GRACE AMBASSADORS

Loving God to Death

Justin Johnson

The good ol’ boy says, “you gotta love the man upstairs”, and “love God enough and he will let you in.” He thinks that God just wants someone to love him, and if you say you do, God’s doors are wide open.

What nonsense! That same good ol’ boy truly loves his daughter enough to tell her the truth:

“Honey, just because some boy comes up to you and tells you he loves ya, that don’t mean nothing. All men are liars, and will lie to get what they want.”

The truth is in what he told his daughter (Rom 3:4), not what he says about getting to heaven.

Loving God won’t get you any further into heaven than loving Lebron James will get you into the starting lineup. Your love has nothing to do with it.

The Love Laws

The greatest commandment in the law was to love God with all your heart, soul, and strength (Deu 6:5; Luke 10:27).

Jesus said about this commandment, “this do, and thou shalt live” (Luke 10:28). Elsewhere he said, “if ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:13).

What was his commandment? It was the second greatest commandment in the law, “love one another, as I have loved you” (John 5:13).

Doing the law was what it meant to love God. Not keeping the law meant you did not love God (John 14:23-24).

The Big Problem with Love Laws

The big problem with making laws about love is that you cannot force someone to love. Love cannot be forced, it must be given freely. If love is required by law, then we are all law breakers.

Is there any man who can stand before God in perfect love for Him and all his neighbors?

Moreover all men are liars, so they will say they love God, when really they just want God to let them into paradise.

The law does not make lovers. The law makes liars. God hates liars. Clearly, no man can be saved by any law requiring love.

“But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.” – Galatians 3:11-12

Loving God Until You Die

Doing righteous things, such as loving God, is not faith it is work. Loving God to get life is the same as keeping the law to get life. It is impossible.

Ironically, trying to love God to receive life eternal, only leads to death.

“And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.” – Romans 7:10

Good ol’ boy says, but “I loved him a lot, he ought to let me in!” And once again he sounds like every man his daughter should reject. No man can force his love on another.

Loving God for the rest of your life will not get you to heaven. Loving God to death will get you just that.

You will be literally loving God until you die and go to hell, because you will have never loved him enough to require his love in return. God can’t love sinners, and love can’t be forced.

God Commends His Love

The only way to solve this problem is if grace is shown, the man’s flaws are forgiven, and love is freely expressed by God without requirement.

This is exactly what is explained in Romans 5:8 according to the gospel of the grace of God:

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Grace is the only way the sinner can be saved. Grace is the only way the good ol’ boy’s daughter ever gets married. Grace can only be received through faith.

Stop trying to flatter God by commending your love to get eternal life. Be honest about your sin. Trust Christ’s payment for it.

Your love for God is not nearly enough. Commend God’s love by being saved by His grace through faith.

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Published: February 4, 2017
Last Modified: February 22, 2017
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