I John 2:5-6 “But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
Most of us are familiar with the Ten Commandments, given by Moses in the Old Testament. But did you know that the Bible actually gives over 3,000 commands? It’s true. Three thousand plus commands that we’re supposed to obey . . . seems a bit overwhelming, doesn’t it?
Fortunately for us, Jesus made it simple in Matthew 22:36 – 40. When someone asked Him to share the greatest commandment, He said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” But He didn’t stop there. He went on to say, “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Well, there you have it. All three thousand plus commands, summed up in a neat little paragraph. Love God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself.
Love.
Our faith is made evident in the way we love. Everything God has done for us has been out of His great love for us. He created us in His image, and His intention is that we become exactly like Him – always acting out of love for others.
When Jesus walked the earth, He loved people. He didn’t judge them harshly, but instead, He drew them away from sinful and destructive behavior by loving them. John 3:17 says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” Jesus obeyed God perfectly, and He loved people. If God’s love is to be made complete in us, if we are truly to become who God created us to be, we must obey Him and love other people.
Dear Father, Thank You for loving me so generously. Please help me to obey You, and help me love others with Your kind of love.
Amen
Well said! Couldn’t agree more.
Glad I saw the tweet.
Blessings,
-Perry
Thanks, Perry! Great to see you here. 🙂
Renae, I have to constantly remind myself that love is to be my motive. This also reminds me of how God says he desires mercy, not sacrifice…
Love to you, my friend!
Good point, Cheryl. Love. Mercy.
All too often we want to judge and make sacrifices of others’ feelings . . . But judging isn’t our job, is it? It’s God’s. Our job is to love. Period.
Love to you, too!