St. John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
What do you think the message here is and do you have friends that "fit the bill"?
I will give my opinion a little later...
2007-06-01 17:14:38 · 16 answers · asked by Mr. Perfect 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes Bubba... our military is a great example of this... Pray for them daily and God bless them.
2007-06-01 17:35:57 · update #1
A lot of really good answers and I do agree with many of them... I also see it litteraly... that you create such a strong bond with your friends that you would be willing to lay your life down for them... or as Bubba pointed out that are troops believe in the idea of freedom so much that they are willing to die for it and for us. I also look at it as serving your fellow man. That you are willing to put aside the things in your life, to lift up anothers. My parents were not rich (dad was LAPD and Mom was stay at home Mom for the most part... she cleaned houses while we were at school to help make ends meet) and had six kids... they truely gave up the selfish things in their lives for us. I know... they do not regret a single bit of it. I truely am blessed... and I try and follow this scripture to the best of my abilities while living and if it came down to it... I would hope I had the courage to live it at the cost of my physical life.
Thanks for the answers so far!
2007-06-01 17:53:07 · update #2
I think this is a fantastic scripture. We are to lay down our lives. In other words, we lay down our wants or our desires. It is the death unto self. We pick up our own cross daily so that others might live.
It's important even in the small things. For example, I might ask my husband to help me with something and he's right in the middle of watching a movie. He has an opportunity to choose himself or he can choose to die unto himself so that I might live. This is an example of what Christ did for us.
The same can be said for simple things like going to dinner with friends. Often my friends want to eat at a restaurant that I don't like. I can choose to go elsewhere or I can choose to die unto myself and go for the fellowship. After all, iron sharpens iron and it's beneficial to be with eachother.
Lastly, the greatest sacrifice is the actual death of the body so that another might live. Examples given are soldiers that through themselves on a grenade to save their brothers.
This is all so important and vital for a Christian walk.
Thanks for asking such a great question. :)
2007-06-01 18:40:56 · answer #1 · answered by Jasmine 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is of lesser consequence the matter of my opinion, but the more importance of yours, and how you apply this scripture to your life. The Bible is replete with wonderful verses of scripture that may have one general meaning, but many applications. This is why the Bible continues to be so applicable to our lives througout the ages.
However, since you had asked for others' opinions, I will tell you what it means to me: I believe that what Jesus was saying in John 15:12-13 "...This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends...", was that He was demonstrating how much He loved us by giving His life that we may have eternal salvation.
He also was demonstrating the joy of shedding our cloak of selfishness and pride, for the love of someone else, allowing us an example of how we should treat others as well.
It is one thing to tell someone you love them, but quite another thing indeed to allow our lives to be shortened that another's life may be extended. That is perfect love.
2007-06-02 00:29:05 · answer #2 · answered by 1greatguy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In context, the verse is preceded by Christ saying "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you" and followed by "You are My friends, if you do what I command you."
I think it's important to take these verses together, in order to understand the full message ... that those who love Christ are willing to lay down their lives for those they love, including Him. This becomes especially significant when, just a couple of verses later, Christ tells his disciples that "if the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you". It foreshadows the persecution of Christians throughout time.
As for who fits the bill? Many have, through history. Any of us could be called upon to do so. A bit earlier in the same chapter, the Lord said "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing". Apart from Him, we cannot love as He loved. It follows that apart from Him we also would not have the necessary strength to lay down our lives for our friends ... or our Friend.
2007-06-02 00:46:16 · answer #3 · answered by Clare † 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It seems rather self-explanatory to me. Sure, you can spiritualize it and say that it means putting aside one's own personal desires in deference to a brother in the faith, and that is a Biblical doctrine found in Philippians 2:3-4 among other places. But Jesus spoke these words just shortly before He allowed himself to be arrested and crucified. So the plain meaning is that a man who is willing to die for his brothers is demonstrating the greatest evidence of his love for them.
2007-06-02 00:22:13 · answer #4 · answered by Martin S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would like to think I have friends on earth that would lay down their lives for me, and I know I do in Heaven, He sits at the right hand of God, His name is Jesus. He loved me so much that He stretched out His arms and died in my place. I have no fear of the second death.
2007-06-02 00:19:17 · answer #5 · answered by exodust20 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a noble thing.
Something a King would do
An inspiration for all of us
An ideal, and the basis of many a good tale.
Yes, I know of three that come to mind, and perhaps a fourth. People I work with, and who work for me, and for whom I work. They already do this. Without them I would languish, become a pariah upon the face of society. I would have no meaning in my mean pitiful existence, and they indeed, allow me the grace to feel worthy of something.
2007-06-02 00:17:59 · answer #6 · answered by Shinigami 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We are to love each other as Jesus loved us,and he loves us enough to give his life for us.We may not have to die for someone but there are other ways to practice sacrificial love,listening,helping
encouraging,giving
Think of someone in particular who needs this kind of love today.Give all the love you can and then try to give a little more.
Plant a good seed and watch good things grow!
2007-06-02 02:50:38 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dying for the one you love does not mean you will have to give up your life literally for his sake. To die may mean to give up the things that may hurt you and your loved one. A vice that may divide the two of you. To forsake what gives you the pleasure of the flesh but may ruin a relationship.
2007-06-02 00:38:42 · answer #8 · answered by Rallie Florencio C 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Bible tells us to die Dayle to our self's , and live for Christ . John 15:13 gos along whit this look at v.12 "This is My commandment,, that you love one another as I have loved you "
Jesus is not asking us to physically die but to live to help others beater them self's,and to know HIM our only true GOD.
John 17:3 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Amen.
2007-06-02 00:37:01 · answer #9 · answered by frank 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A man can have no greater love than the man who will risk his life for his companions.
Nah,it's hard to find someone like that these days.Most people I know are sly backstabbers.Usually they are nice when they want something.
So yeah,im done with humans!Animals are my buddies now.
Meow!
2007-06-02 00:25:54 · answer #10 · answered by ♠ Oscillate Wildly ♠ 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