“Words taught by the Spirit” (1Cor.2:13)

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THE FIRST AND THE GREATEST COMMAND

“And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices” 

(Mrk.12:33 NKJV; Rom.13:9 and Gal.5:14; Mt.22:38-40)

INTRODUCTION

Some years ago, I saw a poster that has greatly impressed me, that is: “When one loves what he does, one is capable of all.” Then, I said to myself: “If the man of the street is “capable of all”, when he loves what he does, how much more can the man of God, who has at his disposal the power of the Holy Spirit! But, is it true that the natural man is capable of all? Yes, and no!”

YES, for the possibilities of the will and of man’s capacities, who was thus endowed by his Creator, remain nearly always unused, unexploited. “We use only 10 per cent of our mental capacities,” said Albert Einstein. It suffices to watch the television and take a look at the History and the exploits of some people who have achieved unbelievable things on account of the love they had for the objects they were given to do. They also attribute to Einstein this expression: “We don’t understand even the hundredth of what we would be capable of understanding.”

And NO, for Jesus Christ, speaking about spiritual things, had declared that we could do nothing without Him. There are certain people who could solve the most difficult technical problems, but they cannot get rid of smoking the cigarette! This truth is especially valid when it has to do with the understanding of spiritual things on the part of the natural man, as Jesus himself had declared and explained to Nicodemus. Also, Jesus said: “… If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes” (Mrk.9:23). Paul, the apostle said: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Php.4:13)

Why have I said all this? Because the secret of success in spiritual life depends on one thing: Love Christ with all your being.

WHAT GOD REQUIRES

Let me repeat the same verse: “And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mrk.12:33). This is the first and the greatest commandment in its most complete expression! It is a love required both of believers and of unbelievers. This love for God is a love produced in the believer’s heart by the Holy Spirit (Gal.5:22; 2Th.3:5). This love can be produced in a heart, which, irrespective of how weak it is, is sincere, has good intentions and makes good willful choices.

The Holy Spirit, since ancient times, enjoined us to love the LORD our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our might (De.6:5); also that we must fear the Lord, our God, in order to walk in all His ways and serve Him with all our heart and with all our soul. The observation of these commandments was intended for our happiness: “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?” (De.10:12-13)

Consequently, the love for God is not a new commandment. It is a commandment which was simply “amplified” by our Lord Jesus Christ, and its right importance and value were ascribed to it. The true love towards men is impossible if the love for God does not exist or rather does not pre-exist. These two commandments are closely bound and interdependent.

DEFINITIONS

In reality, and in general terms, all the other commandments are just commentaries and extensions of the meaning, importance and message of these two. The first part of the verse we are studying speaks of our duties of reverence towards God. The second part, how to treat our fellow men. Now, we will insist on the first part of this commandment. If God does not empower man to that end it is impossible that the other commandments be put in practice. And, it is, in the same way, impossible that God enables man to do His will, if man has not passed through the narrow gate experience, that is through the wonderful experience of a sincere repentance, a complete denial of himself and through a full surrender or consecration to God: a turning to God from idols to serve the living and true God (1Th.1:9). This is possible only through an act of willful choice.

CLARIFICATIONS

In practice, what does the love for God consist of? The love for God consists in keeping His commandments. And His commandments are not painful, (1Jo.5:32 and 2Jo.1:6). It means to serve the Lord with a perfect or devoted heart; it means to do what is good in the eyes of the Lord with faithfulness and integrity of heart (2Ki.20:3). In other words, he who acts with a sincere and perfect heart acts in the fear of God and with faithfulness (2Ch.19:9).

Here is a key verse which illustrates that notion: “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever” (1Ch.28:9). And the Holy Spirit said: “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal (is perfect) to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore, from now on you shall have wars” (2Ch.16:9). So, those who do not have a perfect heart towards God act foolishly and they will have useless wars in their life!

On the contrary, the heart of the one who really belongs to God is whole, not divided, not shared with the world, without hypocrisy, perfect and pure… He has a well-intended devoted will for Jesus, absorbed exclusively by His affairs and finds his pleasure only in Him. Such a life, which is not shared with the world, is the only one acceptable to God… This love for Jesus is incompatible with the love for a worldly life. This is the reason why it is written: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1Jo.2:15). The will of God is that we resist unto blood, if necessary, striving against sin (Heb.12:4). God did not call us to uncleanness, but to sanctification (1Th.4:7). Furthermore, the true Christian is interested but to be in good terms with his Savior! He is interested in seeking first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, knowing that all the things he needs will be added to him (Mt.6:33).

