Love God: The First Great Command

In Light of the Gospels

The first great commandment is very simply a call to love God with a full heart. It seems fitting to start with the gospel of John, so often called the “love gospel.” Jesus was once asked what the greatest commandment is. According to Mark 12:29 (ESV) “Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’” The four synoptic gospels are full of calls to love God, in accordance with the first great commandment. What does it mean to love God? The gospels, especially the gospel of John make it clear that to love God is an action, not simply a feeling (John 14:15). The gospel of John makes it clear that Christians express their love for God by obeying his commandments (John 15:12-14). Put another way, Christians who love God take the action of obeying the word of God (John 14:23-24). John 14:21 (ESV) says “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” To love God is to love Christ (John 14:7). No one may come to the Father aside from through the Son (John 14:6). God himself expressed his love for the world in an action, not just a feeling (John 3:16). The first great commandment appears in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and partially in John (Matthew 22:37-39, Luke 10:27, Mark 12:29, John 13:34-35). In the book of Matthew, the order of love is clearly established when Jesus Christ said,”Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37). Jesus Christ must be loved above all else. That is the greatest command: love for God. Yet the command does not stop at a feeling, but remains an action. Just as Jesus taught later in Matthew chapter 25:31-40 regarding those who serve the poor, visit those in jail, feed the hungry, and care for the widow. Jesus said in Matthew 25 that whoever serves the least of the world in those desperate situations is actually serving him. Very truly, the poor are all Jesus Christ in disguise. This means that the second great command to “love your neighbor as yourself” is inexorably linked to the first great command to “love the Lord your God” (Matthew 22:36-40).

According to John 15:12-14 (ESV) “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” Jesus Christ taught a radical, extreme reliance upon himself and a radical extreme love for God, displayed through works. Jesus said in Luke 14:33 (ESV) “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” To be saved one must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31). But to abide, in Greek “meno” one must obey the two great commands of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 15:10). The scriptures say that anyone who obeys His commands abides forever (1 John 2:17). The great command is the means by which conditional security is maintained, remaining in love with God the Father through his son Jesus Christ, by serving the poor and feeding the hungry (John 15:4-6). 

Loving God in Practice

The first great commandment to “love God” is inexorably linked to the second great command “to love your neighbor as yourself.” The first great commandment to love God is at it's core a commitment to love God when times are good and when times are difficult (Wright. 2001, p. 581). The first time in scripture when it's stated that man must “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and soul, and mind” its in Deuteronomy 6:5 (Wright, 2001, p. 582). Within the context of Deuteronomy the decree to love God was not so much a feeling as it was a command to obedience (Wright, 2001, p. 582). In the context of Deuteronomy which Jesus Christ quotes to his followers when instructing them, the idea of “loving God” is synonymous with political loyalty between nations (Wright, 2001, p. 584). Therefore, to “love God” is to be a loyal follower of God, in the context of the New Testament, a follower of Jesus Christ. What do followers do? They live out the teachings of those they follow. What does it mean to love God with all of the heart? The heart in western culture is often associated with emotions and feelings. Such was not the case with ancient Hebrew society (Wright, 2001, p. 583). In Hebrew culture it was the place of thought, will, decision making, and conscience (Wright, 2001, p. 583). According to Wright (2001) “Thus, to do something “with all your heart” is equivalent to saying “in all your thoughts and decision making.”” The Holy Spirit is vital to this command (Wright, 2001, p. 584). Truly one cannot even begin to express loyalty and love to God without the indwelling Holy Spirit. Since the command to “love God” is a call to loyalty and obedience, not to a sense of feeling, Christians are all the more able to obey the command to love the Lord through action and attention to the desires of God to serve thy neighbor and love thy neighbor as thyself. 

While focusing in on the obedience aspect of practicing “loving God” one must not neglect the emotional aspect of the experience. The only reason Christians are capable of loving God is because God first loved his people, even before they were his children (Anderson, 2006, p. 144). It could be said that divine love is manifested within the believer by the Holy Spirit, which helps believers to love as God loved (Anderson, 2006, p. 145). The love that God gave in Christ Jesus is a strong motivation to love for the believer (John 3:16, 1 John 3:16). It can be said that the believer has a responsibility to love, and even more so that the believer is empowered to love through the love that God gives (Anderson, 2006, p. 145). The scriptures say that God is love, and through the experience of God's perfect love a believer can in return love God as he loves the believer (Anderson, 2006, p. 145-146). Loving God is not merely about loyalty or obedience to the command's of God, but is about learning to love through the present love of God and learning to love through practicing compassion for others and oneself (Anderson, 2006, p. 146).

