Thursday, May 02, 2024
Obey my commands or love people
I don't even understand the argument. If I have to choose between obeying a bunch of commands or loving people, I choose people. Or... if I have to choose between helping people and obeying God, always choose obedience.
Both of those are so wrong. I don't believe serving people is ever at odds with obeying Jesus. And I do not think obeying Jesus will ever put you in conflict with loving people.
Loving people is a command we have to obey.
I think Satan wants us to think that somehow obedience and love are in competition so you have to choose one of the other.
Except Jesus said loving God is the greatest command (quoted it right from the Old Testament). He also said that if you love him you will keep his commandments. Read I John. If you are not helping people in need it brings into question how much you really love God.
I just don't think it is either/or.
So if you think there is a way to obey God and not love your neighbor, or somehow obeying God means you don't have to care about people, you are not reading the Bible.
And if you think helping and loving people means you don't have to believe or do what God says, you are not reading the Bible.
Now if you want to pick or choose which commands to believe, that is your choice. Or if you want to try and justify which people you want to love, that is your choice. Or just pick and choose who to love. Or just decide which commands you want to obey.
Just don't tell me that is how God designed the Christian life.
I know there are people that are hard to love and to serve. But that is a command we must obey.
I know some of the things Jesus expects us to do are hard and unpopular, and our world will tell us how unloving we are. But loving God is the first and greatest commandment so I'd sure be careful deciding you know how to love people better than God.
Don't believe Satan's lie that it is one or the other.
Love God and do what he says. Love people and help them.
Because God really does know best.
