Loving God

LOVING GOD

Mark 12:28-31

In Mark 12:30-31 we have a very pivotal command for every Christian, a command that is at the very heart of Christianity.

If these verses are not engrained in our daily living then we will never be spiritually what we should be.

Many claim to love God, Many say they love God, Many say they love their neighbor

But, do we really understand what it means to love God with our total being—and to really love our neighbor. We have to understand each key word of this commandment in order to understand how to truly love God.

A. “THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD”

1. First notice that this is not a request or an option, it is a COMMAND, an IMPERATIVE.

2. We are to LOVE (AGAPE)

a. The highest form of love, An intellectual love which always does the RIGHT THING and always does the BEST THING.

3. We are to love GOD, this would EXCLUDE putting anything above God in importance.

B. “WITH ALL THY …”

1. There is to be no holding back with our love

2. Giving our BEST EFFORT

3. Not settling for second best

C. “LOVE … WITH ALL THY MIND”

1. This has to do with the intellect or knowledge

2. To love God as we should, it must be done through knowledge

3. To love God with all of our minds, we must study

e. 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God

4. Our minds must be filled with truth

a. 3 John 3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.

5. We cannot love God as we ought if we are biblically ignorant

D. “LOVE … WITH ALL OF THY HEART”

1. This is loving God with emotion and affection

2. Because of the Pentecostal movement in the church in the 50s and 60s, many people are afraid to show any emotion.

3. Emotions are important, but we can’t rely on emotional experiences to show us the true way to God.

E. “LOVE … WITH ALL THY SOUL”

1. This is loving God with our very life, the Greek word translated as life in many verses can also be translated as breath.

2. This involves the willingness to give over our whole life to the Lord.

3. To love God with all of our soul we must be willing to give our whole life over to Him, to devote our whole life to His service, and even be willing to die for Him.

F. “LOVE … WITH ALL THY STRENGTH”

1. This we do using our abilities, our gifts, and our time.

a. So many talents are never used for the Lord

c. Many talents are never developed

2. The same can be said of our spiritual gifts.

3. Giving of our time shows our true love for God

a. Ephesians 5:15-16 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

G. “LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF”

1. The Golden Rule – Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You.

a. You must not injure him or lie to him, or steal from him, or covet his success; you must treat him exactly as you in his place wish to be treated or ought to be treated by him.

b. The same principle of love upholds both the first and second part of this commandment.

2. Romans 13:8-10 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

4. “There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mk. 12:31)