There is a kind of argument called Reductio Ad Absurdum. By this argument, we take a concept and reduce it to absurdity by taking it to extremes. Very few arguments can withstand this attack, but the basis of its validity is this: Truth cannot contain falsity. Something is either true or not true. A statement cannot be both true and not true at the same time. We test our syllogisms by asking if the result is likewise as true as the premises. We have seen before (search “reductio” using ^F) that the bible treats on reductio ad absurdum, albeit rarely. In fact, reductio ad absurdum of lust is adultery Mt 5: [28] But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
…and the reductio ad absurdum of hatred is murder 1 Jno 3: [15] Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
In forms of Government, we can suppose that the reductio ad absurdum of Atheism is Communism, while the reductio ad absurdum of Christianity is a Kingdom.
What then of reductio ad absurdum of virtue, Love for example?
Love is not lust as seen above. We should further observe that when Love is wrongly applied to money, it is the root of all evil(s.) 1 Tim 6: [10] For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Is Love not a virtue then? One might argue for love of virtue itself, but that calls for a reflexive case, and I do not have a definition of virtue, citing only 2 Pet 1: [5] And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
[6] And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
[7] And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
[8] For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The concept that Love can be perfected is addressed nonetheless (verse 7 above.) 1 Jno 2: [3] And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
[4] He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
[5] But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
[6] He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
And
1 Jno 4: [12] No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
We know that P -> Q is also represented ~P v Q. Making syllogisms with spoken language is bad protocol, and Euler diagrams are more appropriate. However, in a sort of shorthand, we could say that
If ~Obey commandments -> ~ Know (1 Jno 2:4)
If obey commandments -> Know (vs 5.)
In Jno 14: [15] If ye love me, keep my commandments.
[21] He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
We could say that
If Love -> keep commandments
Or to put it another way
~Love v Keep commandments.
Jno 15: [10] If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
Could be cleaned up to say:
Keep commandments -> abide in Christ’s love :: Christ keeps Gods Commands perfectly -> Christ abides in God’s Love.
We conclude that to know God (Jno 14:15) is to Love him (1 Jno 2:3.) There is no absurdity to the Love of God
Deut 6: [4] Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
[5] And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
[6] And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
[7] And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, 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.
Mk 12: [28] And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
[29] And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
[30] And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Deut 6: [13] Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.
Was quoted by Christ in temptation Mt 4: [10] Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
And Lk 4: [8] And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Ex 20: [3] Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Deut 5: [7] Thou shalt have none other gods before me.
As an aside, when I was researching this, I ran across the example of Nehemiah 1: [8] Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
[9] But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.
Here in prayer, Nehemiah makes a case with God, by quoting scripture, setting precedent for us to do the same. You could either argue that this is a conflation or a remonstration. The relevant scriptures are in Deut 4: [29] But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
[30] When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
[31] (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.
And
Deut 30: [2] And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
[3] That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.
[4] If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:
[5] And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.
If you argue that this is a conflation, you must allow that Nehemiah knew the Old Testament VERY WELL, to make this mistake. I rather think that it is an example of remonstration. Having observed as an aside that we can remonstrate with God in prayer, we return to the conclusion of our discussion of Love and its extremes:
Just as the right to contract is not absolute, so the right to Love is not absolute, else we could love lust and money. I suppose that this love of things that are not virtue is called “inordinate affection.”
[6] For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Despite this we are to be kindly affectioned one to another Ro 12: [10] Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
And not to lack natural affection. Ro 1: [31] Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
2 Tim 3: [3] Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
That’s my contribution to Philippians 4:8 for today.