Do Unto Others – Beyond the Golden Rule

We’ve all read or heard this before, what many would call the “Golden Rule”, that we should do unto others as we want others to do unto us. It’s even in the Bible, right?

Luke 6:31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. (NKJV)

What kind of situations and applications do you see in this? If you ask around, I’m certain you would get somewhat the same kind of answers from most people. “If I don’t want people to be rude to me, I must not be rude to others.” “If I want people to be kind to me, I must be kind to others.” “I must not cheat others, for I do not like the idea of being cheated myself.” Almost every religion on earth espouses some notion like this, that we should not treat others in a manner that we don’t want to be treated.

Let’s take a closer look at the context of this verse and explore a far, far deeper meaning of this that our Lord Himself taught. The whole thought can be somewhat slippery in our fallen minds and needs some reading, digesting and waiting on the Lord to reveal – I’m still wrapping my mind around it as I write, but it’s blowing me away, so read on:

Luke 6:27 “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. 29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. 31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. (NKJV)

This is clearly not about not doing something to others that you wouldn't want others to do to you. It is about treating people in a manner that they don’t expect to be treated, but perhaps wished in their hearts that someone would. It is not a non-negative behaviour, but a proactive positive one.

We’ll look at Jesus’ examples and put ourselves in the receiving end of those scenarios. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you”. There’s that colleague in the office or that neighbour you can’t stand for one reason or another. In your heart, you probably expect that he doesn't like you much either, but wouldn't it be a pleasant surprise if the one you call your enemy actually shows you love, perhaps turns up at your door with a gift for you? What a thought! Imaging all your enemies being actually good to you! Put another way, (read this slowly) what you expect as normal behaviour from your enemy (that he is mean/unkind to you as you to him) isn’t actually the behaviour that you really want from him. In our fallen minds, we can’t expect or really fathom this, but deep down in our hearts, we’d really like our enemies (like anyone else) to be good to us.

Then we’d soon have no enemies.

If we curse someone, swear at the guy who does us wrong, maybe we expect that he would swear back. That’s why we were taught not to swear at others, right? So they won’t swear at us in like manner. Wouldn't it be a mind bender, something you really would like but don’t feel you have the moral high ground to ask for, if instead of returning a curse, he blessed you, said something really good to you, maybe bought you a meal even? Again, it is not a case of me treating another like I would like to be treated in the “I’m good to you, so you are good to me” fashion. It’s someone treating you not like you feel you deserve, but deep in your heart would really want but don't have the audacity to ask for because by all your reckoning, you don’t deserve it.

What if I borrowed money? The Golden Rule says that I should return it because I’d like people to do likewise to me. But in this context Jesus preached, the one lending was already expecting nothing in return. The wrong of not returning could be done, and to the lender, his reaction once again is proactive in not asking for it back. If you borrowed and could not repay, wouldn’t you like to be forgiven of the debt? I’m not asking anyone to cheat or to be a doormat, but wouldn’t a debtor really like to be forgiven? Well, this is really the “just as you want men to do to you” that Jesus spoke of. It’s more than the Golden Rule.

This is grace, when something we don’t expect or feel we deserve is extended to us.
This is mercy, when debts we have are cancelled forever.

Our Lord went on to say:
Luke 6:32 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
Here is the Golden Rule as many understand it. Loving because we want to be loved. But Jesus refuted this and said:
33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.

But for those who are SONS, we can be different.
35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. (NKJV)

We can be merciful and can extend undeserved grace, because of His mercy. Everything that Jesus has asked of us as believers to show to the world, He first was to us. He loved us while we were still sinners, His enemies. He blessed us while we cursed Him in our unbelief. He gave of Himself, not asking in return. He turned the other cheek again and again. He forgave us debts we can never pay.

We can only love because He first loved us.
1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us. (NIV)

We can only manifest His love to the degree we understand it:
Ephesians 3:19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (NKJV)

And the world can get to know Him through us as His disciples to the degree that we love each other the way He loved us.
John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (NKJV)

We need to know His love more. The Father, too wants our love
Luke 6:31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. (NKJV)
So He did likewise and loved us first.

My prayer today is that this short article has given you a deeper sense of His love for you.

Isn't He wonderful?