TWO SPIRITUAL ERRORS

• We should never ever forget that one cannot pass from the state of the natural man to the state of a born again Christian without an act of willful choice. Also, we must never forget that we cannot pass from the carnal situation to the spiritual one little by little but through an act of willful choice. It is THEN that the true spiritual development begins… It is THEN that the spiritual life begins to blossom and to bear fruit. It is only THEN that the spiritual development begins. The conquest of the “promised land”, that is of the spiritual space of holiness and of spiritual power, begins after we have quit the “desert” of our own efforts and plans and after we have submitted our own will to God’s will. That is not possible but by repentance and faith and by an act of trust in the love and care of the All-wise and Omnipotent Jesus who calls us to that life. We should not also forget that it is not enough to begin well but also to finish well! Our God is a “jealous” God. If our love towards Him is diminished, then we are reproved. Here is what the Word says: “But I have against you that you left your first love. Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and will remove your lampstand out of its place unless you repent” (2:4-5), and “If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed…” (1Cor.16:22). What a solemn warning!
• There are people who think that they express and prove their love to God by their worship and adoration in the church. That is partly true, but only as a result of a life full of obedience in deed and in truth. I remember cases of people who thought that with a lot of decibels they were proving and showing their devotion to God… Others who thought that by screaming “Glory to God”, “Praise the Lord”, “Thank you Lord” etc., for more than half an hour could prove and show their love and devotion to God! I was wondering: Was that the way the first Christians, as they are described in the book of Acts of the Apostles, were worshipping Christ? Let us finally come to ourselves!

THE LOVE FOR GOD IS NOT OPTIONAL

The love for God is not optional! (De.6:5; 11:1; 22:5; Mt.22:37). This holds good for both those who believe and those who do not believe. God created all men, believers and non-believers. They are His workmanship, and will have, sooner or later, to give account of their position towards God, whether they want it or not, whether they believe it or not!

The proof that we, believers, love Him is our position towards Him in the form of obedience and sound priorities: Our devotion to Him and to His truth as well as our fight against sin constitutes the greatest proof of our love towards Him. But it is necessary to be noted that those who are really born again, the true children of God, love Him without having seen Him (1Pet.1:8). This love is spontaneous for it is implanted by God their Father, in their heart; it is engraved into their heart, simply because they have accepted to make the good choice in the fear of the Lord and live in deed and in truth! This love is worth more than all other sacrifice (Mrk.12:33).

WHY GOD REQUIRES THIS LOVE?

In the verse we are studying, that is, Mark 12:33 there is a message hidden, which can also be found in De.10:12-13: “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, to keep the commandments of the LORD, and His statutes, which I command you today for your good?” God requires from us this love for the following reasons:

1. For our good: That means for our happiness and for our blessedness. This is confirmed by other verses also. In such a way, God can bless us and make us enjoy the life that he gives us (De.30:16) abundantly and that all spiritual blessings that God has reserved for us in the heavenly places in Christ. Some of these future blessings they can be achieved in our life on this earth.
2. Because, as it has already been said, we belong to Him. He has this right because He died for us all! He has purchased us! He is our Redeemer!
3. Because He loved us the first (1Joh.4:19). Our love towards God is the fruit of our understanding and of our acceptance of God’s love towards us (1Jo.4.10; 1Jo.4:19; 2Cor.5:14-15; Ps.116:1), and
4. Because He wants to bless us, hear our voice and our prayers (Ps.116:1) and answer our requests and cover our needs!

WHY THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN REDEEMED LOVE HIM

Love for God is one of the characteristics of His children. Here are the reasons why we love Him:

