Love or Duty?

"I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first."

Revelations 2:2-4

Reading this passages shows us that it is possible to almost do every good thing a christian could do, and end up not loving the Lord. We could say that the first part of message given to the Church in Ephesus was a commendation. Yet, it was followed by a strong rebuke "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first".  What I could see sometimes in here is myself. When I feel my love for the Lord being dampened by the things of this world, I go back to these verses and meditate on it.  Then I see myself as a man so busy in the ministry, having a reputation of being alive from the outside yet dead inside (Rev. 3:1). We all know that the Lord looks at the heart, and He is much interested on who we are than on what we do. A church, like the one in Ephesus, could have every external marks of a healthy church: they endured patiently, they cannot bear those who are evil, they tested those who claim to be from God and proved them to be false. They even endured for the sake of the Name of their Lord Jesus Christ and they didn't grow weary. We might ask, what else could be done? That's exactly what we need in our churches today right? If we see a church like that today we would no less commend it. Yet, the Lord rebuked them. He could see their hearts. He could see straight in our hearts. His sight penetrates through our dead works no matter how much we hide our cold hearts with activities, good works, busyness in our ministries, bible studies or any form of religious act. He could see it all...

How much do you love Christ? We all love Christ from a degree. Does your heart burn for Him? Does the service you render to Him a form of love, or a form of duty? What is your motivation? Do you look constantly upon the cross? When you go to church, is it about you being blessed? Or you go to church so that you might bless God with your life? What is it all about? Is it about Him being sovereign in your life? Or being only a "part" of your life. Christ is never a part of your life. He is your life (Colossians 3:4).

See, the point being made in here is that we, as fallible creatures could easily be unaware of our standing before God, and mistake our love for Him with the things that we do for Him. Altogether, let us all savor His grace. Look back to the Cross. Do not be content. Challenge the love you have for Him. Test yourselves (II Corinthians 13:5). One thing that amazes me about Mary, the brother of Lazarus,  is that each time she appears in the gospel she was at the feet of Jesus Christ. Can we do that? To sit at the feet of our Maker and to see His glory and splendor. To love Him for who He is above all things. And so, perform our duties out of love and not out of responsibilities.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength..." 

Luke 10:27

Obeying God: Burdensome?

"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."

I John 5:3

His commandments are not burdensome. The Greek word used here for burdensome is "barus" which means "heavy in weight, severe, stern or weighty". At times we may find ourselves falling into a particular sin and from there, how does this passage apply to us? How can we say with Apostle John that God's commandment is truly not burdensome?

Yes we fail from God's commandments, and no one can keep it perfectly. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (I John 1:8). Yet, despite the fact of our weaknesses and failures, it doesn't create a burdensome heart regarding our imperfect obedience toward His commandments. Yes we become frustrated, disappointed or even discouraged at times because we fail from following Him, but this is out of a heart that hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matt. 5:6) and we groan for the full redemption of our bodies (Romans 8:22). I could say that this is the godly sorrow which Apostle Paul mentioned in II Cor. 7:10, and this is healthy for our souls for it brings forth genuine repentance. And this, is very far from a heart who look at His commandments with contempt but has no choice but to obey it in fear of consequence.

A man truly born of God "will want to obey God" because his heart was regenerated (see Doctrine of Regeneration). His stubborn heart was replaced with a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36 verses 26-27 shows us a vivid picture of regeneration: "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules (emphasis mine)." If we are going to notice the last part of the verse, we will see that it is God who cause us to walk in His statutes and for us to be careful in obeying His rules. So again, a man truly born of God will want to obey God because he is regenerated. He will not feel being pushed to obey it. He will desire it and it will be a passion for him.

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself exclaimed in John 14:15, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments". So, we obey God primarily because God has changed our hearts and enable us to obey Him and moreover, to love Him. We obey Him out of love not duty, so it is never a burdensome task. Obeying God is more than a responsibility, it is to show our affection for Him. "For this is the love of God..."