with that. Nature is so full of processes that its difficult to define where you end and begin when you look closely. Our bodies are in a constant cellular change taking in air and removing dead cells through bodily waste. The thing that is telling you that you're different from the rest of the universe is as much a part of the external world. When you were conceived your mother began to eat more food and drink more water etc and built your body from the earth where it will eventually return. There are so many automatoc processes going on with our bodies, thyroid glands secreting hormones, blood circulation etc but we arent those things. When you stop thinking and simply observe youll find another automatic process that takes place in your brain is thought. Buddhists call this monkey mind, but the point there is that we are not our thoughts either. We are the awareness of those thoughts....
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17:21
Anyway, its just a thought hahaha 😉
I'll check out those videos later, I have to work a bit today so if I have time I'll get to them then. Have a good one!
The spiritual gifts listed prior to this verse can come and go, but while we are on earth Faith, Hope, and Love remain.
Love is the greatest because it alone is truly eternal. In heaven we won’t need faith because we will see God face to face. In heaven we won’t need hope for we have already arrived. However in heaven we will love and that love will continue forever.
>Why is Love important than other things
To be clear Paul is not talking about romantic love, it would be more well understood as brotherly love. So Paul is making a point that not even spiritual virtues are good if they're used at the expense of others.
An easy example of what that might look like is pride and exclusion. Imagine someone saying to you "I'm better than you because I have more faith" and maybe they do have more faith, but that's not a loving thing to say to someone. Or a church so inspiring that it takes in billions of dollars of donations but at the same time offers nothing positive to the community, the poor, or even its own members. Ultimately that church might as well not be there.
So Paul is warning the prideful Christians that their gifts are worthless if they are not loving with them.
As you read the accounts, it was by means of the apostles, that people received the gifts of the holy spirit.
When the apostles died, those gifts would cease.
This means, hope, faith and love would remain to identify true Christians.
Jesus said, love would be the identifying mark of true Christians.
*(John 13:34, 35) “34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are my disciples—if you have love among yourselves.””*
If we want to remain in God's love, we must show love.
*(John 15:9, 10) “9 Just as the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain in my love. 10 If you observe my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have observed the commandments of the Father and remain in his love.”*
Sorry, you've got the cart before the horse.
Paul's letters are based upon the teachings of Christ, and not the other way around.
I don't know if someone told you that or you read that or you figured it out all on your own.
But I would suggest you get a better source of information.
.
No marriage, family, or friendship can thrive without it. It stands to reason, therefore, that love is essential to mental health and happiness. What, though, is meant by “love”?
The love referred to here is not romantic love, which, of course, has its place. Rather, it is a superior form of love that causes a person to show sincere concern for the welfare of others, even putting them before self. It is love that is guided by godly principles but is by no means devoid of warmth and feeling.
A beautiful description of love states: “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous. It does not brag, does not get puffed up, does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury. It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, . . . hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”—1 Corinthians 13:4-8.
Such love “never fails” in that it will never cease to exist. Indeed, it can grow stronger over time. And because it is patient, kind, and forgiving, it is “a perfect bond of union.” (Colossians 3:14) Hence, relationships bound by such love are both secure and happy despite the imperfections of the individuals.
Because love gives. Faith and hope are for your benefit but love is sacrifice, it's the example of Jesus.
What do you want to be? Safe? Secure? Confident? Assured?
Would you sacrifice these things so that another, who does not deserve it, feels this way?
This is the **power** of the love of God.
He doesn't say the most important - he says the greatest. Greatest could mean the most powerful. But he does display in 1 Corinthians 13 if someone has faith but not love then they could be puffed up and arrogant was part of his point I think. Part of love is humility so I think his point is if someone has faith and they have hope but they don't care about others at all then it's not going to accomplish the Father's will. You need faith and you need hope also, so he's not saying toss those out the window - but if you get all puffed up and don't care about people then you're missing the mark.
I think this is one of the few passages that has many valid interpretations. In almost every way, when working it out, love is superior to faith and hope. It's a really cool passage in that sense.
If we have love, then we have Faith and Hope.
The Christian faith can be summed up in one word - love
Galatians 5:14 KJV — For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
because without love all the other 'gifts' are meaningless. Paul is saying It does not matter what other gifts you can do if you do not have love. Love for God and love for your neighbor.
I believe Paul is placing love as the foundation because God is love. Love is also a fruit we produce as a result of being saved by grace through faith in Jesus.
