In bible times people struggled with the same issues. They came to Jesus to ask what the most important command was. One wanted to know how how to have eternal life. The Old Testament passage (Deut.6:5) that was the answer to their question was: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind." and the second greatest is like it "Love your neighbor as yourself".
"Do this and you will live" Jesus said in response (Luke 10:28) to this command as the most important one of all.
The most important command is very telling. It's not about performance but love. And not just a love that encompasses feelings yet allows us to mentally check out. NO! The love we should have is something that will encompass our thoughts, our hearts, our emotions, our minds, our soul! It's HUGE!
It's easy to get hung up on pet issues that we can measure in terms of actions. Some of us care very much about social justice and the poor. For others it is all about theology and having the right doctrines hoping to grasp all knowledge. Some of us care about spiritual gifts like prophecy. Others are firm on how the issue is "faith alone". Still others are bent on proving true faith is met with the proper actions. We can use titles like "Lordship Salvation"... and talk about how the most important thing about God that sets him apart is His "Lordship" and we can say that we go beyond being just Gods servant but we are his "Slave"!! In the end, it's not about how much of a slave you have become because even giving your body to the flames can be going through the motions if you do not get that it is about love.
1 Cor.13 says:
"2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. ...
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
All of the best things are void without love.
A cool quote I heard lately "Live nearer to Christ. All virtues flourish in the atmosphere of the cross, all vices die beneath the shade of the cross; but get away from your Master, and you will be undone." -Haddon.
An even cooler quote is from the word of God: "No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." 1 John 4:12
And yet the bible says: "We love him because he first loved us." & "This is how God showed How God showed his love amoung us, He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him."
Actually, reading through 1 John 4 tells us a lot about how being born of God and knowing God has to do with love!
"Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19We love because he first loved us. "
In the end we cannot pay our dues. "This is love not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins". We owe him everything. We rely on HIS love for us.
This song brings tears to my eyes, because my love for God stems out of understanding Gods love for me. It's quite overwhelming to consider how we don't deserve it- we are the guilty ones. The mockers. Yet we are loved by God- Grace; undeserved favor.
-Stuart TownendHow deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to gloryBehold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocing voice,
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that helf Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finishedI will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
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