Someone once asked Jesus a unique question. Though his motive was one of testing Jesus and trying to catch Jesus in His words, the scribe asked an important question... and Jesus gives a powerful answer.
HIGHER THOUGHTS: Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, Which is the first commandment of all?
Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.
(Mark 12:28-30)
Of all the commandments that God gives us in His word, here Jesus gives us the first, the greatest as He referenced Deut. 6:5; 10:12, and 30:6. How does this, the first and greatest of all the commandments, impact you - your life, your priorities, your decisions? Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength will touch every aspect of our lives; from our relationship with God to our walk with Christ to our relationships with others, and much, much more!
Why is this the first of all commands to followers of Christ?
We love God because He first loved us.
(1 John 4:19)
We love God because God has given His love for us. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
(John 3:16)
We love God because God has proven His love through the cross of Jesus Christ. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
(Romans 5:8)
As Christians we know in our heart that God is worthy of our love, worthy to be our First Love in life.
The greatest Being is God, who is love. The greatest emotion is love. The greatest commandment is for us to love God with all our being!
In this greatest of all commandments, the word for 'love' Jesus uses is a form of the Greek word 'agape.' Agape is the highest form of love possible, it is God’s love. Agape is a divine love, a love of the will, a love of true total commitment and action; a love where one chooses to love regardless of feelings, a sacrificial love, even unto death - 'agape love' loves us even when we are unlovable, even when we don't deserve God's love.
How can I love God like this?
First, this is not love generated by human flesh, this is not 'love' such as how the lost world loves. Additionally, this is not a half-hearted love that we toss toward God just once in a while. This is 'agape' love, a divine, true love given with all that we are. On our own we cannot give God this type of love, the very type of love God calls for and fully deserves.
The good news is that God knows us, He knows the commands He gives us, and God helps us to fulfill His commands.
When a lost sinner believes in Jesus, by faith repents, and calls on Jesus to save him or her, that redeemed, born-again believer in Jesus Christ is indwelled with God the Holy Spirit. Christians are to walk in the Holy Spirit, are led by the Holy Spirit, and are to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit. God's word tells us in Galatians chapter 5, the fruit of the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The first one listed is love, and the original Greek tells us it is... agape love. God the Holy Spirit helps us to love God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength!
God is Spirit, and just as humans are to worship God in spirit and in truth, loving God involves loving God in spirit, from the real us with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. And our love for God is to be a true, genuine love.
How can we put love for God into action?
While we are just scratching the surface on loving God, here are three ways to consider in loving God back.
Thank You,for His many blessings - our loving heavenly Father wants us to talk to Him about everything!
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.(Philippians 4:6-7)
If you love Me, keep My commandments.(John 14:15) Also, Christians are told,
He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.(John 14:21a) And again God's word tells believers,
If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.(John 15:10)
Tell me more about yourself.It's been said that the Bible is God's love letter to us. Read God's word and find out more about God - including how to better love God! Read God's word with an intent on learning and knowing God's word that you can show your love by living for God and walking with God. Join with the Psalmist in saying to God "Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!" (Psalm 119:11)
Loving God is the mark of a genuine born-again believer in Jesus Christ, and obeying God is the mark of a genuine love for God.
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
(1 John 5:3)