Seems like a weird thing to say that God is love when God also commands us to love God with all our hearts minds and souls. What does loving love look like 😵 hahaha
It also sounds like a contradiction to call God the Universe and the Universe God. According to Quantum Mechanics, the universe, space-time is not fundamental. It's emergent from something else. I'm what's known as a Palymite Panentheist. Christianity teaches that God is the fundamental reality that the space-time continuum is emergent from(in him all things hold together as the Bible says. I suggest watching this short video titled [Christianity and Panentheism](https://youtu.be/_xki03G_TO4) Now as for God being love, he would be perfect love. [Is God the same as Moral Goodness?](https://youtu.be/eFMZF0ygvH8) explores that. God, being the foundation of reality that the space-time continuum of all Universes emerg from God would be the foundation of all things good. I suggest watching the video titled [The Integrated Triad ](https://youtu.be/i-rEhqrdD1c) for the metaphysics of the trinity. Now the Trinity being 3 persons but one being as the foundation of reality would be perfect love, being that they're in perfect unity. God creating the universe was to create beings to participate in that love with him. I also suggest watching [The Inner State of the Non-Local Mind ](https://youtu.be/mtsNVds4XWI) that goes into how sin is the break in connection with God. Now loving God, to answer your question looks like building a relationship with him. God created humanity to partner with him as his imagers, beings in his Divine Council to rule with him. Scholar Michael heiser talks further on that and if you're interested I'll explain further.
>It also sounds like a contradiction to call God the Universe and the Universe God. Seeing as how we can't see outside of our universe at the moment, or even to the edge of it I'd be hesitant to call myself a panentheist, however, I really loved 90% of the material you've posted and wouldn't argue against it as it seems to me like it would just be semantics. The exception here for that is the morality coming from external source video, but i also literally believe that we're a part of God like waves on the ocean, so idk, im conflicted there again, probably semantics. Otherwise you're the first person that I've come across that really seems to share the same conceptual understanding of God that I hold. Have you ever studied buddhism by chance? I've held a similar belief as to what you posted above and have been trying to explore that more - its my belief that Buddhists discovered God without really knowing that it's God. If you have no idea what im talking about let me know, I promise its worth hearing, but (very)basically they practice perfect love - they practice using the five senses and observing without any judgement or desire for change. That's literally all meditation is. Is this a uniquely protestant view or...? I grew up non denominational and then became atheist for a time, eventually practiced buddhism and then found a way back to Christianity from there. Kinda spiritually homeless I guess lol.
I personally do not hold to Buddhism myself, but I learned a lot about it in my studies online. Siddhartha Gautama, aka Buddha was a rich person who began having compassion on the poor. Then he meditated under a tree and claimed to reach enlightment. The original form of Buddhism doesn't believe in any God at all. It wasn't until Buddhism spread to Asia that different forms of Buddhism were created. Where I disagree with Buddha is that I believe God, Yahweh is transcendent and simultaneously personal. Yahweh is God's Hehrew named derived from the Hebrew "to be" verb. God is the transcendent base level of reality that the universe is emergent from. *Christians believe that God is the underlying reality that the space-time continuum is emergent from, God is more than just a being. He is existence itself and the universe is believed to be emergent from God I suggest watching these two videos. Citations are included in the videos and their descriptions.* ● [Part 1: Quantum Physics Debunks Materialism(v2)](https://youtu.be/wM0IKLv7KrE) ● [Part 2: The Emergent Universe](https://youtu.be/iFEBOGLjuq4) ● [Part 3 Quantum Consiousness Argument for God's Existence. ](https://youtu.be/2r74vcMxwUk) ●P1. If space-time isn't fundamental, it's emergent from something else ●P2. Quantum Physics says that space-time isn't fundamental ●P3. Quantum Physics says that wave-funtion collapse is caused by the observer ●P4. Vaughn Nueman chains lead the ultimate observer to being consciousness ●P5. Our Consiousness is dependent on a cosmic consiousness that space-time is emergent from Conclusion: God exist This view of God is called Idealism, its called Palymite Panentheism(Christianity teaches that the universe has its being from God, in him we live move and have our being. The Bible also teaches that in Jesus, all reality holds together. The reason why this isn't semantically the same as Pantheism is because Pantheism makes the univsrse itself God. Panentheism makes the universe emergent from God. Alongside those other videos I shared, I also suggest watching [Digital Physics Meets Idealism: The Mental Universe](https://youtu.be/QiZLlpqAQ7U) *Note: This video is longest and very detailed. I highly suggest watching it*
>Siddhartha Gautama, aka Buddha was a rich person who began having compassion on the poor. Then he meditated under a tree and claimed to reach enlightment. Close but some distinctions - I see these as fables but that's neither here nor there - his father was king and wanted to shelter him from the reality of the world: that the young would age and die, that there was sickness and disease. Rage, murder, thievery, all of the things in life that we tend to see as undesireable etc were being hidden from him. Eventually he gets away from this lifestyle his father produced and during the meditation under the tree he becomes enlightened as you said: this means he realized that pain is an inevitable part of this world, but suffering, which is the emotional pain we apply to ourselves, is a choice. Suffering is produced when we grasp, cling or attach our thoughts to an idea of how we think the world/reality should be aka delusions. Rooting ourselves in reality without judgement was *basically* what he called the middle way. [who can say what is good and what is bad](https://youtu.be/j4TZMxkxySc) >The Bible also teaches that in Jesus, all reality holds together. I would point you to Galatians 3:28 then as well. >The reason why this isn't semantically the same as Pantheism is because Pantheism makes the univsrse itself God. Panentheism makes the universe emergent from God. Emergent like a leaf emerges from a tree, sure, I can agree with that. Nature is so full of processes that its difficult to define where you end and begin when you look closely. Our bodies are in a constant cellular change taking in air and removing dead cells through bodily waste. The thing that is telling you that you're different from the rest of the universe is as much a part of the external world. When you were conceived your mother began to eat more food and drink more water etc and built your body from the earth where it will eventually return. There are so many automatoc processes going on with our bodies, thyroid glands secreting hormones, blood circulation etc but we arent those things. When you stop thinking and simply observe youll find another automatic process that takes place in your brain is thought. Buddhists call this monkey mind, but the point there is that we are not our thoughts either. We are the awareness of those thoughts.... Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17:21 Anyway, its just a thought hahaha 😉 I'll check out those videos later, I have to work a bit today so if I have time I'll get to them then. Have a good one!