• We love Him because, as already said, Jesus loved us the first (1Joh.4:19) with an everlasting love and has drawn us to Himself with loving-kindness (Jer.31:3). He loved His own in the world to the end (John 13:1). His love was so great that He died for us when we were still without strength, ungodly, sinners and even His enemies (Rom.5:6-10);
• We love Him because His love is unfathomable, surpassing all knowledge (Eph.3:19), constraining us to love Him and live for Him (2Cor.5:14-15). His love is unchangeable (Joh.13:1) and nothing can separate us from Him (Rom.8:35).
• We love Him because He came to save the lost like you and me (Lu.19:10), He gave Himself for us (Gal.2:20), He died for us (Joh.15:13; 1Jo.3:16) and He washed away our sins in His blood (Re.1:5). On the basis of His work, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1Joh.1:9). He has cast all our sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19) not to see them any more and not to remember them any more. His love and power make us more than conquerors (Rom.8:37).
• We love Him because He has justified us by His grace (Tit.3:4-7), has quickened our souls (Eph.2:4, 5) and has granted us many temporal and eternal blessings (De.7:13).
• We love Him because His purpose is to bless us so that we may enjoy the life that He gives us and that all spiritual blessings that God has reserved in the celestial places in Christ: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ” (Eph.1:3).
• We love Him because He has sent and has shed the Holy Spirit in our heart (Ps.68:18; Joh.16:7; Rom.5:5) and has filled our hearts with love, purity, power and divine wisdom!
• We love Him because He hears our prayers (Ps.116:1) and intercedes for us (Heb.7:25; 9:24).
• We love Him because He knows all of us personally and calls us by name (1Cor.8:3).
• We love Him because He preserves and delivers us from the hatred of the Devil (Ps.145:20; Ps 91:14) and because He has made us partakers of his mercy (Ex.20:6; De.7:9) and of His divine nature.
• We love Him because His plans and His thoughts for us are thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give us the blessed expected end (Jer.29:11).
• We love Him because He rebukes and chastens us for our good (Re.3:19; Heb.12:6-11). He does not punish us, but He chastens us for our good, for our profit, in order to make us partakers of His holiness.
• He makes all things work together for our good (Ro.8:28; Ps.57:2). Even if he slays me, yet I can trust in Him, says Job (13:15). We can call upon Him in the day of trouble and He will deliver us from all our troubles, and we will glorify Him. (Ps.50:15; Ps 91:14).
• We love Him because He has loved us and has made us “children of God… and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be. But we know that when He shall be revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1Jo.3.1-2). Incredible but true!
• We love Him because He has come to set us free from the bondage of sin and of our passions, as it is written: “… to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; … to comfort all who mourn; … to give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the mantle of praise for the spirit of heaviness; …” (Isa.61:1-6). Yes! He took our burden and gave us a song…
• We love Him because Jesus Christ is made to us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption (1Cor.1:30).
• We love Him because He has named us “priests of the LORD; … Ministers of our God;” and because He “… loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and made us kings and priests to God and His Father » (Re.1:5-6). One day we will be called to judge angels! (1Cor.6:3).
• We love Him because Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God will lead us to the fountains of living waters. And God will wipe away all tears from our eyes … and there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying out, nor will there be any more pain; for the first things passed away (Re.7:17 and 21:4).
• We love Him because the Angel of the LORD camps round about those who fear Him, and delivers them (Ps.34:7).
• We love Him because God is for us, consequently no one can be against us! Truly He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he condemning? It is Christ who has died, but rather also who is raised, who is also at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? …”But in all these things we are more than conquer through Him who loved us (Rom.8:31-37).

Since Christ was crucified for me and purchased me, then I belong to Him and I must live for Him. I have no right to live a life shared between two thoughts and two desires. An irresolute man is unstable in all his ways and he could not be pure in its heart (Jas.1:8; 4:8). The man who has taken a solid decision for Him does not find his pleasure but in the law of the God and meditates in it day and night! (Ps.1:2)

Do you see someone who does not love Jesus Christ? That means that God is not yet his Father. Jesus told them: “If God was your Father, you would love me” (Joh.8:42). It is necessary, however, to recognize that there are some that do what is right, but with a heart which is not entirely devoted (2Chr.25:2). It is strange and incredible but true!!! You could give your money to someone that is in the need either by love or in order to be seen by Mr. Everybody or in a spirit of antagonism or of vengeance (Php.1:15-18).

IS THIS LIFE POSSIBLE?

God has rendered this life possible. He who calls us in this life, it is He who will do all that is necessary! It is for this reason that Paul said: “I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, in order to prove by you what is that good and pleasing and perfect will of God” (Rom.12:1-2).

God who gave us the sound reasoning (logic) is He not reasonable? Our God is a reasonable God, and it is for this reason that all that He requires from us is always reasonable and it is at the same time feasible either by our own strength or by the power of the Holy Spirit. God who calls us to this life will render it possible for us, as it is written in the epistle to the Thessalonians “… Faithful is He who called you, who also will do it” (1Th.5:23-24). The Spirit of God has expressed the same idea in the Old Testament: “Have not I commanded you? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be you dismayed: for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go”. In the book of Isaiah, it is written: “LORD, You will ordain peace for us; for You also have worked all our works in us” (Isa.26:12). Conclusion: Whatever God requires it can be done. He has already given us the means… and the courage to achieve it!

