Richard,
I have at least two hours of Sabbath left, here on the west coast.

Redwood,
Which one of the Ten Commandments have you broken lately, I dare to say, not a one.

I don't want you to give me an answer, just ask yourself.

Do you keep the Ten Commandments because you want to or feel you have to?

I 'keep' or attempt to keep them pretty much out of selfishness. They are the owners manual from my Creator. I figure He knows what is best.

A secondary reason would be to honor God ... to glorify Him. But in general I am pretty self centered.

God's love is unconditional.

When we chose to stick our fingers into our ears and close our eyes, like spoiled children, we are making the choice to separate ourselves from the Father. He loves us so much that He doesn't force us to comply. But without God there is no life for sin is offensive Father Almighty.

Would this not be considered 'a strange act of God'?

I'm with you up until that last part. What are you referring to as his strange act. It is my understanding that his strange act will be when he finally destroys all those who rejected his offer of salvation.

For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. Isa 28:21

Do you think that one could be truely happy in Heaven/Earth made new if they hated God? And after all the 'hell on earth' humans have been through in the last 6000 yrs, He will leave it open to become infested with sin all over again?

Purity will put an end to all darkness, all evil, all sin! Amen.

Amen

One more question!

If you love God, you obey, right? If you love each other, do you obey them?

It dosn't say obey each other.

In what ways, then, is love manifested to each other? John warns against using words only to show love. But how do you show it when you have a serious disagreement with someone? (Do you shut up, say 'whatever', shout in an effort to communicate, give in?) Do you give away all your posessions to help those in need? Do you always put the other person first? What expectations do you have from other Christians who (are supposed to) love you? And why is it so important to love each other, when it is Christ who saves us?

I think sometimes we struggle to 'love each other' because we don't have a clear idea what real love is. God's response to certain sinners doesn't really look much like love to us, and if we place constraints on our children it doesn't always look much like love to them either. Does 'loving' always mean 'letting'? Is the church 'loving' or 'letting' when there is no church discipline, even when people make no attempt to obey God?, or when children 'feel loved' no matter what they do?

Love to hear your comments.