A Complete List of Apostles as Mentioned in the Word

Appointed Directly By Jesus

Mark 3:14-19, Luke 6:13-16 Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite, Judas Iscariot.

Mark 3:14 Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, 15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: 16 Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”; 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; 19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house. (NKJV)

Luke 6:13 And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: 14 Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; 15 Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; 16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor. (NKJV)

Appointed by Jesus - Paul

Romans 1:1 1 Corinthians 1:1 and many other of his Epistles

Appointed by the Other Apostles

Acts 1:23-26 Matthias - Mentioned here, appointed by casting of lots, no other mention of again in scriptures.

Acts 1:23 And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen 25 to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” 26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (NKJV)

By Mention in the Book of Acts

Acts 14:14 Barnabas referred to as apostle.

Acts 14:14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out (NKJV)

By Mention of Paul in Association

Romans 16:7 Andonicus and Junia - of note among the apostles. Might be argued that they were well-known or regarded by the apostles (like some kind of club or brotherhood) but New Century Version directly translates as "very important apostles".

Romans 16:7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. (NKJV)

Romans 16:7 Greetings to Andronicus and Junia, my relatives, who were in prison with me. They are very important apostles. They were believers in Christ before I was. (NCV)

1 Corinthians 9:5-6 The "other apostles" seemed to include by implication here "the Lord's brothers", Cephas and Barnabas.  Cephas (Peter) was already an apostle, so arguably the last part of the sentence in V5 was referring to other apostles, not another type/group of persons (e.g. perhaps other ministry workers who were not apostles).

1 Corinthians 9:5 Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working? (NKJV)

By Implication of Mention

1 Corinthians 3:4-7 Apollos was mentioned alongside Paul and Cephas in the ministry here and in several other places, like he was an apostle too.

1 Corinthians 3:4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal? 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. (NKJV)

1 Corinthians 4:16-17 Timothy can replace Paul in his absence and was his disciple and is by implication also an apostle.

1 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. (NKJV)

The Greatest Apostle

Hebrews 3:1 Jesus our Lord!

Hebrews 3:1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, (NKJV)

So here is the complete list as we know:

Definite by Mention in Scriptures

Peter

James

John

Andrew

Philip

Bartholomew

Matthew

Thomas

James (son of Alphaeus)

Thaddeus

Simon the Cananite

Judas Iscariot

Matthias

Paul

Barnabbas

That's 14 if we discount Mr. Iscariot.

Likely by Reasonable Implication or Association

Apollos

Andronicus

Junia

Timothy

"The Lord's Brothers" (no mention of number, but at least 2 for plural)

That's over 20 if we include our Lord!

I am Not a Christian

I am not a Christian.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.

If this sounds weird, if it freaks some of us Christians out, then it is good to consider this.

To be frank, telling people that I am a disciple does make me a little uncomfortable.  It means I don’t just go to church on Sundays or even on another weekday.  It means that I’m not just a nice person who helps out in Sunday School.  

It means I don’t just subscribe to a system of beliefs that perhaps tell us that Jesus came two thousand years ago to die for my sins and then rose from the dead, that because I believe in that I have a ticket to Heaven when I die.

Like the Tooth Fairy story…

A system of beliefs that affects only the afterlife is easy to hold on to.  No one can readily dispute about what happens beyond the grave.  It’s just a set of beliefs that Christians subscribe to.  Of course, then there’s the need to try to live by “Christian values” to complete the whole package.

But Jesus never called us to be Christians.  He called us to be His disciples.

I am called to be a disciple.  It means I sit at the feet of a real person.  I listen closely to Him and draw from His teachings.  I walk life with Him, aspiring to be like Him and growing in that direction.  I learn more about His character daily and understand increasingly His nature.  Studying His personality and marvelling at it should be an everyday part of my life.  It should manifest itself in me liking what He likes, thinking like He does, speaking His kind of words.  I should do more of what He does as I see the world more through His eyes.  Yes, present tense; for I claim that He is in me and one with me.  I should be willing to give up what He gave up to do what He did.  There should be a time when if people see me, they see Him because His very self has just rubbed itself off onto me.  They don’t discover as an eventuality that I go to a church to pay homage to Him on Sundays but realise that I am His disciple.

I am not trying to be a good Christian.  I am becoming like Jesus through knowing Him.

I am not a Christian.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.