Love God

As believers, we will soon discover that there are many commandments we are instructed to obey. This is part of a normal Christian journey to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. So obeying is important. But to obey these commandments, numbering some 1050 in the New Testament, is a daunting task for anyone. How can we even do that?

The key is love.

Jesus says that if we love God, we will do what he says. Jesus demonstrated this in his earthly life. He so loved God his Father that he endured great sufferings and obeyed him to the end, even death on the Cross. Love compelled him to obey everything that his Heavenly Father commanded him to do.

Therefore, Jesus wants us to love God with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul and with all our strength. This is the greatest commandment he says. It is not hard to understand why. The more we love God, the more we want to please him and do what he says. On the contrary, we are less likely to obey him if we love him little. Thus, we are commanded to love God way above everything and everyone, even our spouses and parents and children.

Jesus also stresses the second greatest commandment for us to follow. It has to do with love again; to love our neighbours as ourselves. He says that if we obey these two commandments, we will fulfil all the righteous Law of God.

For example, the Law says we are not to worship any other gods or eat the food offered to them. If we love God, then we will worship God Almighty only and not do what the Law forbids. The Law also says not to steal, murder or commit adultery. So if we obey the commandment to love our neighbours, then we will not do wrong to other people. Therefore, we need to love God and love others if we hope to obey God fully.

Love should also be the motive behind every good deed and the things we do for God. Bible says that if we have not love, we are nothing and we gain nothing. For this reason, the Bible commands us in many places to live in love, to walk in love and to love one another. For love is the greatest, the Bible says. It also says faith works through love, meaning love is the acting out of our faith.

Therefore, one of the attributes that God wants to see in a believer is love. This is the clearest evidence that he is living a new life that is expected of every born-again believer. The Bible clearly says that if we love our fellow Christian brothers and sisters, it is a proof that we have passed from death to life. That means from living in sin to living in righteousness. So love is an important indication of our spiritual condition.

On the contrary, the lack of love in our lives may indicate some very serious problems in our walk with God. The Bible actually warns that those who do not love their fellow Christians do not love God and are not children of God. They remain in death, it says. So let us take this warning seriously.

The Bible declares that God is love. This is his nature from everlasting. So when we are born-again, we inherit this nature from God. So let us put on love. To love God and to love one another.

Prayer

Father in Heaven, you love me so much that you gave your Son, Jesus Christ, for me. Help me to remember daily how much I have been forgiven of my sins so that I will love you much. Help me also to love others, especially to do good to the family of believers. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen