Struggling with the language of expressing love.

OsmiumZulu · 2019-12-27T21:34:00+00:00

The “prom songs to Jesus” garbage is just that: garbage.

Simple question: how did the prophets and apostles speak of God? How did they describe the love of God and for God?

Hint: it wasn’t: “heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss.”

Instead scripture most often exalts God for his majesty and power and is not some gushy romantic feel fest. When God’s love is mentioned it is almost always paired with actions God did out of love. Actions do seem to speak louder than words.

Ephesians 2:4-5 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, evenwhen we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—“

Job 37:5 “God thunders with His voice wondrously, Doing great things which we cannot comprehend.”

Psalm 98:1 “O sing to the LORD a new song, For He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.”

1 Chronicles 16:24 “Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.”

Zephaniah 3:17 “The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”

Deep_Strength · 2019-12-27T23:28:37+00:00

and the guy kept saying the phrase "in love with Jesus".

When I heard it, I just found it really jarring. I am a Christian but I find the phrase quite hard to say - I suspect because I am so used to hearing that sort of phrase used with respect to romantic love.

Yes, it's weird. It's an offshoot of some gnostic heresy called "bridal mysticism" if you want to look it up.

John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. 20 In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”

What love looks like to Jesus is obedience to His commands. It's not a feeling or a romance.

ENTPunisher · 2019-12-28T03:59:49+00:00

You've already gotten flawless responses on this thread regarding "Bridal Mysticism," but I'll just echo - it sounds stupid because it is stupid. The people who are into that kind of phrasing are just weird and creepy.

The Holy Spirit is rightfully commanding you "miss me with that gay s**t"

MoonshineGuy859 · 2019-12-28T17:02:59+00:00

What you are seeing is the feminization of the church and the songs. It is out of balance with the masculine as the masculine takes a back seat in our gynocentric culture.

Speak out. Speaking truth is what Christians are obligated to do. If you're lucky, it will result in a stronger church. If you are even luckier, you will get persecuted and you can go find another church, one that isn't feminized.

That is why women were told to be quiet in church. When women lead, they destroy organizations and nations. They are good at making life and nurturing, men should be leading. It is a wonderfully functional thing when it is at full tilt.

rocknrollchuck · 2019-12-27T23:29:34+00:00

Modern Christian music mostly focuses on feelings. Check out some of the older (pre-1960's) worship music. Also read the Psalms and see how David expressed his love in prayer and song - many of the Psalms were originally worship songs to be set to music. And God called David a man after His own heart.

redwall92 · 2019-12-30T15:36:54+00:00

I don't ever recall telling my father I was in love with him. Or my brother.

Love them both to death. Would give my left nut for either.

But yeah ... get this crap outta your head.

mikestoleyobike · 2019-12-28T20:29:06+00:00

One of the many reasons I love Exclusive Psalmody

DigitalScetis · 2020-01-28T04:34:56+00:00

"If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:2-4.

What you describe is a problem I find with a lot of Christian MGTOW. A lot of them take great inspiration from the Bible, show exceptional fortitude and discipline with regard to their personal habits, are very driven, and keep on the straight and narrow, with great fear of the Lord and the wages of sin.

But a lot of them have a problem with love, and as a result, their spiritual development as Christians runs into problems.

There's a tendency of men who take the red pill to reject love as nothing other than a mere phylogenetic response in the brain, an evolutionary way to "trick" our brains into thinking our base urges are these grand, metaphysical events. As such, they become cynical at the concept, and think it's all bunk.

I'm reminded of C.S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters, where the daemon Screwtape had strategies for turning most vices, and most virtues, into ways of robbing a man of his soul. Except he had no answer for love, which the daemons were powerless against.

Love is real and love is important. And I think a lot of the trouble in today's world is that this generation today seems largely unable to love, and doesn't even seem to care.

Oh, you'll hear a whole lot of praise heaped upon 'empathy', or 'emotional intelligence', or 'positive energies', or 'compatibility' from people today, and how we all stand in need of these things. But have you noticed how none of these people talk approvingly of love?

They really have no use for love, because love is a spiritual concept that is rich in meaning and heaped in mystery. Secularists and scientists, however, can't model it or measure it. Therefore, it doesn't exist in their world.

Christians, however, can't be Christians without love, as Christians are commanded to "love God" and "love the neighbor." Not empathize with God. Not have positive energies towards the neighbor. But LOVE.

Now a discourse on love would be far too much for this one response. I would maintain that love, and especially Christian love, is a staggeringly immense idea that encompasses a whole lot more than the variety of Greek words used to describe it in the New Testament. But it is beholden upon Christians, I think, to understand love so they may practice love.

Shirking back in horror at the mention of love is a sign that, yes, more work needs to be done. And I think that's the case for a lot of us men, not just yourself.

Title	Struggling with the language of expressing love.
Author	cupspeeder
Upvotes	3
Comments	13
Date	December 27, 2019 8:28 PM UTC (4 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/RPChristians
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/RPChristians/comments/eggeo4/struggling_with_the_language_of_expressing_love/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/RPChristians/struggling-with-the-language-of-expressing-love.303253 https://theredarchive.com/post/303253