All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOVE GOD AND TO LOVE OTHERS?
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOVE GOD AND TO LOVE OTHERS?
One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”
Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’
“The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE ( agapao ) YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” ( Mark 12:28-31 )
I want to ask a question; What does it mean to love God, and what does it mean to love your neighbor as yourself ?
Are we loving God by going to church every Sunday? Are we loving Him by doing "religious" acts? Are we loving Him by raising our hands in church...by teaching Bible studies...by praying faithfully... by writing books?
What does it mean, then, to really love God?
“And He 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 foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” ( Matthew 22:37-39)
The Greek word for "love" used in this first commandment is the verb agapao.
To "agapao" something means to; totally give ourselves over to it; to be totally consumed with it; or, to be totally committed to it.
What we agapao is what we put first in our lives. All our intentions and abilities are focused and consumed with this one thing.
In other words, agapao is a commitment or a binding of ourselves to something, so that we become "one" with it.
"Beloved, let us love (agapao ) one another; for Love (agape ) is of God, and everyone that loves is born of God, and knows God. He that loves (agapao ) not, knows not God; for God is love (Agape)."
( 1 John 4:7-8)
Notice the 2 words for Love used in the above verse.
Agape love is a noun and is never used in a negative way. Agape is God's pure unconditional Love and it's always used as such in the Bible.
Agapao is a verb and was commonly used and meant what you put first in your life.
This God kind of love is born in us when we commit ourselves to LORD, and receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior. This love is a committed love, a devoted love, a love that we will we will lay down our lives for, and is something to commit ourselves too, and is a love that will not fail, or end.
If this God kind of love is born in us when we are born again, then we will have an ability to love one another.
Romans 5:5 says; “and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
The Gk puts it like this, “the love of God gush forth, is pour out, is shed, is spill out within our hearts.”
The Holy Spirit is administrating the pouring out of the love of God in our hearts. He is giving us a wonderful gift, the ability to love like God, and love others.
It is at this point that we are able to commit our selves to love God and to love others. We are able to obey God and submit to His will. We are also able to love our neighbors, or as the Gk says; “to love those who are near,” which are our Christian friends, our families, our spouses, Children, etc.
Can you see why the Word says that loving God, and loving others fulfills all the law.
If you love ( agapao) God and others, then you will obey the commands not to have any other god's in our lives like money or any other idols. When we put God and others first in our life, and are committed to love, then we will not use the name of the LORD our God carelessly or in vain. We will Remember the day of worship by observing it as a holy day.
We will Honor our father and your mother. We will not become bitter and hateful which leads to murder. We will not commit adultery in our heart by lusting or actually engaging in a adulterous relationship. We will not steal, we will not lie, or covet. ( see Exodus 20 )
Notice that all the command deal with relationships, Loving God, and loving others.
If we love God and others, then our lives will be radically changed.
So today let us examine our hearts to make sure that we are totally committed to love God and to love one another. We have all the help we need through the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish this.
PRAYER
Father God thank you that you love us, and that your wonderful love has been poured out in our hearts. We know that we can never keep your commands perfectly, but you have given us a supernatural ability to love you, and to love one another. We have this desire to live a life that is pleasing to you, so Father we ask in Jesus name that you would help us to commit ourselves to loving others as you have loved us. Show us if we have anything in our hearts that is displeasing to you and help us to obey your commandments to love you and to love others. In Jesus name amen.
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Comment
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Comment by Pastor Bob B on May 22, 2009 at 4:59pm
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Dear Acha,
I tried to show that loving other as God commands is only possible through God's love poured out in our lives by the Holy Spirit Where we would receive God's grace to love others.
Then we will obey the commands not to have any other god's in our lives like money or any other idols.
When we put God and others first in our life, and are committed to love, then we will not use the name of the LORD our God carelessly or in vain.
We will Remember the day of worship by observing it as a holy day.
We will Honor our father and your mother.
We will not become bitter and hateful which leads to murder.
We will not commit adultery in our heart by lusting or actually engaging in a adulterous relationship.
We will not steal, we will not lie, or covet. ( see Exodus 20 )
In other words we will be able to love others the way God intended us to, as was commanded in Exodus 20. I hope this clarifies this for you Brother Acha.
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Comment by Acha C. Emmanuel on May 22, 2009 at 4:48am
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thanks a lot Bob b,
you told us in your post about love, but did not teach how to express this love.. pls expansiate on it...
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Charles you are right on in your comment. I try to write about the things God is teaching me every day. I have a real hunger to get to a place in my relationship with God where all the things that religion, and the world have attached to what it means to be a Christian. Christ, and nothing else, what a concept. i am so sick of legalism, and liberalism and all the other isms, I just want to know Christ.
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Comment by Norman Link Jr. on May 12, 2009 at 1:59pm
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Amen to that.
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It does thrill my heart when I am able to love some one who in my own strength I know I could not. It is then that I know I have God's love in my life.
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Bob thank you some much for this lesson on love. I know I needed to hear that today.
It is so hard to love others sometimes even when I do not want to love them. LOL I know I do not deserve His love sometimes but I am so glad that it is there.
Norm
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