Matthew 22:37- "Jesus answered, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind."

This is the greatest and the foundation of all other commandments of God. Most of us, if not all of us have asked this Question at one time.

It is a life transforming question. So what is the answer? First of all, let's define love according to scriptures.

"This is what love is: it is not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the means by which our sins are forgiven."(1John4:10).

Loving God is not going to church. Neither is it giving alms to the poor. You can do all this things without an atom of love for God in your precious heart. As good as this deeds are, it is worthless without the love of God in heart.

You can't skip loving God, then jump to loving your neighbour. It doesn't work that way. Loving GOD is you being ever mindful of his everlasting love for you. When you are mindful of his great love for you, that is when you are loving him.

Selah!

Loving God is loving your neighbor(1John4:20). You must love your neighbor before you can claim to love God .

bloodofthelamb:
Matthew 22:37- "Jesus answered, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind."

This is the greatest and the foundation of all other commandments of God. Most of us, if not all of us have asked this Question at one time.

It is a life transforming question. So what is the answer? First of all, let's define love according to scriptures.

"This is what love is: it is not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the means by which our sins are forgiven."(1John4:10).

Loving God is not going to church. Neither is it giving alms to the poor. You can do all this things without an atom of love for God in your precious heart. As good as this deeds are, it is worthless without the love of God in heart.

You can't skip loving God, then jump to loving your neighbour. It doesn't work that way. Loving GOD is you being ever mindful of his everlasting love for you. When you are mindful of his great love for you, that is when you are loving him.

Selah!

Excellent post bro... I always thank God for this revelation...

jiggaz:
Excellent post bro... I always thank God for this revelation...

Yes bro. We thank God for his great revelation which He is pouring forth. We are in endtime harvest.

God is making things plain for all to understand.

Shelumiel:
Loving God is loving your neighbor(1John4:20). You must love your neighbor before you can claim to love God .

Loving God is the foundation of loving your neighbour. You must receive the love of God before you can be able to love your neighbour selflessly.

Those who do not have the love of God rooted in them, love their neighbour for showmanship. They love and show kindness for selfish motives.

Scratch my back and I will also scratch your back kind of love. An animalistic love.

Don't worry about loving your neighbour but first receive the love of Christ by being mindful of his infinite love for you.

His love in your heart will cause you to love even the unlovable. We overcome hate by love and evil by good.

Selah!

bloodofthelamb:


Yes bro. We thank God for his great revelation which He is pouring forth. We are in endtime harvest.

God is making things plain for all to understand.

yes oo

"1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, and have not Love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not Love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not Love, it profiteth me nothing"(1Cor13:1-3). We are NOTHING without this Love, For God is love(1John 4:8b).

Lovely post brother. Keep up the good work. Christ is exalted.

AlexRi:
"1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, and have not Love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not Love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not Love, it profiteth me nothing"(1Cor13:1-3). We are NOTHING without this Love, For God is love(1John 4:8b).

Christ be praised sister. Thank you for this timeless scripture you posted.

I am wrapped up in the evergreen love of Christ.

AlexRi:
Lovely post brother. Keep up the good work. Christ is exalted.

Amen!

The Lover of our soul(Christ Jesus) is exalted forever without end. Amen!

there is no how we prove we love God, when we don't preach the gospel of Christ. in 1John 4vs9, the Bible says, in this was the manifested the love of God to-ward us; because that God sent his only begotten son into the world, that we might live through him. So, God prove His love to us by giving us the Lord Jesus Christ. And in verse 15 of that 1John 4, whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the son of God, God dwelleth in him and he in God. And the Bible says, that God is love. so if God prove His love to us by giving us Christ, we should also prove our love to Him by confess Christ publicly. How can you say you love God, when the very people God sent the Lord Jesus Christ to save are perishing, and you can do something. God don't want any thing from you. the only thing He ask you to do for Him, is to preach the gospel of Christ to the dying world. this is the only way you can show that you love God with all your heart, all your might and with all your soul.

bloodofthelamb:

You can't skip loving God, then jump to loving your neighbour. It doesn't work that way. Loving GOD is you being ever mindful of his everlasting love for you. When you are mindful of his great love for you, that is when you are loving him.

I beg to differ! You began well enough but got lost along the way somewhere.

When Jesus, who Christians call God, was asked when it was that they had loved God, he answered, "in as much as ye have done for those here whom thou seest, ye have done for the Lord thy God in heaven whom thou seest not".

You show the love of God by loving your fellow human being, or the Levite and the Priest would precede the Samaritan in going to heaven, and the Samaritan would continue unto the hell many think was preserved for him!

You cannot love God and hate your neighbour! And those who love their neighbour love God whether they are Samaritans, Muslims, atheists or Christians!

bloodofthelamb:


Christ be praised sister. Thank you for this timeless scripture you posted.

I am wrapped up in the evergreen love of Christ.

