On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
Loving God is a big deal! According to Jesus it’s the answer to “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
It’s a life or death, heaven or hell kind of question!
Serious students of this Teacher pause to ask, “Do I love God?”
Well, I go to church. I give money for good works. I try to be a good person.
That’s good. But there is still a question - Do I love God?
Isn’t it possible to do a great many things for God, in the name of God and not really love God?
Isn’t there something in the Bible about this? Doesn’t it say we can have all knowledge, give all our goods to feed the poor and even suffer martyrdom and if we don’t have love it profits us nothing?
Do I love God?
This is a big deal! The only thing really…
Great thoghts Denny! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, a true and deep relationship is what God wants with us - "I will be your God, and you will be my people."
My first thoughts was this man was looking for a loophole. Looking for a technicality to get away without having to act on what he knew to be true.
I'm supposed to love my neighbor - ok... exactly who qualifies as my neighbor, and who can I dismiss?
Jesus basically says "all mankind"
If we love God, thisw should come easy.
And if we love God, we shouldn't be looking for loopholes!
How often do we tend to do that?
Do we have to meet with the saints every time they meet? Or is Sunday AM good enough?
How much should I really give?
If I've been busy serving most of the day and another opportunity comes up, another brother in need, isn't most of my day good enough?
It's not really a sin not to read your Bible every day.
How do we look for loopholes?
And what does that say about our relationship with God the Father?