Wednesday: Responsibilities of God’s Family Members
We all enjoy the spiritual and temporal blessings and gifts that God gives us. How comforting to know, too, that we are “part of the family.”
Read Deuteronomy 6:5 and Matthew 22:37. What does this mean, and how do we do it?
How would you love God with “all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37, NKJV)? Interestingly enough, the Bible gives us the answer, and it’s not what most people expect, either.
Read Deuteronomy 10:12-13, and 1 John 5:3. Biblically speaking, what is our proper response in our love relationship with our Father in heaven?
mage © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com
Keeping the law? Obeying the commandments? For many Christians, unfortunately, the idea of obeying the law (especially the fourth commandment) is legalism, and they claim that we are called, simply, to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves. However, God is clear: we reveal our love to God and to our neighbors by, yes, obeying His commandments.
“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments” (1 John 5:3, NKJV). We are used to looking at this verse as, well, we love God and, therefore, we keep His commandments. That’s fine. But perhaps we can also read it as “this is the love of God,” that is, we know and experience the love of God by keeping His commandments.
In Matthew 7:21-27, Jesus said that those who hear and do God’s words are likened to a wise builder who built his house upon the solid rock. Those who hear but don’t obey are likened to a foolish builder who built his house on the sand — with disastrous results. Both heard the word; one obeyed, one didn’t. The results made the difference between life and death.
| Think about the link between loving God and obeying His law. Why would love for God be expressed that way? What is it about keeping the commandments that, indeed, does reveal that love? (Hint: think about what disobeying His law causes.) |
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"But perhaps we can also read it as “this is the love of God,” that is, we know and experience the love of God by keeping His commandments."
Sin is the transgression of God's law. And what does sin do? Its natural consequences (though not always immediate) result in ruined emotions, ruined lives, and basically is the root cause of all the trouble in this world. Sometimes it's hard for people to realize this, for on the surface sin can look attractive and exciting. But the aftertaste is bitter.
God's commandments are part of His very character, a reflection of His love. One thing that will make heaven a beautiful, harmonious, no-pain-or-misery place, is that everyone has chosen to accept God's law in their hearts and minds and naturally wants to, and will, live by it.
Just think what society would be like if everyone joyfully and naturally lived in full accordance with God's commandments! That's what God and the Holy Spirit want to put into each one of our hearts and minds. But He doesn't force this on anyone; He wants us to freely choose Him and co-operate with the Holy Spirit as He works to transform us back into the image of God.
Good morning, Ulrike. I would like to add to your comment that this is the way the rest of the universe lives, the angels in heaven and all the beings in the unfallen worlds. To live in harmony with them, we would need to live the same way.
God is love; thus, if He is love, anything that He does or asks comes out of love. Do I say that I love someone? I do what this person likes. Do I say that I love God? I do what He likes. What does God like?
That we obey His commandments.
So, if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 5:19
That we do His will.
Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother. Mark 3:35
That we accept His Son Jesus.
Today's lesson requires us as a family member to love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Matthew adds another words, "with all your understanding". Deuteronomy 6:5 and Matthew 22:37.
Passages in Deuteronomy 10:12-13, direct us how to love God with "all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind" These passages say, "12 And now, O Israel, the Lord, your God, what does he want from you, but to fear the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your heart. 13 and keep the Lord's commandments and his laws, which I command you today for your goodness?"
Also, 1 John 5:3 says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." And his commandments are not burdensome" Thus, we are called, simply, to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves while God himself helps us to reveal his love to our neighbors.
In Matthew 7:21-27, Jesus said that those who hear and do the words of God are likened to a wise builder who built his house on solid rock. Those who hear but do not obey are likened to a foolish builder who built his house on sand with bad results. Both heard the word; one obeyed, one disobeyed. The results made the difference between life and death.
The "Golden Rule" Matthew 7:12 is the best example Jesus Himself gave of how we are to keep the 10 commandment Law. We are to put ourselves in the shoes of others and then help them with their needs spiritually as well as materially.
Absolutely on point.. Blessing
The conclusion of whole matter according to the writer of Ecclesiastes is for man to fear God and keep His commandments. Ecclesiastes 12:13