You're welcome brother. "38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to seperate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" ( Romans 8:38-39). Glory Hallelujah. Amen!

bloodofthelamb:


Amen!

The Lover of our soul(Christ Jesus) is exalted forever without end. Amen!

Amen!

delkuf:
God don't want any thing from you. the only thing He ask you to do for Him, is to preach the gospel of Christ to the dying world.

Yet, it is written that "When I was hungry you fed me", and not "when I was hungry you preached the gospel to me".

I guess there is an error in the text, for there most definitely cannot be an error in your holy spirit led understanding.

budaatum:

I beg to differ! You began well enough but got lost along the way somewhere.

When Jesus, who Christians call God, was asked when it was that they had loved God, he answered, "in as much as ye have done for those here whom thou seest, ye have done for the Lord thy God in heaven whom thou seest not".

You show the love of God by loving your fellow human being, or the Levite and the Priest would precede the Samaritan in going to heaven, and the Samaritan would continue unto the hell many think was preserved for him!

You cannot love God and hate your neighbour! And those who love their neighbour love God whether they are Samaritans, Muslims, atheists or Christians!

The Love that comes from the knowledge and realization of God's love is second to none! Your love for God is made manifest when you love your neighbour not the reverse. So, atheist that donot even believe in HIS existence, love Him? You certainly can not give what you don't have!

delkuf, loving God is not about doing something for him. It is first receiving his love.

We do things for God from love and not for love. God comfirmed Jesus Christ as his beloved Son, even before He preached his first sermon. Same thing with us.

God's love is not conditioned to our performance.

Those who love God is those who remain in his love.

AlexRi:
The Love that comes from the knowledge and realization of God's love is second to none! Your love for God is made manifest when you love your neighbour not the reverse. So, atheist that donot even believe in HIS existence, love Him? You certainly can not give what you don't have!

In bold is true. One doesn't need to love any god to love ones neighbour. If one loves one's neighbour, God is loved, be they atheist, Samaritan, pagan etc.

AlexRi:
The Love that comes from the knowledge and realization of God's love is second to none! Your love for God is made manifest when you love your neighbour not the reverse. So, atheist that donot even believe in HIS existence, love Him? You certainly can not give what you don't have!

Another thing is, as humans (whether atheist, muslim or christian) we all love but what differentiate our kinda love from God's is that, God kinda love "is not partial skeptical love which seeks to embrace only those who echo our feelings, hopes, aspirations, likes and dislikes nor is it reciprocal. Rather, it is a love that is trusting and opens towards ALL, both friends and foes. It is unsuspecting and it seeks to win over the opponent even as he may be planning to stab us viciously in the back". I suppose this isn't the kind of love you mean humans have or is it? Now, when you realise and believe God loves you this much, what follows is you loving your neighbour as you have been loved.

AlexRi:
Another thing is, as humans (whether atheist, muslim or christian) we all love but what differentiate our kinda love from God's is that, God kinda love "is not partial skeptical love which seeks to embrace only those who echo our feelings, hopes, aspirations, likes and dislikes nor is it reciprocal. Rather, it is a love that is trusting and opens towards ALL, both friends and foes. It is unsuspecting and it seeks to win over the opponent even as he may be planning to stab us viciously in the back". I suppose this isn't the kind of love you mean humans have or is it? Now, when you realise and believe God loves you this much, what follows is you loving your neighbour as you have been loved.

I like! But don't go supposing. It is an act that is suspecting on the assumption that one "seeks to win over the opponent even as he may be planning to stab us viciously in the back", or does not "echo our feelings, hopes, aspirations, likes and dislikes nor is it reciprocal". Even seeing another as "opponent" or assuming they "may be planning to stab us viciously in the back" is an unloving act!

God's standards are exceedingly high. The love of God is the sort of love whereby one allows others to stab and stab and stab seventy times seventy times in the hope that one continues turning the back to be stabbed some more. If one does not love to that standard, one should consider trying harder. For such as these do not love their God enough!

budatum, I agree with you that he who love their neighbour selflessly is he who love God.

But only God has selfless love. humanity does not possess it. I will boldly declare, that those not in Christ cannot love their neighbour selflessly. You can't give what you don't have.

Even if I give all my goods to the poor without the right motive. I have done nothing.

Friend, selfless love is allien to the world.

AlexRi:
The Love that comes from the knowledge and realization of God's love is second to none! Your love for God is made manifest when you love your neighbour not the reverse. So, atheist that donot even believe in HIS existence, love Him? You certainly can not give what you don't have!

Thank you sis, for this brilliant reply. I did not even noticed this your post before I replied him.

Awesome enough, we are of the same line of thought.

budaatum:

In bold is true. One doesn't need to love any god to love ones neighbour. If one loves one's neighbour, God is loved, be they atheist, Samaritan, pagan etc.

The world's kind of love is faulty and selfish. A man who is outside of God will love you either for his own personal gain or for showmanship.

His love is always laced with selfish motives. It might be hidden from men, but naked to God.

