No doubt the answer to this poser would be reflex. "We really love God." Arguably, many people love God. After all, if they don't love God, who will they love? Politicians do so, too (remember they fast and pray before contesting for elections). Fraudsters love God. Contract-inflating businessmen really love God. Just about all manner and classes of people claim they love God. What about students? Happening Babes and Big Boys love God. Aristos really love God; after all He gave them the dough they spend on chicks. Cheating students, if asked while cheating in the exam hall, would swear by their great grandmothers' graves that they love God! Sincerely speaking, I think God has suffered. If all these classes of people profess love for me, I would count such as suffering.
The logical thing is to know God's feeling about this undying love being professed for Him. Hear him, "If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). That's the evidence of true love. In 1 John 5:3, love for God is defined as keeping God's commandments. Make no mistake about this. Failure to back our claims of love for God with obedience to God's commands simply implies hatred for God. When Jesus asked Peter thrice if he loved Him, he was told to prove it by feeding His sheep (John 21:15-17). King Solomon (the wisest man that ever lived), after a close and copious arguments in his Ecclesiastes, sums up the essence of life with these words: "Fear God and keep His commandments" (Ecclesiastics 12:13).
It has therefore become necessary and expedient for us to search out these commandments in the Bible (where God's desires are clearly stated) and set out to obey them. Let's look at a very important commandment in God's word: YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN (John3:7). This is not negotiable. The Bible did not mince words, or say you might, or you should think about being born again. It makes it compulsory for everyone, "Except a man be born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven" (John 3:5). Direct and straight to the point! What then is to be done? No point chickening out, getting scared or laughing it off. The path necessary to be followed is quite simple, very easy and as literally as simple as ABCD.
Acknowledge that you are a sinner. We have all sinned. Why deny it? This is God's verdict: "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
Believe in Christ Jesus. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved" (Acts 16: 31). He first loved us and died for us. Why don't you believe Him?
Confess your faith. "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shall be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:9-10). That's it. You are saved!
Decide to join a fellowship or Christian community. There are a number of heaven-focused Christian fellowships or churches in your neighborhood. Prayerfully choose one and embrace it. Always remember that the qualities of a changed life are:
• Love for God (obeying His commandments);
• Love for the word of God (where the commandments are written-the Bible);
• Love for the brethren (God's other children).
Advantages of Loving God
To love God, as we have come to understand, means obeying His commandments. The onus therefore lies on us to search out these commandments in the Bible and determine in our heart to obey them. There exist a large bundle of benefits accruable to those who love God:
• All things work together for good to them that love God (situations and circumstances always favor those who love God (Rom8:28).
• We receive from God, all we ask of Him (1 John 3:22).
• God promises to love in return all those who love Him. Jesus would love them also and manifest Himself to that person.
Wow such beautiful benefits. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is more than able to strengthen you towards obeying God's commands.
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