I have been writing about how the Bible can be summarized by Matthew 22:36-40: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

These verses can be summarized as: love God; love people. Last week I wrote that because we love God and we are in a relationship with Him we will want to spend time with Him. Love is not about rules but about a relationship (Love Rules?).

How else are we to love God?

When it comes to being a parent it has been said that children are the source of our greatest joy and the source of our greatest sadness. God feels the same way about us – we can be a source of great joy or a source of sadness.

Nothing saddens us more as parents than when our children disobey us. When our children disobey us our hearts break. God feels the same way when we disobey Him. When we sin He loves us the same and forgives us but He is sad. It hurts Him.

Just as love is about not about rules, love also does not hurt. God aches more than we can fathom when we sin. Sin also saddens the Holy Spirit when we sin: Ephesians 4:29 “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

In addition, sin:

 1.      Separates us from God. He doesn’t go anywhere but it is human nature to hide when we do something wrong just as children avoid their parents when they disobey.

2.      Is going to happen. Clearly we are going to sin and probably everyday multiple times every day: Romans 7:15 “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”

 3.      Will be a struggle until we leave this earth. Louie Giglio tweeted this recently: @louiegiglio: “If you’re waiting for your sin nature to surrender, you’re dreaming. It’s a fight till death.”

 4.      Is a constant battle: 1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

If we love God, then we will spend time with Him. If we spend time with God, then we will know Him intimately. If we know God intimately, then we will want to follow Him, follow His rules and not sin against Him.

John 14:21a “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one loves me.”

In His Service,

Ed

Question? Comments?