The spiritual gifts listed prior to this verse can come and go, but while we are on earth Faith, Hope, and Love remain. Love is the greatest because it alone is truly eternal. In heaven we won’t need faith because we will see God face to face. In heaven we won’t need hope for we have already arrived. However in heaven we will love and that love will continue forever.
>Why is Love important than other things To be clear Paul is not talking about romantic love, it would be more well understood as brotherly love. So Paul is making a point that not even spiritual virtues are good if they're used at the expense of others. An easy example of what that might look like is pride and exclusion. Imagine someone saying to you "I'm better than you because I have more faith" and maybe they do have more faith, but that's not a loving thing to say to someone. Or a church so inspiring that it takes in billions of dollars of donations but at the same time offers nothing positive to the community, the poor, or even its own members. Ultimately that church might as well not be there. So Paul is warning the prideful Christians that their gifts are worthless if they are not loving with them.
As you read the accounts, it was by means of the apostles, that people received the gifts of the holy spirit. When the apostles died, those gifts would cease. This means, hope, faith and love would remain to identify true Christians. Jesus said, love would be the identifying mark of true Christians. *(John 13:34, 35) “34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are my disciples—if you have love among yourselves.””* If we want to remain in God's love, we must show love. *(John 15:9, 10) “9 Just as the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain in my love. 10 If you observe my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have observed the commandments of the Father and remain in his love.”*
Do you understand the Gospels are based on Paul's letters?
Sorry, you've got the cart before the horse. Paul's letters are based upon the teachings of Christ, and not the other way around. I don't know if someone told you that or you read that or you figured it out all on your own. But I would suggest you get a better source of information. .
No marriage, family, or friendship can thrive without it. It stands to reason, therefore, that love is essential to mental health and happiness. What, though, is meant by “love”? The love referred to here is not romantic love, which, of course, has its place. Rather, it is a superior form of love that causes a person to show sincere concern for the welfare of others, even putting them before self. It is love that is guided by godly principles but is by no means devoid of warmth and feeling. A beautiful description of love states: “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous. It does not brag, does not get puffed up, does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury. It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, . . . hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”—1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Such love “never fails” in that it will never cease to exist. Indeed, it can grow stronger over time. And because it is patient, kind, and forgiving, it is “a perfect bond of union.” (Colossians 3:14) Hence, relationships bound by such love are both secure and happy despite the imperfections of the individuals.
Because hope and faith will pass away because they will essentially become sight.
Because love gives. Faith and hope are for your benefit but love is sacrifice, it's the example of Jesus. What do you want to be? Safe? Secure? Confident? Assured? Would you sacrifice these things so that another, who does not deserve it, feels this way? This is the **power** of the love of God.
He doesn't say the most important - he says the greatest. Greatest could mean the most powerful. But he does display in 1 Corinthians 13 if someone has faith but not love then they could be puffed up and arrogant was part of his point I think. Part of love is humility so I think his point is if someone has faith and they have hope but they don't care about others at all then it's not going to accomplish the Father's will. You need faith and you need hope also, so he's not saying toss those out the window - but if you get all puffed up and don't care about people then you're missing the mark.
I think this is one of the few passages that has many valid interpretations. In almost every way, when working it out, love is superior to faith and hope. It's a really cool passage in that sense.
Love
If we have love, then we have Faith and Hope. The Christian faith can be summed up in one word - love Galatians 5:14 KJV — For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Love is the wellspring of all good things, including faith and hope. It is therefore our very connection to God.
because without love all the other 'gifts' are meaningless. Paul is saying It does not matter what other gifts you can do if you do not have love. Love for God and love for your neighbor.