What constitutes genuine love for God? (Cont)
Our heartfelt attachment to and love for Jesus is the most valuable aspect of our relationship to Him. What God asks of all those who believe in Christ and receive His salvation is devoted love. This love involves the affection of our hearts whereby God is valued and esteemed that we long for His friendship, love Him with our obedience, and seek His honour and glory in the earth. Love for God includes (a) a personal attachment of allegiance and loyalty to Him; (b) faith as a firm, unswerving adherence to the One to whom we are united by a Father-child relationship; (c) faithfulness to our commitment to Him; (d) heartfelt devotion, expressed in our dedication to His righteous standards amid God-rejecting world, and (e) a desire for His presence and fellowship like that of a lovesick bride longing for the companionship of her groom.

Knowledge, in itself, is empty. To be worth anything, it must lead to a changed life and right living. Knowledge is not merely to be accumulated; it should give us direction for living. Love, if it is to be Christian, must be based on Biblical revelation and knowledge. In the NT “knowledge” (Gkepignösis), is not merely head knowledge, but is a spiritual knowing in the heart.

Knowledge refers to God’s revelation as experientially known and involves a personal relationship with God rather than intellectually knowing facts about God. Thus, to know God’s word or to know His will implies a knowledge that expresses itself in fellowship, obedience, life and nearness to God. Knowing theological truth has as its goal, love for God and freedom from sin. As you grow in Christ’s love, your heart and mind must grow together. Christ’s love controlled the lives of Paul and His companions. We should no longer live to please ourselves; we should spend our lives pleasing Christ.

In conclusion, what does it mean to do those things that please God? We must not work independent of God, but in union with Him. The only way to work in union with God is to allow the Spirit of Christ—the Holy Spirit— who lives inside us to control our lives. Hence we should operate from “inside out.” We must have a personal heartfelt love for and devotion to Jesus. We must have an intense desire for His presence and fellowship.

Adoring contemplation of God provides the ideal forum for this all important personal intimacy with God.

Let us now examine in great details the components of this love for Jesus

Jesus said the first and great commandment in the law is: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind,” (Mat 22:37). • Email:[email protected]. Facebook: Yetunde Mercy Olumide