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS OUR GUARANTOR

The Christian life is and must be a victorious life, thanks to the Holy Spirit who is our guarantor. It is well known that every born again Christian has received the Holy Spirit (Eph.1:13, 14; Joh.7:39; Act.2:4), but all Christians are not full of the Holy Spirit (Ac.6:3). In order that my heart be full of this love towards God, it must be emptied of my sin by confession and its abandonment. Sin which is not confessed remains unforgiven and deprives me of the heavenly blessings and of the victory. It is full consecration and a total trust, which give God the possibility of controlling and governing our heart and our life. It is the condition “sine quoi non”. I repeat: “He who has called us is faithful and HE will do it”! (1Thes.5:23-24).

The faith that saves is the one which accepts humbly salvation and God’s power as well as the victory that God promises and gives. It is a faith that obeys. And it is then that God gives His Spirit “… to all those who obey him.” (Act.5:32). It is impossible to arrive at some success with a heart divided between two desires and two goals. A divided heart arrives at nothing! In general, men who achieve something important in their life are those who live with only one passionate desire.

TWO OBJECTIONS and THEIR ANSWERS

First objection:

Someone could say to me: How then am I capable of doing God’s will, if God does not invest me of His power? Do I have the gift of healing or of casting out demons, or, or, or? God distributes His gifts according to His sovereignty. Is it not so?

Yes, but, do I need His miraculous gifts in order to be more zealous concerning the study of the Bible or my prayer life or to fulfill my other commitments faithfully as a Christian? Is it necessary for me to have “a spiritual gift” in order to be honest and faithful in order to be reactivated and share the Bible with all those who die in ignorance and sin? Should I be satisfied in comparing myself with those who lead a lukewarm life? Where is my treasure? Of what is my mind nourished and saturated all day long? «Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD deceitfully, or “negligently” … » says the Word of God in Jer.48:10.

We should not forget what the Bible says: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple… And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me… If anyone desires to come after Me let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. He, who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Lu.14:26; Mt.10:38; Mt.16:24; Mt.11:15).

It is sad, but we must admit, that some Christians have become ridiculed. They began building a tower without having calculated the expense and they abandoned its construction for lack of solid intentions! They went out in order to wage war without having calculated their forces well. They have “signed” a contract with God to serve Him in a world that perishes but they have not honored it! “Salt is good: but if the salt has lost his flavor, with which shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that has ears to hear, let him hear” (Lu.14:34-35).

These words are tough! But are they mine? What God requires of me is my heart, the position of my heart! This is my duty, my business, but the strength to obey Him is His business! Consequently, the first thing for me to do is to repent and to confess my state which might be little or very deplorable as a believer, member of the church of Christ. Let the tears of our repentance wash our eyes so that we could see better, says a spiritual hymn.

Second objection:

Since, the love for God is a gift of God as it is written in De.30:6 “And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live”, why then should I be responsible and love Him without His help?

The answer is simple: Yes, you are responsible because God puts this love in our heart IF we give to Him our consent or our permission. Then it is God who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Php.2:13).

CONDITIONS and PROMISES

It is well known that the promises of God are closely bound to some conditions that it is necessary to fulfill. In general, the promises of God are inherited by faith and patience: We are called “… not to be slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises (Heb.6:12, 15). And finally, we should not forget that we must not cast away our confidence, which has great recompense of reward, for we have need of patience, that, after we have done the will of God, we might receive the promise (Heb.10:35-36).

In the context of the love due to God, there are certain promises which are tightly bound to the attachment of the man to God. The Bible says: “If you love me, keep my commandments… He that HAS my commandments, and KEEPS them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him… If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our stayed with him.” (Joh.14:15, 21, 23).

Then, the one who loves Him:

1. Keeps His commandments;
2. Serves Him and also serves his brothers (Mt.27:55; Mt.25:40);
3. Gives Him all his preference and priority (Mt.10:37); he loves Him with an ardent love up to death (So.2:5; Ac.21:13; Re.12:11).

Such an attitude results in taking upon our shoulders the cross, that God has designed for us personally and follow Him: “…And he that takes not his cross, and follows after me, is not worthy of me” (Mat.16:24).

