And you shall love the LORD
your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, with all
your mind, and with all
your strength. This is the
first commandment.
And the second, like it, is this:
You shall love your neighbor
as yourself. There is no other
commandment greater than these.
Mark 12:30-31
If these words are to have meaning they are validating all that has been written. These commandments are not for some Christians and to be ignored by others. God's Church is not divided! On this point every denomination must agree for these words are the words of our Savior Jesus Christ and apply to all Christians. We are not to have divided hearts! Our priority list must have as its first priority; God, this is an Authentic Christian's pursuit. Yes, family is to be second! God is jealous for you and will admit no other place in an Authentic Christian's life. If God is our first priority even though all others are second does not mean that those in second and beyond our priorities are left out as a second class person. NO! They receive blessings and benefits due to our love of God with all our being. This love flows from us to others as the second commandment so states. God will not bless lukewarmness it is an affront to Him.
God is not interested in your glory! God is not to be put in a place as a competitor for anything! To put anything above God is to be an idolater. If your heart is is directed toward anything other than God, idolatry has taken place. If anything draws our hearts from God, then anything that engrosses our minds or holds the number one spot in our affections is an idol. Our supreme worship has as its object: God! How often this is so disregarded. There are things we must take seriously. The Bible is so clear on this subject that to not do what the Bible has instructed is to place us above the Bible, even above our God Whom we must give first place in our lives. Complacency is to be avoided! This cannot be an Authentic Christian's attitude! It is unreserved commitment to the glory and service of our God and Savior, and will keep us from grieving the Holy Spirit. The foundation of our faith so that it is Authentic Biblical Faith is to build our lives on these commandments. The first and foremost commandment is not the second commandment for the second commandment flows from the first. God is not just interested in our service to Him. God is not just interested in how much money you give to the Church, or the poor, or to other good causes: God is interested in your heart being completely turned to Him. If that is not the case, then how can you expect God to do anything for you? Do not be as the Sadducees that questioned Jesus. Jesus asked them and He asks us: "Jesus answered and said to them; 'Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God'" (Mark 12:24)?
Cultural ideologies have invaded so many people of the Church, in so many ways, causing a person to be defeated at least in one or more areas of their being Authentic Biblical Christians. This batter is ongoing, never ending for all people are being affronted by secular culture from the lower schools to the schools of higher learning, from magazines, TV and movies, that to be an Authentic Biblical Christian we must constantly evaluate our lives. That is, if you want to be an Authentic Biblical Christian and have God as the first priority of your lives. We can't stick our heads in the sand hoping that things will get better! They won't! Besides, how can we keep the second commandment if we are not intentionally studying, examining, putting into practice Scripture? If you have come to faith in the God of the Bible, and for that to be true then God and His word become the center and focus of your life.
Something is either false or true! There is no middle ground, so gray area whereby some live their lives. If you walk the fence: in time both sides will be throwing rocks at you. The world today teaches that all "truths" are true, at least for the one believing in a "truth." You are not supposed to question another "truth." This thinking has often been the thinking of people in the Church. So long as they are not being confronted with the Truth of the Bible, they are satisfied with the "truth" they hold as sacred. Is the Holy Spirit living in you? If so allow the Holy Spirit to have full sway in your life. No middle ground! No excuses for not doing as Jesus Christ as commanded! Do we walk around as pious individuals? NO! We live life, but we love God!
Jesus said to them, "My food is
to do the will of Him who
sent Me, and to finish His work."
John 4:34
The Sabbath Is Here: What Are Your Plans?
Richard L. Crumb
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