What the Bible says about Love Less by Comparison
(From Forerunner Commentary)

Matthew 10:37 Hate in Luke 14:26 means "love less by comparison." If our love for our parents interferes with worshipping and obeying God properly, we do not genuinely love Him. Matthew 10:37 shows that Christ refers to those who place their father or mother above God in obedience and reverence; this is idolatry. The time may come when it is no longer necessary or right for us to obey our parents. Even so, we should never cease to honor them. Honor indicates a high respect for their worth, high esteem, and reverence. Without this, we cannot properly revere God. Just as our parents corrected us, so also God corrects us. As a result we honor and respect our parents, which is a shadow of our subjection to the Father. Martin G. Collins The Fifth Commandment Related Topics: Esteem | Fifth Commandment | Hate | Hatred | Honoring God | Honoring Parents | Idolatry | Love Less by Comparison | The Fifth Commandment

Luke 14:25-33 Self-renunciation is an indispensable condition of following Christ, required for accurately counting the true cost of allegiance to Him. This condition of full and selfless service to God demands our hearts and minds, not just our bodies. In Luke 14:25-33, two parables and an exhortation urge us to forsake all that we have as a mandatory condition to becoming Christ's disciples. One main lesson is emphasized in these scriptures: the nature and influence of true discipleship. Three times (verses 26, 27, 33) the commanding assertion is "cannot be My disciple." One who faithfully follows Christ must be prepared to hate—or more accurately, "love less"—his father, mother, wife, and children, as well as his own life. Loyalty to Jesus Christ and God the Father must be above even the highest loyalties of earthly love, that is, all our love of self must be subordinate to our love for God, who must be first in our life. Martin G. Collins Parables of Counting the Cost Related Topics: Counting the Cost | Disciple | Discipleship | Discipleship, Cost of | Love for Christ | Love for God | Love Less by Comparison | Loyalty to Christ | Parable of Counting the Cost | Self Renunciation | Self Sacrifice | Self Surrender

Luke 14:26 The word "hate" is not an absolute term but a relative one. He is establishing a comparison: "You have to love Me more than mother, father, wife, children, brother, sister." We have to put Christ first; we have to love Him more than the others. Recall what He said to Peter after His resurrection. What was the first question? "Do you love [agape] Me more than these?" Who were the "these"? It was very likely the other disciples who were with Him. "Do you love Me more than your friends?" What Christ said to Peter He is also saying to us! The standard is exactly the same. Though we may not have the responsibility of feeding the sheep, Christ must still be our first concern in life, and God expects us not only to be concerned, but to love Him with deep, family affection. John W. Ritenbaugh Loving Christ and Revelation 2:1-7 Related Topics: Agape | Hate | Hatred | Love | Love for Christ | Love for God | Love Less by Comparison | Love Relationship | Love, Definition of | Love-Hate Concept

 

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