In practice, this love is manifested in the following manner: The true Christian loves:

1. Christ, more than himself, the members of his family and all his possessions;
2. Christ, more than his local church;
3. The truth, more than his own ideas, convictions and his denomination;
4. The Bible, more than the constitution and the traditions of his Church and is devoted to the infallible Word of God, which does not need to be tried, but solely to be believed and obeyed;
5. The will of God, more than his spiritual leader’s will or mentality;
6. The principles of the Word of God more than his culture or his cultural background;
7. The fruit of the Spirit, more than the gifts of the Spirit;
8. Being possessed by the Holy Spirit than to possess Him. 

God has promised the crown of justice and the crown of life to all those who love Him and who, because of that love, support patiently temptations (2Ti.4:7-8; Jaq.1:12). If I love Jesus, the first consequence will be: I will keep His Word! The second consequence will be: The Father will love me! The third consequence will be: Both of Them and the Holy Spirit will make their stay in me!!! (Joh.14:23, 26). Incomprehensible, unbelievable but true!

WHAT LOVE FOR GOD PRODUCES?

Before we start a brief description of what the love of God produces in man, it is necessary to examine briefly another aspect on the basis of a very important verse: “… Knowledge puffs up, but charity edifies. And if any man think that he knows any thing, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him” (1Cor.8.1-3). It is true that knowledge makes man swell and makes him cease depending on God! It makes him presumptuous and self-confident, thing which makes it deviate from the good road. It turns him obstinate and inflexible because he considers himself very important. “Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm” (1Ti.1:7). The major problems out of the church and within the church are created by men who believe that they know everything! He despises others and he is deceived. Yes, “He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof comes envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings” (1Ti.6:4). However, his knowledge is limited, even if he believes that his knowledge is complete or perfect! He has not yet known as he should know them! “See you a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him” (Pr.26:12). And it is also written: “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself” (Gal.6:3).

The man, however, who loves God, gives to God the possibility of building him up and of forming the character of Christ in his life. His love is perfected by obeying Him (1Jo.2:5). When love becomes perfect in us, then it gives us assurance and boldness and casts out fear (1Jo.4:17, 18). God approves him, loves him and is acceptable to God and approved of men. “For he that in these things serves Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things with which one may edify another” (Rom.14:18-19). Love constitutes a sure and unquestionable guide in his life. His love towards God renders him intelligent with regard to the fear of the Lord. And his pleasure will be the fear of God; and he will not judge according to the sight of his eyes, and will not judge according to the hearing of His ears (Esa.11:3). It is also written: “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that you may approve things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Php.1:9-11). Yes, moreover, God enriches him with the gifts and the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which is patience, purity etc.: The man who loves God is invested by the love of God which is the bond of perfection (Col.3:14) and embellish his life with all the virtues of love mentioned in chapter 13 of the first epistle to the Corinthians. From wherever the child of God passes, he spreads around him warmth, the good; he puts balsam on the wounds, he heals, he revives and he draws people to himself… His love for God pushes him to seek the good for his neighbor. God teaches him what to do, how to do it, when to do it etc. His love for the Lord and his fellowmen makes him abound more and more in knowledge and in all judgment for the things that are excellent that he may be without offense till the day of Christ. In a word: He edifies! He is transformed into a city located on a mountain, into a light on a candlestick, into salt which gives taste to life and which prevents rotting! And, let us not forget that “… the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned” (1Ti.1:5). It is a love which produces benevolence and generosity (1Jo.3:17-18): “But whoever has this world’s good, and sees his brother have need, and shuts up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwells the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”

EXHORTATION

Dear friends! My intention is not to put burdens on you! My intention is only to encourage you to love Him Who has loved us and that you give Him your assent to act in your heart. He gave us a command of an absolute nature! To love Him in an absolute way, in an exclusive way!

He knows that we cannot do it in our own strength. But He who calls us to that it is He who assumes the responsibility to do it provided that we give him our assent and that we are ready to obey Him! All He asks is that we come to Him and repent sincerely and irrevocably of our sins. If these principles or axioms have something to do with us, and if you and I have not done our duty for our good, then the first thing for us to do is to repent and confess our state which might be little or very deplorable as a believer, member of the church of Christ. I repeat: Let the tears of our repentance wash our eyes so that we could see better, as a beautiful hymn says. And let us not forget the verse: “Faithful is He who called you, who also will do it” (1Thes.5:24).

“Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity” (Eph.6:24)

John Baltatzis

baltatzis@skynet.be

jean.baltatzis@gmail.com

http://wordstaughtbythespirit.com