THOUGHT FOR TODAY, MARCH 14, 2017: LOVING GOD FROM CENTER TO CIRCUMFERENCE LEAVES ROOM FOR ALL OTHER LEGITIMATE LOVE
We are to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, holding nothing back consciously, subconsciously, or unconsciously—nothing intellectually, emotionally, or volitionally.
If we are to love God with the totality of our being, what about the second commandment—what’s left with which to love our neighbor as ourselves? We could as easily ask, “What’s left with which to love ourselves?” The second commandment is second in the sense that God must have priority, not that we can master loving God, who is lovable, and then move on to loving the unlovable, which we are commanded to do: “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Lk 6:27-28).
Luke 6:27-28 King James Version
27 “But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,”
28 “Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.”
There is really only one way that we can obey the second commandment. Paul said that the Holy Spirit is poured out in our hearts by God
Rom 5:5
“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
He also urges us to walk in the Spirit Gal 5:16
The Fruit of the Spirit and the Works of the Flesh,/strong>
16 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. After listing several works of the flesh, which we are to put away from us, he writes:” But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal 5:22-25).
Gal 5:22-25
22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,”
23 “Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
24 “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections [1] and lusts.”
25 “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
Only those born of the water and the Spirit can properly obey the first and second commandment, and such obedience is evidence of our sonship. “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:1-3).
1 John 5:1-3
1 “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.”
2 “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.”
3 “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”
