Matthew 22.37 says— “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” So then every portion and all portions of our being should be devoted to Loving God. Not complicated is it? He deserves “all”, He gave us “all”, we should return with “all”. Right? The text goes on to say in verse 39— “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” And that is where we need to focus a little. If He is to have all of me, because He has purchased all of me… then I should live in the light of that fact.
The phrase: “like unto it” explains how we should, with the same devotion, love others “like” He has loved us. Our love should grow to mirror His love. He clarified this in the phrase: “thy neighbor as thyself”. Not love as you love you, because that’s not in the Bible. In fact, self love can easily be the single greatest downfall for all disciples. Satisfying me and my and I is spiritual suicide. This is a command, so why would we only obey a command when we are emotionally in love with ourself? That is not what this means at all. It means, we love as we are loved. How did God love us? With what unconditionality and fervency did He love us? We are to love as we are loved.
Looking at 1 Corinthians 13, we see love is a helpful growth measurer, much like faith. In fact, at the end of the chapter it says they are both abiding with hope. Because God is love, then we know we are spiritually growing, because our love will match His.
How about Proverbs 26.20-27. It is the antithesis of Matthew 22.37-39. To stir strife is NOT the Love of God. In verses 20-21 it says— “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.” Why are believers ok with participating in something that is against the fabric of all of our obedience (Matthew 2.39)? Why are believers ok with others doing it? It destroys. Not only that, but isnt it an issue of not being able to say “no”? That’s what James 1.26 says— “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”
Inflicting pain on others is NOT the Love of God. Continuing in Proverbs 26 with verse 22— “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.” Does that in any way show the Love of God? I don’t think so. Hurt, pain, heartache, intentional destruction of lives, is anathema to Christ. It is “the spirit of antichrist”. It proves who that person really loves—themself! This is the way of the world, which is set as the oppositional enemy of Christ. As James 4.4 states— “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”
A hypocritical mouth is NOT the love of God. Proverbs 26.23 goes on to say— “Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. A vessel covered in scum but layered over by silver doesn’t make it pure silver; under that thin layer of insincere purity is filth.” James further describes this also in James 3.5-12. They are hypocrites and liars. I know that is fairly straight-up, but look specifically in James 3.10-11— “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?” The answer is simple… no, it cannot. If someone is speaking out of both sides of their mouth, then one side is lying. They flatter but they inwardly hate. They congratulate but they’re full of envy. They speak kind in front of others, but they seek gossip behind them.
Hate is NOT the love of God. Proverbs 26.24— “He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;” There is deceit and hate in the heart of the person who would divide others. dissembleth is hypocrisy, it is division, it is double heartedness. It is the opposite of an assembly. It is the enemy of the churches of Jesus Christ. And, God help us, many of our churches have the enemy within the gates. Verse 25 continues— “When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.” As James said, don’t believe it. They’re lying. The fountain didn’t all of a sudden turn sweet.
Heads up believer who would want to be a disciple…covering up what you really feel WILL be exposed by God. Verse 26 brings this home with— “Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.” God has a way of always exposing what’s on our heart at the worst possible moment. Are you ready to accept God’s truth on this? Many churches are not loving houses of God for those who need the security of God’s family. In fact, it’s getting worse. The prophecy of decreased natural affection is playing before our eyes. The sad thing is, no one is willing to take a stand for love, real love. The love mentioned in these texts are a love of God so much that you would stand in the way of the dissembler.
The actions of the dissembler is so egregious to the Love of God—It will be exposed by God. “Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him” (27). I want to be on the right side of that, how about you? The last thing I want to be is a divider. The last thing I want to be is known for anything less than someone who gave their all back to God, in love, by loving others, as I have been loved. I want to love God with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength, how about you? I want to love Him so much that I defend that love with all I have. I want Him to have all of me. I want Him to pour Himself and His love through me… all of me.