The Love of God

The Love of God

We, certainly cannot trust in the emotions of our own hearts to determine if we love God and others:

"Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.

Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death." Pro 7:25-27.

What does the Scripture tell us about loving God and others?

Jesus said, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." John 14:15.

Jesus said, "He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him." John 14:21.

When Jesus gave us the "Two Greatest Commandments," He was quoting the law. Deut 6:5; Lev 19:18:

"By this we know that we love the children of God (Greatest Commandment #2), when we love God (#1) and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous." 1 John 5:2,3.

"And this is love that we walk after His commandments." 2 John 6.

His church keeps His commandments: "And the Dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev 12:17.

His saints keep His commandments: "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev 14:12.

"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions ("of the law" 1 John 3:4) from us...TO SUCH AS KEEP HIS COVENANT AND TO THOSE THAT REMEMBER HIS COMMANDMENTS TO DO THEM." Ps 103.

Covenants have conditions.

Even in heaven, the Lord makes quite a statement about His Covenant:

"And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His temple The Ark of His Testament: and there were LIGHTNINGS, and VOICES, and THUNDERINGS, and AN EARTHQUAKE, and GREAT HAIL." Rev 11:19.

At the very end of the Book of all books, the Apostle John wrote, "Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have RIGHT to the tree of life, AND MAY ENTER IN through the gates into the city." Rev 22:14.
 
Hi Herald: :israel:

So many don't understand "obedience under grace"...it seems like many that I speak to of the evangelical church thinks obedience is somehow "earning our salvation" which could not be further from the truth. To obey Him is to love him; He saved us by grace but our salvation is "worked out in fear and trembling knowing that HE worketh in us to do and will HIS good pleasure".

John 14:21.
Jesus said, "He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him."


Some call these the "commandments of Jesus"...:israel:
 
Amen!

So many Christians think, that, because we are under grace we can sin, sin, sin.

One of my friends told me about a seminary, where the "christians" were sleeping together!

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Ga 2:20.

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin live any longer therein?" Rom 6:1.
 
Wow .... Herald .... not a very good example of Christians . Where were the leaders of the seminar ?

We are in the world but not of the world . We have to be separate and be salt and light .

That is the problem , people want to be conformed to the world's standards , not God's so how do they expect God to bless them in their life?
 
Amen!

So many Christians think, that, because we are under grace we can sin, sin, sin.

One of my friends told me about a seminary, where the "christians" were sleeping together!

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Ga 2:20.

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin live any longer therein?" Rom 6:1.

Wow that is really sad. I have heard of such people but thus far to my knowledge have not met one. Those who really understand God's grace take the greatest joy in obeying their Master.
 
That is why I am so concerned as to present the law - the Word to Christians...I hope that they will repent of their sins, and get right with God.
 
I was at the bookstore yesterday and saw a book titled Sin Boldly and it said something like 'Exploring the fields of Grace.' I was looking for the Heideberg and Westminster Catechisms, which weren't available, and by the time I got out of the religion section, or health and wellness section, I was ready to puke. It's been awhile since I've spent some time in a book store, but it's really a reflection of the world. You see snapshots of the human mind on every book, just waitting to fill the mind of each new reader. Plus it's Halloween tie and they're promoting impulse buying like, 'Introduction to Tarot,' and the display for 'Wicked" seems to be the center piece. I can't look at things the same anymore.
 
I was at the bookstore yesterday and saw a book titled Sin Boldly and it said something like 'Exploring the fields of Grace.' I was looking for the Heideberg and Westminster Catechisms, which weren't available, and by the time I got out of the religion section, or health and wellness section, I was ready to puke. It's been awhile since I've spent some time in a book store, but it's really a reflection of the world. You see snapshots of the human mind on every book, just waitting to fill the mind of each new reader. Plus it's Halloween tie and they're promoting impulse buying like, 'Introduction to Tarot,' and the display for 'Wicked" seems to be the center piece. I can't look at things the same anymore.

One should always remember that there are many in Church who do not know the Lord, that includes a plethora of authors , Pastors and lay people. Rest assured the guy who wrote that never met Christ. The people I have known who walk in God's grace are the most loving and humble servants of God that He has blessed me to know. One who is led of the Spirit will always be pleasing to his Father's heart and always in the center of His will. He who knows the Father knows that His Word is His will.
As far as that man's book there is only one answer for such foolishness:

Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
 
Yes, and this would be a good verse for the readers of that book and members of that hedonistic 'seminary' to heed:

Hebrews 10:26-31
and Hebrews 10:26 Bible Commentary

26For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

27But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
30For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
 
I have a hard time with the History Channel...they try to explain away the miracles of God.

