Skip to main content

No Half Measures


          We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him:  Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. (I John 2:3-6)         
           “If you love me, keep my commands." (John 14:15)
 
              “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.” (Matthew 22:36-39)


         Here’s a radical notion: love is not about enjoying someone’s company. It’s not about feeling good. It’s about submission. It’s about self-sacrifice. It’s about seeking what is best for the loved one, not pleasing ourselves. John tells us in the Gospel of John, that Jesus said that keeping His commandments is a requirement and proof of our love for Him. In the Gospel of Matthew, we’re told that the greatest commandment is not just to love God, but to love Him with all, all of our heart, soul, and mind, and within that love, to love others in a lesser degree – as we love ourselves. 
         In today’s main passage, we’re informed that we can’t even claim to know Him if we don’t keep His commands, obey His Word, and live as He lived. No one does this perfectly, of course. I fail in ways that others do not. Others fail in ways that I do not. Only Jesus ever did it right. But that is not an excuse for the rest of us. 
         There is an old story about a town that took the challenge of asking “What would Jesus do?” before making any decision or taking any action. It’s a good question to ask, but the answer is simple. Jesus would obey God. If God’s word said that something was wrong, Jesus wouldn’t do that thing. If Jesus saw God doing something, He did the same thing. Never did He do something that God said was wrong because the society in which He lived no longer believed that way. Never did He approve something that God said was wrong because society approved of it. This is why we must study His Word, to learn what He approve. Half-measures don’t count.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Right Road

          Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:7-12)                  For years before GPSes existed, I told people I wanted something in my car that would tell me, “Turn left in half a mile…turn left in a quarter mile…turn left in 500 feet… turn left in 100 feet…turn left now …You missed the turn, Dummy!” The problem isn’t necessarily that I get lost so much as I’m afraid I’ll get lost. I don’t want to have to spend my whole trip stressing over the next turn. I have the same problem with my spiritual journey.   
Post a Comment
Read more

Died as a Ransom

                 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. (Hebrews 9:15)                  This is something I’d really rather not think about but here it is and it’s important. I was reading in Bold Love about seeking revenge.  The author wrote of seeking justice when a supposed Christian does something sinful, harmful, and/or horrific, like sexually abusing a daughter.  And the thought that came to mind was of God asking if Jesus’ death was sufficient payment to me for the sin committed against me.                I have no specific longing for revenge, vengeance, or justice. I’m sure there are some lurking somewhere in my heart, but this wasn’t a response to one. It was more a question of principle. Jesus’ death was sufficient payment for to God for our sins.  That’s the standard Sunday Schoo
1 comment
Read more

Out of the Depths

  Out of the depths I have cried to You, Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the sound of my pleadings.   If You, Lord, were to keep account of guilty deeds, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, so that You may be revered. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and I wait for His word. My soul waits in hope for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning; Yes, more than the watchmen for the morning. Israel, wait for the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. And He will redeem Israel from all his guilty deeds . (Psalm 130)             I like Mr. Peterson’s interpretation of the first line. “The bottom has fallen out of my life!” Of course, the problem for some of us is the fact that we’re drama queens, and/or we’re weak. Any time anything happens that disturbs our sense of mastery and control, the bottom has fallen out of our lives. If the past couple of days have taught me anything, they’ve t
1 comment
Read more