The Glaring Contradiction in Terms
In the so-called "New Testament Church," people are very fond of saying that because of Christ, the only two Commandments that the Christian is required to keep is to love Almighty God with all our heart soul mind and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. This is based on Messiah's teaching concerning the Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22:36-40; Matthew 7:12). Messiah taught that as long as we do those two things that we have fulfilled the entire law and the prophets. Look at the paragraph below, and see if this logic sounds familiar. Have you previously heard or even spoken arguments that sound like this?Using the two Greatest Commandments as their justification, the modern and postmodern Christian supposes that as long as I love God with all my being and love my neighbor as myself, then I can ignore anything else that God has Commanded, because after all, "God knows my heart," "God knows that I love Him." "God sent Jesus Christ so that I would not be under the burden of obeying His Laws."
So, the modern and post-modern Christian reasons that as long as he does these two things God will be pleased, and He does not need to concern Himself with anything else that God Commanded in His Laws.We have all heard this illogical logic, have we not? This belief is so prevalent in modern Christendom, but is this belief and understanding correct? It sounds good, but is it true? The whole issue hinges upon, what does it mean to love God?
Most modern Christians have a very loosey-goosey, touchy-feely personal opinion based definition of what it means to love God. Many people believe that loving God means to 'feel good about God.' For many people, feeling favorably and affectionately disposed toward God, or the idea of God, and not being overtly hostile against God is the same as loving God, but is such thinking accurate?
Here's why the argument italicized above is so completely wrong. In order to make the italicized argument become true, one has to ignore, redefine and mis-define how God and Jesus Christ have defined what it means to love God. In order for the italicized argument to become true, one has to completely ignore how God defines what it means to love Him, and how Jesus Christ has defined what it means to love God.
The Whole Testament of Scripture is crystal clear about what it means to love God. The principle component to LOVING GOD IS TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. Throughout the Whole Testament of Scripture, God links loving Him directly with KEEPING His Commandments. Let us be clear on this. God has directly linked loving Him with keeping His Commandments. He has restated this no less than 16 times in the Scriptures!
Beloved, I encourage you to consider for a moment, how many times did the Almighty speak, "Let There Be Light," before there was light (Genesis 1:1-3)? He spoke the universe into being once, and it happened just as Almighty God spoke it. So, how much more seriously should we take it when God Himself directly links loving Him with Obeying His Commandments, 16 times?!
Here's another interesting, "Coincidence." The Old Testament makes up two thirds of the Bible. The New Testament makes up one third of the Scriptures. Interestingly enough, approximately two thirds of the places where God links loving Him with keeping His Commandments are found in the so-called Old Testament (11 references). The other one third (5 references), are stated in the so-called New Testament. It's interesting that the number of times God said this is proportionate in both portions of the Testament:
(Exodus 20:6; Deuteronomy 5:10; Deuteronomy 7:9; Deuteronomy 11:1; Deuteronomy 11:22; Deuteronomy 19:9; Deuteronomy 30:16; Joshua 22:5; Nehemiah 1:5; Nehemiah 13:22; Daniel 9:4; John 14:15; John 14:21; John 15:10; 1 John 5:2-3)
In the end, what modern and postmodern Christianity teaches is absolutely a contradiction in terms. For on the one hand they teach that the only commandment required for the Christian is to love God with their entire being, and love their neighbor as themselves, and since they are under grace, and not "under the law," then they are not required to obey anything else that God has commanded.
The problem with that logic is that God directly links loving God with obeying Him, and keeping His commandments. So under modern-day Christendom's faulty logic, where they falsely teach that the Laws of God have been abolished, what they end up teaching is something to the effect of, 'Well, since you are Christian, all you are required to do is to love God with all your being and love your neighbor as yourself, but since you are not under the law anymore and don't have to obey His Commandments, then you don't really have to love God anymore either.' that's what such teaching amounts to, based on God's definition of what it means to love Him.
We know, even from the so-called New Testament that God cannot deny or contradict Himself, (2 Timothy 2:13). Therefore, when God makes a Law or gives a Commandment, it is always going to be directly in keeping and rightly consistent with His character and nature. So when He says that the Greatest Commandment is to love Almighty God, and He repeatedly directly links Loving Him with keeping His Commandments, even in the New Testament, then is there any legitimate chance that He abolished the Law and Commandments, which He essentially said that obeying was the fruit and evidence of our loving Him? NOT A CHANCE.
You shall love the Lord your God...Reestablishing His Standard
Loving God with Our Whole HeartThe heart is the seat and fountainhead of all our affections and desires. Since God directly links Loving Him with keeping His Commandments, then if we are going to love God with ALL our heart, which even modern Christians claim is still a Commandment, then how can we possibly continue to teach that God's Laws and Commandments have been abolished at the cross, especially when God himself says it's not been abolished? (Psalm 19:7-14; Matthew 5:17-20, 7:21) Nobody who truly loves God can continue to speak contrary to what God has Commanded, because out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34; Luke 6:45).
So if I truly love God with my whole heart, then my desires and affections are going to agree more and more with God's Laws, Commandments, and what He says that He desires. My desires and affections are NOT going to contradict the Laws and Commandments of God.
Moreover, if I am truly loving God with my whole heart as the Greatest Commandment requires, then out of the abundance of my heart I will not be able to continue to speak in ways that undermine, diminish or abolish God's Laws and Commandments. If I love God with all my heart, then my desires and affections are going to agree with God's Laws and Commandments, not abolish it. Likewise if I love God with my whole heart, then out of the abundance of my heart I'm going to speak in ways that truly authentically agree with God's Laws and Commandments. I won't teach people to disobey God in the name of grace.
The same principle applies to loving God with my entire soul (mind will and emotions). If I love God with my entire soul then I will not allow my mind to continue to think in ways which are contrary to God's Laws and Commandments (Romans 8:5-8). I will not continue to allow myself to make choices which are contrary to God's Laws and Commandments and I will not continue to indulge in emotional overflow which is contrary to God's Laws and Commandments. If I overcome, and submit to loving God (by submitting to and upholding His Laws and Commandments) in my soul, then that will eventually overflow and I will eventually become more and more "a doer" of God's Laws and Commandments in my body, which is what it means to love God with my physical strength.
1 John 2:1-4 “My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;” 1 John 2:1-4 (NASB77)
1 John 5:1-3 “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:1-3 (ESV)
May God be with you and bless you as you seek to learn and honor His Commandments
Brother Michel Lankford
A Summary of all that we Studied
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