Ok, assumption is wrong. Anyway, you are right that God's standards are exceedingly high, and no man can meet them. But Jesus has fulfilled ALL for the whole world. What is left is for man is to believe. Shalom!

bloodofthelamb:
budatum, I agree with you that he who love their neighbour selflessly is he who love God.

But only God has selfless love. humanity does not possess it. I will boldly declare, that those not in Christ cannot love their neighbour selflessly. You can't give what you don't have.

Even if I give all my goods to the poor without the right motive. I have done nothing.

Friend, selfless love is allien to the world.

Thank you. As to your bold declaration, anyone who knows the story of the good Samaritan would have to redefine what is meant by "those not in Christ".

The Samaritan was considered to be worse than some Christians see Muslims today despite, or more especially as they were Israelites who ought to have known better. If anything, they were considered more like pagans than anything else as they worshipped a god called Nergal who was the deity of the city of Cuth. Yet, "Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise.""

If you can accept that anyone can "be in Christ", even a Samaritan, an atheist, Muslim pagan and such like, then we are in agreement. But if you think "Lord, Lord", is the more important, then I am afraid we understand in different ways.

We humans are asked to aspire. And to claim no one is capable of selfless love, without a motive, is an act of unloving in it's own right. In truth, you cannot see into anyone's heart, and to judge by what gods they may worship is an error. "By our fruit are we known", and not "by the contents of our hearts".

bloodofthelamb:


The world's kind of love is faulty and selfish. A man who is outside of God will love you either for his own personal gain or for showmanship.

His love is always laced with selfish motives. It might be hidden from men, but naked to God.

You cannot know my reasons for loving you, and assuming it is "laced with selfish motives" is simply a reason to not love in return! It is a justification commonly used to enemify others and to not love them oneself.

Besides, it is not for me to look into your heart when you show me love. If I do it says more about me as I would be the one assuming bad motive, which is an act devoid of love. Nor is it a requirement that you love me! My duty is that I mind my own heart and worry not into the content of the heart of others. Consider the profound reward. I will be 'loved' just about as much as I love others, as implied in "Forgive me my trespasses as much as I forgive those that trespass against me". So I better love plenty so that my reward is plenty too. Not that I am claiming that is, or should be my motive, mind.

Motive is not necessarily a bad thing. I should simply "let my light shine before others", the motive being, "that they may see my good deeds and glorify the Father in heaven". But if they assume that my shinning light is for the glorification of something else, I can only pray their God please forgive them.

bloodofthelamb:


Thank you sis, for this brilliant reply. I did not even noticed this your post before I replied him.

Awesome enough, we are of the same line of thought.

You're welcome bro.

AlexRi:
Don't cherry pick the quote man! Because, as you did, God's Love really look like it is suspecting and unloving which is contrary to the message in the quote. If you look at the quote from a holistic point of view (that is, marry every word together) you will realize, the central message is, God's Love is UNIVERSAL; for ALL! You are right that God's standards are exceedingly high, and no man can meet them. But Jesus has fulfilled ALL for the whole world. What is left is for man is to believe. And hey, the illustration you gave of the 'stabing stuff' contradict your cherry picking in my quote. Shalom!

You would please be specific and show me which quote I cherry pick.

When I converse with Christians, I do assume they are aware of the devil's cherry picking when he tempted Christ on the mountain. If I do the same, I am a fool for not comprehending the most basic and one of the first lesson Christ taught one to beware of. Or I am assuming you are stupid, which I think you would find opposes my words against assumptions. I am after all an atheist. I need evidence, and not baseless assumptions cooked up in my head!

Do note that I expect you to at least refer to the entire chapter, and Bible, and whatever the Holy Spirit brings to mind, and if you can, bring your entire knowledge in too, when you read what I write. Do not cherry pick in your understanding, for that is not what Jesus taught one to do.

budaatum:

You would please be specific and show me which quote I cherry pick.
When I converse with Christians, I do assume they are aware of the devil's cherry picking when he tempted Christ on the mountain. If I do the same, I am a fool for not comprehending the most basic and one of the first lesson Christ taught one to beware of. Or I am assuming you are stupid, which I think you would find opposes my words against assumptions. I am after all an atheist. I need evidence, and not baseless assumptions cooked up in my head!
Do note that I expect you to at least refer to the entire chapter, and Bible, and whatever the Holy Spirit brings to mind, and if you can, bring your entire knowledge in too, when you read what I write. Do not cherry pick in your understanding, for that is not what Jesus taught one to do.

I was in the wrong, forgive me. I just re-read your comment on my quote. I've modified it. It's wrong of me to have replied you when I was engrossed in somethn els

AlexRi:
I was in the wrong, forgive me. I just re-read your comment on my quote. I've modified it. It's wrong of me to have replied you when I was engrossed in somethn els

The Lord is with you.

budaatum:
The Lord is with you.

Amen! Budaatum, hope you've forgiven me?