Living the Great Command

The great commandments to “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'" are useless unless they are applied practically (Luke 10:27). How can Christians love God? Christians can love God through radical devotion to the teachings of the Bible. Christians can love God through sincere prayer. Christians can love God through mercy ministries. Christians can love God through self sacrifice. Christians can love God through intense emotional affection for the Heavenly Father. Christians can love God by living for Jesus Christ. Of course all of that sounds great. But how does it really practically apply to modern life? For me personally, I recognize how much noise and distraction there is in the modern culture. If I don't keep a constant Christian message flowing into my spirit from multiple angles I'll be in danger of backsliding. To practically love God I need to include God in every aspect of my life. Prayer is vital to that. Daily Bible study is important to that also. But even more so, there are other things. I listen to Christian radio and Christian speaker CDs. I fill my social media news feed with Christian quotes and pictures. I go to church on Sundays and I run a Bible study. I need to do those things so that God remains the center of my focus and loyalty. For the church I attend, it's important that we share the gospel with others. We already do a great deal for the poor through the food pantry, homeless shelter, and after-school program. But what people need more than the social gospel, is the gospel out of the scriptures. If no one shares it word for word, then people simply don't know and don't think about it. I see that as a primary focus for obeying the first great commandment, to love God. Through my service to others and keeping the message of God flowing into my life, I am able to hold to my radical loyalty to God, and also build up my love for God through works. 
 

Bibliography

Anderson, Pamela Sue. "Can we love as God loves?." Theology & Sexuality 12, no. 2 (January 1, 2006): 143-163. ATLASerials, Religion Collection, EBSCOhost (accessed January 28, 2015).

ESV: Study Bible : English Standard Version. ESV Text ed. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Bibles, 2007.

Rivera, Ted. The Half Gospel. 2013

Rivera, Ted. The Heart of Love: Obeying God's Two Great Commandments. Zondervan, 2013.

Rivera, Ted. Reforming Mercy Ministry: A Practical Guide to Loving Your Neighbor. IVP Books, 2014.

Wright, Rebecca Abts. "The Impossible Commandment." Anglican Theological Review 83, no. 3 (Summer, 2001): 579-84, http://search.proquest.com/docview/215265612?accountid=12085. 

Logic, History, Statistics, & Astronomy: Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Truth Claims of Christianity

Before we get started today I have some prayer requests for my readers.  First I'd like to ask for prayers for my friend Amiri Ally Mdee.  He is 19 years old and lives in Tanzania, a country ravaged by AIDS and poverty.  Please pray for him and his mother, who are under the care of Compassion International.  Pray that their needs are met, and that they would prosper in the loving care of the blessed Lord Jesus Christ.  Please also pray for a missionary named David, he is an indigenous missionary to his people in India.  I can't be more specific than that given security concerns, but it is related to the work of the organization Gospel for Asia.  Pray that David is strengthened and encouraged in his efforts.  Pray that his food, water, and shelter needs are met.  Most importantly pray that God speaks boldly through David, and that the hearts of the people hearing him would be turned to the gospel and the blessed Lord Jesus Christ.  And finally, one more prayer request, much closer to home.  Please pray for my dear friend Kyle S. who struggles with drug addiction.  He's an old friend who I've stayed in contact with.  Please pray that his heart is turned to Jesus Christ, and that he would choose a life of recovery from drugs and alcohol.  Pray that he would step into a new phase of hope, healing, and flourishing in life in liberty from addiction.  Thank you very much.  I pray for these three people a great deal, but I know your prayers as well could help swing the balance.  Actually I have one more prayer request:  Please pray for my friend John M.  He has cancer and needs a bone marrow transplant.  Please pray for powerful healing through the Holy Spirit, and pray for his wife Tina and her children, that the Spirit of the Lord would be close to them in this difficult time.  

