"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law? And he [Jesus] said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." —Matthew 22:36-39
Seems simple enough. It would be so simple if our old nature was not constantly getting in the way.
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." - 1 John 2:15
When John wrote that he was addressing Believers, people who were born again by the Spirit. Why? because we are "prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love". Our new life is not "one and done". We decide to follow Jesus and then we never have to worry about temptation to sin, to follow after our old nature and tendencies. Like Satan, they are crouching at the door waiting for us to let our spiritual guard down.
"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13
That was also written to Christians. What does God expect from us? What He has always expected from us.
“What does the Lord require of you, oh man? But to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” - Micah 6:8
That means to not go your own way, not do what you think is best or reasonable, but to obey the Father. Just like Jesus! Go figure! So what does this mean for you? You meaning Christians who are pursuing their new life in Christ. The bottom line … every day your life should be encompassed by who you are in Christ and the fact that the world needs to hear the Gospel and to see Jesus through the lives of the Saints. To see Jesus in you. A transformed life does not happen because you do good things. It happens because of Christ in you.
The greatest commandments are impossible to fulfill on our own. We need the power of God in us. We need redemption. We need a Savior. And then we need to yield our hearts to God - every day - every moment. When we fulfill the first commandment - it enables us, compels us, to obey the second way.
"We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen." - 1 John 4:19-20
Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
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