Durruck
Pirate!
Luke 14:26 (NIV)
If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.
This verse is a perfect example of why context is important. Without context, this single verse appears to contradict the commands to honor our parents (Exodus 20:12), loving our brothers and sisters (1 John 2:9), and caring for our children (Psalms 127:3-5).
For reference, the context is this: Jesus says that by comparison to our love for God, we must hate everyone else. It's a hyperbolic statement - he exaggerates to make a point about what we should choose to focus our lives on.
He also goes on to give examples about how people have to consider the effects of their choices before they make them. Before you can be a disciple of Christ, you have to consider what it will do to your family; how you can involve them in your ministries, how you can support them, how they will need to support you, how you can support and strengthen each other to continue serving God.
If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.
This verse is a perfect example of why context is important. Without context, this single verse appears to contradict the commands to honor our parents (Exodus 20:12), loving our brothers and sisters (1 John 2:9), and caring for our children (Psalms 127:3-5).
For reference, the context is this: Jesus says that by comparison to our love for God, we must hate everyone else. It's a hyperbolic statement - he exaggerates to make a point about what we should choose to focus our lives on.
He also goes on to give examples about how people have to consider the effects of their choices before they make them. Before you can be a disciple of Christ, you have to consider what it will do to your family; how you can involve them in your ministries, how you can support them, how they will need to support you, how you can support and strengthen each other to continue serving God.
. Praise the lord.