Praises to the Lord for the many blessings he's given and that I've received.  Truly I don't deserve such a prosperous life, but it has been given freely to me.  It has been two years and three months now since I was the slave of drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and self destruction.  Thankfully in God's mercy he directed me to call on Jesus Christ for help, and his help came swiftly.  Back in October 2012 I had nothing.  No job, no car, dropped out of college, depressed and addicted.  God has moved me from that, to a new day.  Recovery through twelve step groups.  Then college at Liberty University.  Then ministry opportunities.  This blog.  Eventually being hired at the Salvation Army homeless shelter.  And now preparing for a two year ministry internship in preparation for a career in the SA as a minister.  All thanks to Jesus Christ answering a call for help.  Praise be to God. 

So today, as we often do here, I'd like to build a case. Let's see how we can approach the truth claims of Christianity from an interdisciplinary approach.   

I like to look at Christianity from several different angles.  Those angles are logic (specifically logical fallacies), history (tests for historicity), mathematics (statistical probability), and science (astronomy, fine-tuning).  Those are the primary approaches I like to make to the claims of the Christian faith.  Secondary approaches that I also like to make are in the areas of empirical verification (adherence to reality), textual criticism (biblical document credibility), archaeology (discoveries verifying recorded history), philosophy (the teachings of Jesus Christ in practice), and personal experience (how I've witnessed life first hand).

I'm not going to dive too far into any one area of verification today, but at least browse through some of the major areas of inquiry.  

First up, logic.  Many have claims that challenge the validity of Christianity.  Let's look at four major objections and see if they are logically coherent.  There are certainly others, but these are some I've dealt with more recently:

1. "I don't believe in God, and I don't believe in unicorns or leprechauns either!"
2. "Yeah Christians are so great, but their priests are pedophiles.  Bunch of nasty pedophiles."
3. "Your view on homosexuality says it all.  Christians are bigots."
4. "Christianity has caused so much destruction in the past, like the crusades and the inquisition."

1. The first objection is a sort of combination of two fallacies.  The first is a logical fallacy called "ad hominem."  What it means is the person challenging the claim is throwing out insults instead of answering the argument.  In addition I would say that the objector is committing a logical fallacy we might call "appealing to absurdity."  This is a false appeal where the person appeals to the "absurd notion of a czar of the heavens" instead of making a logical argument.  Claiming something is absurd is not an argument, it's a variation on "ad hominem."

2. Objection two is what you call a "Hasty generalization fallacy."  It is reasoned that when one or a few people do something bad, then all people in that group are bad.  If one atheist commits a crime, are all atheists criminals? Of course not.  If one priest claiming to be a Christian molests a child, are all Christians child molesters?  Of course not.  One must never judge a worldview by how it is abused.  Every person has free will.  Anyone can claim to follow a teaching, but their actions tell us who they are.

3.Embedded in this objection are multiple fallacies.  First we have "the bandwagon fallacy" and an "appeal to popularity."  Because the latest trend in the past few years is that homosexuality is good, therefore since Christians believe in traditional marriage they must be bad.  The objection ends with "ad hominem" by calling the person a "bigot" in place of a solid argument.  A fourth issue is that the question is "loaded."  A "loaded question fallacy" is a question that is impossible to answer because the answerer appears guilty before even answering the question.

4. When one points to the past tragedies of a worldview, like President Obama did recently at the annual prayer breakfast, we have to ask ourselves first: What really happened in the events of the crusades?  After Muslims invaded Europe, all the way to the capital and beyond.. finally a Catholic Pope called for a counter attack, to defend Europe.  Should Christians fight wars of offense?  Certainly not.  But wars of defense against invaders?  It's debatable.  But even then, we still find a logical fallacy.  It's called a "Genetic fallacy."  Just because something bad happened in the past in regard to Christianity, does that mean that Christianity is basically bad?  Of course not.  

So those are some looks at how logic can be applied to deal with objections.  But what about a positive argument?  

I think a very powerful argument is one called "The Kalam Cosmological Argument" championed by Dr. William Lane Craig.  

It goes like this:
1. Whatever begins to exist has a cause.
2. The universe began to exist.
3. Therefore, the universe has a cause.

Simple and very effective.  (Click here for a short video describing the Kalam argument.  Another interesting argument is called the Moral argument, click here for a short video describing that one.)

