Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Jesus said the two greatest commandments were commands to love. We are supposed to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves.
How would you answer if asked about your obedience to those rules? If you’re like most people, first of all, you’ll be afraid to admit there are some you don’t really love. You especially better not admit that on social media.
Then, if you’re a thoughtful person, you may take the time to wonder what the real answer is. Do I love God, really? Do I love my neighbors? Who even is my neighbor?
The culture around you will probably influence you, at that point, to analyze your feelings. This is because we speak of love as if it is purely emotional. Do I love my neighbor? The question becomes, “How do I feel about my neighbor?”
Do I love God? Hmm. I guess I feel OK about God. So, yes, I do.
Biblical love, though, is a powerful concept. It does include feelings and emotions. It is not devoid of sentiment; but, it is so much more than that.
Biblical love motivates healthy, righteous action. It replaces self-satisfaction with a desire for the best of another. Then it moves in that direction, taking the actions that will tend to secure that other one’s best.
This is modeled in the life of Jesus Christ. A single read through the Gospels will abundantly display how he loved. It wasn’t enough for our Lord to say nice things, or hold pleasant feelings toward people in his heart. He took action. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.
God’s own love is displayed toward us in the amazing step of giving his Son to take our place on the cross. See John 3:16. God so loved, that he gave.
When we ask whether we love God and neighbor, rather than focus on feelings or sentiments, we ought to analyze our actions. Are those consistent with love?
Even here, the Bible has not left it up to our feelings to answer that question. God defines how love should act. In Deuteronomy 6, for instance, which is the place where Jesus got the commandment to love God, the chapter ends with a description of what that should look like. It includes devotion to his word; commandment keeping; and refusal to bow down to other gods.
Do you love Jesus? He plainly stated what that would mean, when he said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
The Apostle Paul similarly taught that our love for neighbors must be consistent with the law of God. There’s a functional, inescapable correlation between love and obedience to God. To fail at one is to fail at the other.
It is not enough to hold warm, fuzzy feelings, or to say nice things to people. Real love demands action: godly, righteous action that is concerned with the other’s best interests.
Gordan Runyan is the pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Tucumcari. Contact him at: