Love is not the key; Godly Love is the key. Amen?

Godly Love is the Key

Matthew 22.34 But when the Pharisees had heard that He had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.    35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked Him a question, tempting Him, and saying,    36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?    37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment.    39 And the second is like it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.    40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Mark 12.28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, Which is the first commandment of all?    29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord:    30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.    31 And the second is like, namely this,Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Why did Jesus, who is the living Word of God made flesh, teach that these two commandments, were the great commandments in the law; when they were not included in the ten commandments, written in stone by the finger of God, on mount Sinai? 

The Lord wants the children of God to understand that if we love God with all of our heart, and all of our soul, and all of our mind, and with all of our strength, we will obey the first four of the ten commandments; and if we love our neighbour as ourselves, we will obey the other six commandments.

To receive the Love of God, we must love God. God does not force His love upon anyone, or all would love Him; but sends His Love to all who will receive Him into our hearts through Jesus Christ, His Son, and our Redeemer, and hope of salvation. (see study on 'How are we saved' in www.to-the-bodyofchrist.com)

Godly love is neccessary to have living faith (see study on 'Faith toward God' in 'First Principles' on www.to-the-bodyofchrist.com). 

Galatians 5.6b faith which worketh ( Gk; en erg e o: to be active) by love.

Faith is made active or living by agape love; Godly love.

We are being saved by God's grace through living faith, not through blind or dead or inactive faith.

Living faith comes from loving God. If we love God we obey Him; if we do not obey Him, He is not our Lord.

John 14.15 If you love me keep my commandments.

John 14.21 He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.    22 Judas said unto Him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself unto us, and not unto the world?    23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

1 John 3.1 Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew Him not.

1John 3.16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

1John 4.6 We are of God: they that know God hear us; they that are not of God hear us not. Hereby know we the Spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.    7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loves (with Godly love) is born of God, and knows God.    8 They that love not, know not God; for God is love.    9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.     10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.    11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.    12 No man has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwells in us, and His love is perfected in us.    13 Hereby we know that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.    14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the saviour of the world.    15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him, and he in God. (It must be understood that if we confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and then do not obey Him, our confession is false.)    16 And we have known and believe the love that God has to us. God is love; and they that dwell in love dwell in God, and God in them.   17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgement: because as He is, so are we in this world.    18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. They that fear are not made perfect in love.    19 We love Him because He first loved us.       20 If a man say, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loves God, love his brother also.

1John 5.2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments.    3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grevious. (They are a delight to those who love God.)

It may be seen from Saint Paul's discourse in his first epistle to the Corinthians, that Godly love is an excellent way of life.

1Corinthians 12.31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way.    1 Cor.12.1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (Gk; Agape: Godly 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 Godly 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 Godly love, it profits me nothing.    4 Godly love suffers long, and is kind; Godly love envies not; Godly love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up,    5 Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil;    6 Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;    7 Bears all things, believes all things,hopes all things, endures all things.    8 Godly love never fails: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.    9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.    10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.    11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.    12 For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abides faith, hope, Godly love, these three; but the greatest of these is Godly love.

IIJohn 9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. (see study on: 'Doctrine of Christ' on www.to-the-bodyofchrist.com)

Love God, obey His commandments.

Live forever.

(work in progress.)