Next, history.  There are two ways to approach Christianity from the angle of history: the historical Jesus and the historicity of the Biblical documents.  I'd like to focus on the historicity factor today.  We'll start with a quote from Time magazine:

“After more than two centuries of facing the heaviest scientific guns that could be brought to bear, the Bible has survived—and is perhaps the better for the siege. Even on the critics' own terms—historical fact—the Scriptures seem more acceptable now than they did when the rationalists began the attack.” –TIME Magazine, December 30, 1974.

The Bible has certainly faced a lot of attacks over history.  We have to ask ourselves, how is ancient history confirmed?  Ancient historical documents are verified by comparing manuscripts to one another for reliability.  Such findings are also tested against archaeological findings for confirmation.  Currently there are 5,686 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament.  Compared to other historical documents, the Bible has the best manuscript evidence of any historical document.  Click here for a chart comparing ancient manuscript quantities.  In other languages like Syriac, Aramaic, and Coptic there are over 25,000 manuscript copies of parts of the NT.  When compared to one another their accuracy is 99.5% which is virtually unheard of.  It's ironic how much skepticism there is toward the Biblical documents, generated by fictional novels like "The Da Vinci Code."  It truly shows the ignorance of many in the modern world.  I can't speak to that though, I used to be one of those people who thought the Da Vinci code was non-fiction and the Bible was fiction. Oh irony of ironies.

I'll close this section with a quote from the famed writer H.G. Wells: “I am a historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history.” 

Next we have mathematics, or more specifically: statistical probability.  We know that the possibility of one person winning the lottery is very remote.  But it is certainly possible, however unlikely.  For example the approximate chances of winning the Powerball are 1 in 175 million (source).  

But eventually probability becomes so remote, that the chances actually drop to zero.  Not possible at all.  When dealing with the possibility of intelligent life arising from rocks and puddles of fluid the probability becomes exceedingly unlikely.  When considering how perfect the settings of gravity and mass had to be tuned to allow for the big bang to occur the way it did, we're coming up on not just improbability, but impossibility (that it could happen by random chance.)  

The need for an intelligent designer is underlined so intensely it's a wonder how anyone can argue for random chance.  Adding billions and billions to time changes very little.  Given the second law of thermodynamics, that complex systems tend to break down, how could we assume that life would grow increasingly complex?  Or as the astronomer Fred Hoyle put it: "Once we see, however, that the probability of life originating at random is so utterly miniscule as to make it absurd, it becomes sensible to think that the favorable properties of physics on which life depends are in every respect deliberate … . It is therefore almost inevitable that our own measure of intelligence must reflect … higher intelligences … even to the limit of God … such a theory is so obvious that one wonders why it is not widely accepted as being self-evident. The reasons are psychological rather than scientific."

• Fred Hoyle and N. Chandra Wickramasinghe, Evolution from Space (London: J.M. Dent & Sons, 1981), pp. 141, 144, 130

Or stated in this scenario: "The chance that higher life forms might have emerged in this way is comparable with the chance that a tornado sweeping through a junk-yard might assemble a Boeing 747 from the materials therein."

• Fred Hoyle, Hoyle on evolution, Nature, Vol. 294, No. 5837 (November 12, 1981), p. 105

Good stuff, but how about some positive statistical evidence?  Absolutely.  Fritz Ridenour said it best:

“The Old Testament contains over 300 references to the Messiah that were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Computations using the science of probability on just 8 of these prophecies show the chance that someone could have fulfilled all 8 prophecies is 10 (to the 17th power), or 1 in 100 quadrillion.” –Fritz Ridenour, So What’s the Difference?, p. 28. 

Next up, we have science.  I recall watching an interview where a reporter was talking with Christopher Hitchens, a renowned atheist (now deceased.)  The reporter asked Hitchens flat out, "Is there anything that causes serious doubt of your atheism?"  Or something to that effect.  He replied quite quickly, that the one thing that gave him pause was the fine tuning in the universe.  The universe appears to be finely tuned to allow for life to existence.  There are immutable laws within that universe that govern it's functions.  In fact the universe appears to be designed.  So much so that scientists arguing for their naturalist worldview must say that the universe "only appears" to be designed, but this is in fact due to the possibility of multiple universes.  Which seems like a long stretch to defend a presupposition like "naturalism" (the idea that all things must be described within natural terms.)  

Fine tuning to me makes the existence of God near total certainty.  It's only logical that if there is a design (the universe) there must be a designer (God.)  Click here to watch a short video description of the argument from fine tuning. 

Logic, history, math, and science.  We've really only grazed the surface of the wealth of information in these disciplines when examining Christianity.  But I hope exploring some of the key points within these disciplines was helpful to you.  

We always have to remind ourselves that we're in search of the truth, no matter what it might be.  Sometimes we begin the journey with certain preconceptions.  We have ideologies that we want to defend.  One great thinker said:

"I had motive for not wanting the world to have a meaning; consequently assumed that it had none, and was able without any difficulty to find satisfying reasons for this assumption. The philosopher who finds no meaning in the world is not concerned exclusively with a problem in pure metaphysics, he is also concerned to prove that there is no valid reason why he personally should not do as he wants to do, or why his friends should not seize political power and govern in the way that they find most advantageous to themselves. … For myself, the philosophy of meaninglessness was essentially an instrument of liberation, sexual and political." --Aldous Huxley, Ends and Means (London: Chatto & Windus, 1946), pp. 270, 273.

The search for the truth is not always an easy one, and we sometimes have a desire for a certain outcome.  I know that I did.  But I think deep down we all want to know the real, actual truth.  For me, Christianity is that truth.  Not because of blind faith, but because of reasonable faith.  

I don't just believe in the God of the Bible. I know he is real. I've seen it first hand. Or I wouldn't be doing any of this. The evidence to me was clear.  Once again, everything that begins has a cause, the universe began to exist, therefore the universe must have a cause. That cause has to be immaterial, all powerful, and personal. 20% logic. The biblical documents are cross referenced by over 25,000 manuscripts, which makes them above reproach in tests of historicity 20% history. The universe is finely tuned to allow for life to exist, and macro evolution is statistically impossible given how complex life is (the human eye for example) 20% science. So there is 60% of my intelligent belief in God. Add another 10% of the empirical fact that Christianity has grown from 12 disciples to 2.1 billion people. Then 15% of my own personal experience with calling on Jesus and recovering from drugs and alcohol.. and I've past a shadow of a reasonable doubt. In any court room, the reasonable doubt is gone. And I can truly believe without any reservation. So many other proofs too. Like the problem of evil in the world.  Or fulfilled prophecies.  Science in the Bible.  Archaeological discoveries.  There are so many ways to approach it!

So it makes good sense.  The existence of God makes sense.  Jesus Christ in the scriptures is a perfect teaching of love and truth.  Storing up treasure in heaven seems.. wonderful to me. Plus it feels so great to do. The saying is true that you have NOT LIVED until you have done something for someone who can do nothing in return. The feeling, and presence of God at that moment is indescribably wonderful.

Truth, at the end of the day, is what best describes reality.  The problems of the world tell me that sin is real.  The majesty of the heavens tell me there must be a designer.  The love from my friends and family tells me there must be a first lover.  The scriptural accounts of the life of Jesus Christ show me that the philosophy of loving god, and loving others is practical and leads to peace and harmony for mankind.  

How does it seem to you?  Search it out.  Pray and ask for the truth to be revealed.  Pursue God with all your strength.  He will reveal himself to you, or more to the point: He will show you his son, the blessed savior Jesus Christ.  We all need a savior, forgiveness for our sins.  We all feel the weight of it.  Freedom from that guilt is not found in pretending life has no meaning, but in embracing the clean slate provided by Jesus Christ.  He has provided for our malady, through forgiveness and spiritual rebirth.  He filled the empty spot in my chest, that could never seem to be filled by anything in this world.  Let him do the same for you.  God bless you, and may you find Christ in the quiet moments of this life... staring off at the stars and the sunset wondering in peaceful contemplation... Why am I here?  Amen.

Some Quotations from Great Thinkers to Reflect on:
“They are teachers who point to their teaching or show some particular way. In all of these, there emerges an instruction, a way of living. It is not Zoroaster to whom you turn. It is Zoroaster to whom you listen. It is not Buddha who delivers you; it is his Noble Truths that instruct you. It is not Mohammed who transforms you; it is the beauty of the Koran that woos you. By contrast, Jesus did not only teach or expound His message. He was identical with His message. “In Him,” say the Scriptures, “dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” He did not just proclaim the truth. He said, “I am the truth.” He did not just show a way. He said, “I am the Way.” He did not just open up vistas. He said, “I am the door.” “I am the Good Shepherd.” “I am the resurrection and the life.” “I am the I AM.” In Him is not just an offer of life’s bread. He is the bread. That is why being a Christian is not just a way of feeding and living. Following Christ begins with a way of relating and being.”
― Ravi Zacharias, Jesus Among Other Gods: The Absolute Claims of the Christian Message 

