Until now, the point has been about my relationship with God. And then I had to look at my spiritual relationship with others, and it comes full circle. All the way back to the first principle, and all the way to Deuteronomy where Moses declared that God would send another prophet just like him, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—, And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.” (Deu 18:15,19), and we know that prophet to be Jesus. Just after Moses gave the greatest commandment, to Love God with all thy heart, soul, and might, he says that God will send another just like him into THE PROMISED LAND. Now, this is important. Israel was just about to enter THE PROMISED LAND out of bondage to the world and the dryness of the 10 Commandments, into the land that God had PROMISED them. And the commandment is LOVE the LORD. Moving forward, Jesus, as the prophet Moses promised, and just before he made a way for us to enter into a NEW LIFE (side note: just as Moses declared that in the flesh, God would send another prophet, Jesus said that God would send US another Comforter- the Holy Spirit), added to the words of Moses, “And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” (Mar 12:31). Not as the world loves, but as HE loves. His love isn’t based on flesh and the things of the world, His love is based on spirit and truth; forgiveness and faith. We have to believe. There’s a lot to say about this point, and if God gives me strength, I’ll write more about it, but here’s a brief. If we are baptized and born-again in the Spirit at a young age (or any age as long as we follow on from there), are taught and cling to Love God with all of our heart, soul and might at a young age, live in Love and the spirit from a young age, then God will lead us in His Spirit throughout our lives. He will surround us with Godly friends, and at some point, He will bring us into a relationship with someone who lives by the spirit as we do, to become our spouse- if we let go and let God do so. Have a look at Abraham’s servant finding a wife for Issac.
BUT, and this goes against everything we all believe about marriage, the real priority in a marriage is NOT WORLDLY but to live together as one as a spiritual relationship and representation of Jesus and the church (his Bride). A man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife- as one, in UNITY- in the spirit. Adam and Eve were in the image of God (spiritual) until they sinned and knew their nakedness. If we live as one in the spirit, feed and water each other in the spirit, and “and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” (the Words of the Lord), then as we interact with other believers, we all GROW IN UNITY with other followers of Jesus into one commUNITY- in the Spirit. Together, we understand where we fit in under Jesus, because we LIVE IT every hour of the day. So in Jesus, we move from being one with him, to two with him, to many with him. In the spirit, I can love myself because I know I am a child of God and He loves me. In the spirit, I love my wife as myself (well, to be honest, much more than myself), and I love my spiritual brothers and sisters who believe in, love, and follow Jesus according to a spiritual life (not a religious Jesus, but the LIVING Jesus). “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 Jn 3:16). If we treat others as more important than ourselves, let go of ourselves (our priorities) then HE will raise us up in UNITY. There’s SO much more to say on this subject, but I think it’s important to lay the foundation of love as I believe it. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless, I live; I live so that I can lay down my life for you.

i-CH