Sadly, Jesus said, "MANY will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW YOU: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." (lawlessness) Mt 7:21-23.

John wrote, "He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments is a LIAR, and the Truth is not in him. BUT WHOSO KEEPETH HIS WORD, IN HIM VERILY IS THE LOVE OF GOD PERFECTED: hereby we do know that we are in Him." 1 John 2:4,5.
 
I have a hard time with the History Channel...they try to explain away the miracles of God.

Sadly, Jesus said, "MANY will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW YOU: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." (lawlessness) Mt 7:21-23.

John wrote, "He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments is a LIAR, and the Truth is not in him. BUT WHOSO KEEPETH HIS WORD, IN HIM VERILY IS THE LOVE OF GOD PERFECTED: hereby we do know that we are in Him." 1 John 2:4,5.

Sadly indeed- their emphasis was did not we, did not we and indeed they had no reliance on Him.
 
John wrote, "He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments is a LIAR, and the Truth is not in him. BUT WHOSO KEEPETH HIS WORD, IN HIM VERILY IS THE LOVE OF GOD PERFECTED: hereby we do know that we are in Him." 1 John 2:4,5.

We can pray and ask for more faith, ask for repentance, resist the devil, pray for strength, pray we don't fall into temptation. I believe God is Absolutely Soverign and chose us according to His good pleasure. I believe we're given faith by our Author and our Perfector is working in us and keeping us in His Hand. Thank you Jesus Christ for paying for my sins by your death on the cross! I believe the faith He's given us is evidenced by things like keeping His commands and loving our neighbor. However, if one lives in unrepentant sin, they need to ask themselves if they're really in the faith, and pray that God grants them repentance. We have to turn from our sins and turn to Christ, but we can only come to Christ in the first place because it has been granted from the Father.

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." Ephesians 2:10

"And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth: ) it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy." Romans 9:10-16


John 10:25-30
Jesus answered them, "I have told you, but you do not believe it. The works that I do in my Father's name testify on my behalf, but you do not believe because you do not belong to my sheep.

My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, they will never be lost, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

I and the Father are one."

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, so that we who had already fixed our hope on the Messiah might live for his praise and glory. Ephesians 1:3-12

"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out." John 6:37

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him to life on the last day." John 6:44

"In most solemn truth I tell you that he who believes has the Life of the Ages." John 6:47

"BUT WHOSO KEEPETH HIS WORD, IN HIM VERILY IS THE LOVE OF GOD PERFECTED: hereby we do know that we are in Him." 1 John 2:5
 
"If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit."

"If we live by our spiritual nature, then our lives need to conform to our spiritual nature."

"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

Galatians 5:25
 
"Whosoever committeth sin trangresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

And ye know that He was manifested to TAKE AWAY OUR SINS; AND IN HIM IS NO SIN.

Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him nor known Him.

Little children let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous.

He that committeth sin is of the Devil; for the Devil sinneth from the beginning.

For this purpose was the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the Devil.

(Jesus died to set us free from sin.)

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the Devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." 1 John 3.

It is when we return to fleshly ways, that we sin. If we walk in His Spirit, we abide in His Spirit and do not sin.

The Apostle Paul told Timothy, ""I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience..." 2 Tim 1:3.

We can serve Him with a pure conscience...and trust the Holy Spirit to reveal to us any sin in our hearts and minds, so that we may repent and be changed into His image.
 
2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1
16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“ I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”
17 Therefore
“ Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
18 “ I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the LORD Almighty.”
1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
 
Agreed, all these things are a must but only profitable when done in His strength:

1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

The line can be fine. He empowers leads and guides- we submit our heart to His will and obey. This is the power of God for change in our lives. For every man who fails at finding what God's grace really is there is another who will try to satisfy heaven in his own fleshly strength. Religious flesh is just as dead as any other kind.
So obey we must but it is always in obedience to the Holy Spirit's leading and in His strength.:)
We are indeed His workmanship and He is the very author and finisher of our faith. It is when we are led of Him that we are manifest as sons of God.
 
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