"All Christians are under obligation to seek to make the will of Christ supreme in our own lives and in human society. Means and methods used for the improvement of society and the establishment of righteousness among men can be truly and permanently helpful only when they are rooted in the regeneration of the individual by the saving grace of God in Jesus Christ. In the spirit of Christ, Christians should oppose racism, every form of greed, selfishness, and vice, and all forms of sexual immorality, including adultery, homosexuality, and pornography. We should work to provide for the orphaned, the needy, the abused, the aged, the helpless, and the sick. We should speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. Every Christian should seek to bring industry, government, and society as a whole under the sway of the principles of righteousness, truth, and brotherly love. In order to promote these ends Christians should be ready to work with all men of good will in any good cause, always being careful to act in the spirit of love without compromising their loyalty to Christ and His truth." -Baptist Faith and Message (2000) Chapter 15 The Christian and the Social Order 

 “Only when holiness and worship meet can evil be conquered. For that, only the Christian message has the answer.”
― Ravi Zacharias, Jesus Among Other Gods: The Absolute Claims of the Christian Message 

"Jesus doesn't explain why there is suffering, illness, and death in the world. He brings healing and hope. He doesn't allow the problem of evil to be the subject of a seminar. He allows evil to do its worst to him. He exhausts it, drains its power, and emerges with new life."
~ N. T. Wright, from Simply Good News

"If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long. Every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize, that isn’t important. Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards, that’s not important. Tell them not to mention where I went to school. I’d like somebody to mention that day, that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others. I’d like for somebody to say that day, that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody." -Martin Luther King Jr.  

“The Christian in the one whose imagination should fly beyond the stars.”
― Francis A. Schaeffer, Art & the Bible   

Other Articles on this Website for your Further Consideration:

1. Resources for Seekers
2. Video Presentations
3. How do I become a Christian? 
4. What is the Gospel?
5.  Does man need God in Western Civilization?
6. Seven Objections to the Bible and Seven Reasonable Responses
7. Origin, Meaning, Morality, & Destiny: An atheist and a Christian on Worldview
8. Quick Fact Sheet: Four Points to Consider
9. 10 Answers to Common Questions Raised by Skeptics
10. Nine Documentaries & Presentations on Atheism, Intelligent Design, and Society

 
 
  

What is the will of God?

 Lately we've been asking some fundamental questions like "What is the Gospel?"  And "What is God like?"  And  "What is love?"  And "What is salvation?"

Sometimes we can skip over the biggest issues within the faith, and end up entirely missing the point of what we do everyday.  This time we ask the question: What is the will of God?  

It's a theme often repeated within the scriptures.  The will of God comes up again and again.  What does God want from us, his people?  What is his purpose for us?  What is his will?

Let's start at Romans 12:2 (ESV) which states "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." 

This is a good place to start.  The will of God can be understood as something we can discern.  The scriptures urge us to "test" to discover what the will of God is.  Further along in Ephesians 5:17 (ESV) it says "Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is."  

It is clear that we ought to know the will of the Lord.  What does the phrase mean "the will of God"?  It could be described as God's desire for his people.  God wants us to live a certain way, he wants us to make certain decisions and choices. 

Paging through the scriptures, the will of the Lord is revealed throughout the books of the Old and New testament.  While studying this topic of the will of God, it seemed to me to be interconnected at times with sanctification, closeness to Jesus, and the phrase "abide in Christ."  

1 Thessalonians 4:3 (ESV) says "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality."  In connection to sanctification, one aspect of God's will is the process by which we are changed into the likeness of Christ.  

John 6:40 (ESV) says "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”  This is of course the largest positioning of the will of God.  The will of God is that we come to his son Jesus for life.  That's why I tell people at the homeless shelter where I work to call upon Jesus Christ for help.  I tell the, "when you are at rock bottom, call upon Jesus."  God wants us to come to Christ.  That is his will.

