HOW
WE ARE TO LOVE
GOD
The love of God is essential if we expect to
receive the promises of salvation and a home in heaven, so it is very important
that we know how to love him. We must
love him in a way that is acceptable to him.
To understand that there are different ways to love God, let’s consider
the different ways we can love each other.
One way is to love in word only. Some people say “I love you” often, but their
actions indicate they love themselves more than anyone else. Jesus teaches that true love is shown by
actions pleasing to the one loved. This
is how Jesus wants to be loved - John
Both sons were asked by their father to work
in his vineyard. One said he would not,
but later repented and did go to work, while the other said he would, but then
never did. Jesus’ question is painfully
obvious – “Whether of them twain did the will of his father?” The answer, of course, was the one who did
the work. But notice what happened in the
mind of this obedient son. Jesus said he
repented. This means he thought about
his father’s request, realized his first answer was not pleasing to his father,
then determined to go against his own desires and fulfill the desires of his
father. In short, he loved another
person (his father) the way the other person wanted to be loved (by obedience
and work) instead of the way he (the son) wanted to love.
Jesus also taught about the way to love in
the passage often called the golden rule.
In Matthew
This happens often in close relationships,
especially between spouses. For example,
a husband may feel that once a month is enough to take his wife out to eat, and
in so doing he feels he is showing his love to her just fine. But she wants to eat out every weekend and
has told him so. She feels like she
deserves this, and if he loved her as she deserves, he would gladly show it by
taking her out more often. So he is
loving her as he wants, but it is not as she wants. He is doing unto her as he wants to
do, not as she would have him do, and that is not exactly the golden
rule, is it? Seeds of discontent are sown
in situations like this, and they are cultivated and fertilized by other
selfish and insensitive acts until the final fruits of withdrawal, emotional
detachment, separation, and divorce are reaped.
If this principle is understood, you can
answer the question of how we are to love God.
God has told us how we are to love him.
We are to keep his commandments.
We are to do the actions that show we want to do his will. We go work in his vineyard. But he wants it his way, not ours. Many people are religious, even zealous, but
they are worshiping God the way they want to do it, both for the public
worship and in the activities they call private worship. For instance, some church members spend much
time, effort, and money on church league softball teams. Yet some church league softball tournaments
have some of the more prideful, contentious arguments. These are zealous, determined, dedicated
athletes who are sweating and arguing, in their own way, in the Lord’s service
in the way they think is right. That’s
not showing God’s love his way. When
people serve God their way, it becomes second order idolatry. First order idolatry is when man makes his
own god and the rules of worship.
Second order idolatry is when man at least worships the God of the Bible,
but still makes his own rules of worship.
So, how are we loving God? The general claim of the
BILL PRINCE
Our
society is geared such that, “bigger is better.” This is especially evident in
our sports world. In basketball, the taller player has the better chances for
making the team. In football it seems that the 6’4”, 250 lb. player gets more
attention than the 5’8”, 160 lb. player.
In
the Bible we find a different outlook. “There be four things which are
little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:”(Prov. 30:24). Although
these four things are small in our sight, they are very big in God’s sight
because of their wisdom.
“The
ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;”(v.25). The wisdom of the ant lies in its
industrious nature. It is always busy doing the work necessary to help its
colony. Likewise, a Christian should be industrious in good deeds and not lazy:
“Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in
hope; patient in tribulations; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to
the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.” (
“The
conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;”(v.26). The coney is another name for the
rockbadger (rabbit). Its habit is to live in caves and clefts of the rocks,
where it finds great safety. Similarly, Christians will build upon the
foundations of the Rock and not upon shifting sand (Matt.
“The
locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;”(v.27). In this verse the significance of the
locusts is that they always stay together as a group. One small locust by
itself does not alarm a farmer but a band of locusts can be of great concern.
The Christian also must realize that much more can be accomplished in the cause
of Christ when all Christians are unified. “Now I beseech you, brethren, by
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that
there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in
the same mind and in the same judgment.” (1 Cor. 1:10)
“The
spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in king’s palaces.”(v.28). The spider is a humble creature which
will retreat when approached. But once it is cornered, it will attack in
self-defense. Likewise, a Christian should never be “too pushy” in his religion
but when necessary, he should be “set for the defense of the gospel.”
(Phil. 1:17)
In
God’s world, it does not matter what your size is. God would rather have us to
be wise. “For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be
desired are not to be compared to it.” (Prov. 8:11)
Adapted from a sermon
by B.E. RIGGINS
June 1982
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WHO
WILL BE LOST?
Many (Matt. 7:13)
Those who know not God and obey not the Gospel
(2 Thes. 1:7-8)
Those who will not hear the teaching of Christ
(Acts 3:22-23)
All who reject Christ and His Word (John 12:48)
Sinners (Gal. 5:19-21)
Workers of iniquity (Matt. 7:23)
The evil (John 5:29)
The defiled (1 Cor. 3:17; Rev. 21:27)
The wicked (Rev. 21:8)
The ungodly (Jude 14:15)
Unbelievers (Mark 16:16; John 3:18)
Those whose names are not written in the book of
life (Rev. 20:15)
The ones who transgress and abide not in the
doctrine of Christ (2 Jn. 9)
Christians who return to a life of sin (2 Pet.
2:20-22)
Many religious people (Matt. 7:21-23)
Those who do not worship God in spirit and in
truth (John 4:24)
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DON’T
GIVE UP!
MOSES WAS ONCE A BASKET CASE.
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SATAN
SUBTRACTS AND DIVIDES.
GOD
ADDS AND MULTIPLIES.
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It’s so depressing when people today will hear the
Truth,
know the whole Truth, yet do anything but the Truth.
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SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES
1.
Who was the priest to whom Abram paid the first recorded tithes?
2.
According to Numbers, how did a person purify himself if he had become unclean
by touching a corpse?
3.
If you do not forgive, what will God not do for you?
4.
If one does not enter the sheep fold by the door, what is he?
5.
What was Mephibosheth’s infirmity?
ANSWERS NEXT MONTH . . .
and
remember last month’s questions?
1.
Timothy’s mother was a Jewess. What nationality was his father? GREEK (Acts 16:1)
2.
Zedekiah released Jeremiah from prison but restricted him to what area? THE COURTYARD OF THE GUARD (Jer. 37:21)
3.
According to Judges chapter 2, after God gave the people judges, did they turn
and worship God? NO (Judg.
4.
According to Revelation, the
5.
What was King Uzziah’s great love?
HUSBANDRY (2 Chr. 26:10)
GOSPEL MEETINGS
DATES PLACE
& TIME SPEAKER
Oct. 31 -
- Nov. 2
Nov.
28 – 30
THE HARVESTER is a monthly
publication intended to encourage all men everywhere to become laborers into
God’s harvest (Luke 10:2). This paper is mailed free of charge to anyone who
wishes to receive it. Please submit name, address, and all correspondence to:
Ray McManus
Phone: (256) 449-9221
Email: