Week 2 The Experience of Life
LESSON TWO
LOVING GOD
Hymn 1154
Scripture Reading:
Matt. 22: 37-38 And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the great and first commandment.
1 Cor. 2:9 But as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard and which have not come up in man’s heart; things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
THE GREAT AND FIRST COMMANDMENT
Several months ago, a certain Western missionary passed away in Fukien province. I once remarked that among the people I have known, she was a very deep person in the Lord….A package of her belongings arrived several days ago including a piece of paper with the following words written on it: “O God, I thank You, because You have a commandment saying you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind!” Indeed, since we are all believers, we ought to love God. The Bible says that he who believes in the Son has life, it does not say to believe with all your heart. However, loving God requires all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind.
THE CONDITION OF THE LOVERS OF GOD
Being Delivered from the World
First John 2:15 says, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in Him.”…While believing in God can save us from sin, only loving God will deliver us from the world. Brothers and sisters, we must allow God’s love to enter into us. Once the love of God enters, the world simply slips away.
Loving All the Brothers
First John 4:20 says, “If anyone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.”…Although the attitudes and behavior of many discourage you from loving them, once God’s love enters into you, you will be able to love them. It is not loving the brother whom you love, but all the brothers….if you have the love of God, you cannot help but love them.
Keeping His Commandments
First John 5:2-3 says, “In this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and do His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.”…John 14:21: “He who has My commandments and keeps them, he is the one who loves Me.” This says that if we love the Lord, we will keep His commandments….Having God’s commandments means to find them.
THE BENEFITS OF LOVING GOD
The Lord’s Appearing
“He who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him” (John 14:21b). This speaks of the benefit of loving God. Many have not experienced the Lord’s manifestation because they do not love the Lord; neither do they keep the commandments of the Lord. Only one kind of people love the Lord on this earth—the faithful ones.
Others may be zealous, capable, kind, humble, and gentle, but one does not necessarily see God through them….Brother and sisters, do we love God’s manifestation? If we do, we should employ every means to find God’s commandments and keep them.
“We Will Come to Him and Make an Abode with Him”
“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make an abode with him” (John 14:23). God and Christ are present with all who believe in Him; however, God and Christ only make an abode with those who love Him. It is not just a matter of presence, but of an abode.
John 15:9-10 says, “As the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” Some forsook their parents, some their wives, others their positions, and still others their fame, all because they loved God. They were enabled by the very love of God.
Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God.” Many know this verse well. Only one kind of people enjoy the good: those who love God….Loving God will make an unsatisfactory environment a profitable one.
The Heavenly Glory
First Corinthians 2:9-10 says, “But as it is written, ‘Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard and which have not come up in man’s heart; things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ But to us God has revealed them through the Spirit.” What God has prepared for those who believe is eternal life, yet the thing which God has prepared for those who love Him is in the future. Only those who love God can know of this coming blessing….a lover of the Lord may enjoy what men have not seen, heard, nor dreamed of in this life. When God discloses His glory to you, you will exclaim, “Oh, what joy!” This heavenly glory is so much that you will find it hardly bearable.
He loved us and sent His Son to die for us….If we recall the pain of being sinners and the greatness of the Lord’s salvation toward us, how can we not love Him?
MAY YOU BE A PASSIONATE LOVER OF THE LORD JESUS
Luke 7:47 says, “For this reason I say to you, Her sins which are many are forgiven, because she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, he loves little.” If we would only recall how our sins were forgiven, we cannot help but love the Lord. The day the cross ceases to inspire you, you have already fallen.…First Peter 1:8 says, “Whom having not seen, you love; into whom though not seeing Him at present, yet believing, you exult with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory.” This verse says that we love Him because we believe in Him. What is born out of this love through believing? It is joy that is unspeakable and full of glory.
Finally, brothers and sisters, “May you be a passionate lover of the Lord Jesus!” (CWWN, vol. 18, pp. 355-363)
Reference: CWWN, vol. 18, Notes on Scriptural Messages (2), ch. 12.