The third area, abiding, is an interesting area.  I haven't seen much teaching on the topic of "abiding in Christ."  Yet the word "abide" or, in ancient Greek "Meno" occurs in the NT 102 times.  The definitions of "Meno" or the semantic range is...

1. to remain, abide
   1. in reference to place
      1. to sojourn, tarry
      2. not to depart 1a
   2. to continue to be present 1a
   3. to be held, kept, continually
   4. in reference to time
      1. to continue to be, not to perish, to last, endure 1b
   5. of persons, to survive, live
   6. in reference to state or condition
      1. to remain as one, not to become another or different
2. to wait for, await on

What's interesting about the Greek word "meno" is it's highest usage is by far in the Gospel of John and 1 John.  It was an understanding of life with Christ favored by the apostle John.

The secret to abiding in Christ, as mentioned in John 15 and other areas of the gospels and NT letters is revealed in 1 John 2:16-17 ESV which states "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." (bold added for emphasis)

The key here is that the will of God is an action.  We do it.  Resting faith is great, but faith itself is often an action.  To do the will of God means we will abide forever and keep our lives for life eternal.

Hebrews 10:36 (ESV) For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 

As Hebrews 10:36 says, we have great need of endurance.  To do the will of God means to endure the journey of faith in Christ, one day at a time.  It's not always easy.  But with God, all things are possible.  

What do we say about a man or woman who is an inspiration to us in their dedicated faith?  For me, I would say that person is one who is led by the Spirit of God.  

Similarly Romans 8:24 (NIV) says "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God."

The will of God seems to be linked to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  
 
John 14:26 says "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

For all followers of Jesus Christ, those who have truly been reborn and embrace the new life... the will of God is that we obey God.  The will of God is that we incorporate the teachings of the Bible intently upon our souls, until we think in biblical terms and live in biblical terms.  The will of God is that followers of Jesus Christ be led by the Spirit given by Christ. 

How can we be lead by the Spirit?  We listen for the leading of the Spirit.  We pray to the Lord for guidance.  We study the scriptures.  We love our neighbors.  We share the gospel.  That is how we follow the Spirit.  

The will of God for the non-believer is simple: Come to Christ for life.  Call on Jesus for life.  

The will of God encompasses many areas... justification, sanctification, and perseverance.  The will of God the Father is that we first come to Jesus Christ.  His death on the cross is something called "penal substitutionary atonement."  We believe and know, that Jesus Christ took the penalty for our sins on the cross.  He paid the price that we should've endured.  God's will is that we come to his son for life and accept that offering.  Second, God's will is our sanctification.  Sanctification is the process by which we grow into a flourishing follower of Jesus being made into a better and better person in measures of selflessness, love, caring for the poor, serving the needs of others, and sharing the gospel with the unsaved.  Finally the will of God is our perseverance, or that we "abide in Christ."  God wants us to rest our faith in Christ for our eternal salvation.  He then wants us to pursue healthy Christian living and the transformation of our old lives into the new life of holiness.  Perseverance is the process by which we remain in close communion with Christ and abandon ourselves more and more fully to his purposes and ways of living.  

Through justification, sanctification, and perseverance does a follower of Christ live out the will of God for their lives.  God bless you, and have a wonderful rest of your day.  Amen.


 

 

Am I called to Ministry? How can I know?

 Isaiah 6:8 (ISV) Then I heard the voice of the LORD as he was asking, "Whom will I send? Who will go for us?" "Here I am!" I replied. "Send me."


Ah, the grand call to adventure.  Every hero has accepted the call and began the journey of love and service.  In a sense, every Christian is called to ministry of some sort.  It doesn't have to be flying to the Congo and teaching natives about Jesus.  It can be helping your landlady take out her garbage.  It's as simple as helping set up chairs for a youth event.  Or writing a Christian blog.  Or sharing some scripture on Facebook or Twitter.  

But what about full time ministry?  How can we know if we're called to full time service to the blessed Lord Jesus Christ?  

I've asked myself that same question.  But not too many times.  Deep down I just knew.  No one could tell me.  No church leader could say "yes" or "no."  It was something God placed on my heart.  Don't ever assume that because a certain leader or friend or colleague doesn't think you're right for the call, that you should give it up.  That's between you and God.  Of course the confirmation of friends and family is certainly helpful.  

