Laying down your life

[Bootstrap]

John 15:13 says this:

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

The US military frequently use this to describe what soldiers do. What was the original meaning, in context? To what extent does it apply to soldiers and law enforcement who risk their lives in war or fighting crime? When is it misapplied?

Let's have a clear, Scripture-based discussion.

[Soloist]

John 15:13 says this:

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

The US military frequently use this to describe what soldiers do. What was the original meaning, in context? To what extent does it apply to soldiers and law enforcement who risk their lives in war or fighting crime? When is it misapplied?

Let's have a clear, Scripture-based discussion.

I’ve never heard the Military say this. I have heard Baptists say it often.

[barnhart]

John 15:13 says this:

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

The US military frequently use this to describe what soldiers do. What was the original meaning, in context? To what extent does it apply to soldiers and law enforcement who risk their lives in war or fighting crime? When is it misapplied?

Let's have a clear, Scripture-based discussion.

I’ve never heard the Military say this. I have heard Baptists say it often.

Does the secretary of War count as speaking for the military?

[ohio jones]

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Those who follow the command of Christ in loving each other are the ones identified as friends. Who laid down His life for those friends? Who, then, has the greatest love, a love that is the example for all other love relationships?

Using this verse out of context as a reference to military service is heresy and blasphemy.

[Soloist]

Does the secretary of War count as speaking for the military?

Only in the since of another semi old man sending younger to die.

Yes he speaks for the military but I was referring to the actual military I rubbed shoulders with on a day to day basis when I was in and who I worked for the last few years.

[temporal1]

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Those who follow the command of Christ in loving each other are the ones identified as friends. Who laid down His life for those friends? Who, then, has the greatest love, a love that is the example for all other love relationships?

Using this verse out of context as a reference to military service is heresy and blasphemy.

Listening to Pete H refer to scriptures underlines the imperative that understanding comes as a blessing of the Holy Spirit.
i believe it’s terrible blasphemy if a person has been blessed with understanding, then rebukes it and abuses it.
i’m not sure simple ignorance, lack of the Spirit, altho wrong, and can harm, are blasphemy.

Lots of Biblical Truths can be (and are) misunderstood in secular reasoning alone.

The Scriptures: The Holy Spirit Enable Us to Understand
https://biblehub.com/topical/ttt/t/the_ ... rstand.htm

Does the secretary of War count as speaking for the military?

Only in the since of another semi old man sending younger to die. ..

Pete H strikes me as a young man with lots to learn.
He strikes me as something of a loose cannon with scriptures. i wince, and pray for divine inspiration.

many pray for divine intervention. i think a fine prayer.

[temporal1]

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Those who follow the command of Christ in loving each other are the ones identified as friends. Who laid down His life for those friends? Who, then, has the greatest love, a love that is the example for all other love relationships?

Using this verse out of context as a reference to military service is heresy and blasphemy.

Listening to Pete H refer to scriptures underlines the imperative that understanding comes as a blessing of the Holy Spirit.
i believe it’s terrible blasphemy if a person has been blessed with understanding, then rebukes it and abuses it.
i’m not sure simple ignorance, lack of the Spirit, altho wrong, and can harm, are blasphemy.

Lots of Biblical Truths can be (and are) misunderstood in secular reasoning alone.

The Scriptures: The Holy Spirit Enable Us to Understand
https://biblehub.com/topical/ttt/t/the_ ... rstand.htm

Does the secretary of War count as speaking for the military?

Only in the since of another semi old man sending younger to die. ..

Pete H strikes me as a young man with lots to learn.
He strikes me as something of a loose cannon with scriptures. i wince, and pray for divine inspiration.

many pray for divine intervention. i think a fine prayer.

Anyone can be high IQ, smart as a whip, cunning as a fox, strong as an ox, without the blessing of the Spirit: emptiness.
Of course, this CONFOUNDS human reasoning to no end. o.how.it’s.fought! and denied. on an epic scale.

Truth is Truth. Pray for the Spirit.

[Valerie]

Does the secretary of War count as speaking for the military?

Only in the since of another semi old man sending younger to die.

Yes he speaks for the military but I was referring to the actual military I rubbed shoulders with on a day to day basis when I was in and who I worked for the last few years.

Except as a “young man” (45 is old?) he was serving and deployed to Iraq & Afghanistan.

[Valerie]

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Those who follow the command of Christ in loving each other are the ones identified as friends. Who laid down His life for those friends? Who, then, has the greatest love, a love that is the example for all other love relationships?

Using this verse out of context as a reference to military service is heresy and blasphemy.

As far back as I can remember I’ve heard that as an application anyone could apply as what love can mean in sacrifice in any walk of life- never heard anyone refer to the application as blasphemy or only limited to the exact context of Jesus’ sacrifice but His example of how sacrificial love is.

[JohnL]

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Those who follow the command of Christ in loving each other are the ones identified as friends. Who laid down His life for those friends? Who, then, has the greatest love, a love that is the example for all other love relationships?

Using this verse out of context as a reference to military service is heresy and blasphemy.

I think this is right about understanding the context. Anything else is an attempt to use the Bible for a personal favorite agenda such as justifying homosexual relationships or abortion.
I think it’s sad that the Bible isn’t studied to strengthen personal discipleship to Jesus but it’s used as sound bites to push sinful lifestyles. I guess it just shows that the games of the scribes and pharisees continue.