For me, in the Baptist church it seemed like doors kept closing in my face.  I was concerned about that.  But then I ended up with the Salvation Army, working for them.  And when I worked there it was like every door would open as I walked up to it.  Bosses and colleagues were telling me "yes, definitely, get involved, you're perfect for it."  So it began to confirm that there was a road ahead in ministry.  Imagine if I had given up in the Baptist church and assumed that I did not have a call.  That wouldn't have been good!  But I'm not trying to say here that what happened with the Baptist/E-free churches was a bad thing.  God moves hearts.  He didn't want me there, but that doesn't mean they were bad.  God was just maneuvering me where he wanted me.  I'll always be grateful for the people who helped mold me into a follower of Jesus.  Jesus just led me to a place he knew I would flourish.  Of course it hurt my feelings at times.  That happens in life.  

Even further, for all I know God might lead me elsewhere from here.  It's hard to know exactly what he's up to.  He's a complicated God, the one we have.  He moves in the shadows at times, and at other times he comes out in the bright lights.  I've seen wonderful things happening in the past few weeks.

I met with Salvation Army officers from Divisional Headquarters in Milwaukee.  The next step for me will be moving to a ministry internship somewhere out of state.  I don't know where yet.  It's all part of the SA Ministry Development Program.  I'm excited.  I'm very excited.  

Originally I had envisioned myself in a very different place.  But God knows what is best for us.  He knows where we can do the most good.  Since working at the TLC shelter, I've had the chance to minister to God's favorite people: the poor, the lost, and the needy.  Who did Jesus spend his time with?  The poor.  The Lord has a special place in his heart for the poor, lost, and broken.  I know, I'm one of them. 

Here's what I can tell you about ministry.  A lot of the wrong people are in ministry for the wrong reasons.  It's tough.  We desperately need one thing for ministry in the world:  People who really believe God's word is true.  Not kind of, not a little, not mostly.. but truly truly understand that the Bible is real.  That every word in there is true.  We desperately need people who understand that heaven, hell, Jesus Christ, are not just nice stories, or cool things, or traditions, but that these are realities.  Not just words on the page, or conceptual, but when we turn our heads up and look at the sky, or across the city, or around the neighborhood... we know it's real.  That we know and truly know, that in this physical world these people around us are facing eternal disconnection from God.  And live accordingly.  

Maybe you're called to ministry.  Maybe you need to pave a trail for those who feel like they have no way to God.  Think of all the people groups that aren't necessarily apposed to God, but they don't want to leave their culture?  Punk rockers comes to mind.  Indie rockers.  Metal heads?  Artsy people?  Writers?  Libertarians?  Democrats?  Republicans?  Occupiers?  Anime fans?  Movie buffs?  Gamers?  Nerds?  Motorheads?  Jocks?  Hippies?  New agers?  

And what about international missions?  So many countries remain largely unreached.  Japan is 98% unreached.  India is largely unreached (over 750 million people in fact remain unreached).  Countries like Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria remain largely unreached.  And those are countries where you could be killed for even speaking the name of Christ.  No one said it would be easy.  But it will be a challenge.  People sometimes think Christianity is for wussies and girly men.  It's not.  It's for the brave, the courageous, and the strong.

You get the idea.  If you're a little "different" like me, maybe God is calling you in an unexpected way.  Maybe he wants you to make a niche for people like you.  I'm sure a lot of people feel funny about going into churches where everyone dresses a certain way.  Like I've said in the past, many don't want to join evangelical culture.  And they don't have to.  Jesus didn't tell new believers to wear the Jewish colors, attend Jewish events, and go to Jewish festivals and holy days.  Nope, his followers went to the Gentiles (non-Jews) and did not require them to follow the laws of the Jews.  In the same way, maybe God is calling you to start a church or write a blog or reach out to people like you who don't see a clear way to come to Jesus.  

But how can I know? 

Here's the thing, you're never going to know 100%.  That's the whole point.  You step out in faith, in the incredible act of trusting God on his word and believing what he says in spite of all the horrors of this broken world.  Something deep down will push you in that direction.  Cultivate that.  Build on it.  Think outside the box.  Of course pray about it.  Talk to friends and family about it.  Write about it, read about ministry.  Just turn it around in your head and think about it.  Start to generate some ideas.  If it's of God, he'll make a way in the desert.  He'll help you pave a trail in the wilderness for those like you to come to the one we all must come to: Jesus Christ.