The Christian Family: Marriage and Household Order: The Family

How Do We Love the Lord?

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Family Government

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2011-02-13

Synopsis: John Weaver examines the biblical command to love God with all one's heart, soul, mind, and strength, arguing that true love for God is not emotionalism or sentimentality but obedience to His commandments. Drawing from both Old and New Testaments, he demonstrates that loving God is evidenced by keeping His law in every area of life, including relationships, finances, and moral conduct. The sermon emphasizes that obedience is the only reliable measure of love for God, and that those who claim to love Him yet disobey His Word are liars.

[John Weaver] Let's open our Bibles today, if you would please, to the book of Matthew, chapter 22. Matthew, chapter 22. And we're going to be reading there, beginning with verse 35. Matthew 22, beginning there with verse 35. Notice, if you would, what our Lord says to answer the question of the lawyer. Then one of them who was a lawyer asked him a question, tempting him and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbors thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." I want to ask and answer a question today, and I want you to follow with me in the word of God. But here's the question. How do we love the Lord with all of our heart? We've been commanded to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and body.

[John Weaver] Our text is exceedingly clear upon this. Therefore, there is no excuse for anyone failing to obey this command. Moreover, the Lord repeats this command in Mark 12 and verse 30. He said this, And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment. And then again in Luke chapter 10 and verse 27, He answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself.

[John Weaver] So three times in the New Testament He has said this. I want you to turn back in your Bibles, hold Matthew 22 if you would, but turn back in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 6. In Deuteronomy chapter 6 and verse 4, you're going to find what is known as the Shema Israel. And it is just something that goes simply like this, Shema Israel, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Chad, Hear O Israel, The Lord our God is one. Notice, if you would, Deuteronomy 6 and verse 4. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. But note the next verse. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might. So it really does not matter if we look in the Old Testament or we look in the New Testament.

[John Weaver] The command is the same. We're commanded to love the Lord our God with all of our hearts, minds, souls. Several important questions arise. The first one is this. How do we accomplish that task? How do we know whether or not we love the Lord with all of our heart? Is there a standard of measurement? Can I determine or can anyone else determine as to whether or not either I or you love the Lord with all of our heart and with all of our soul. Now, we are obligated to love the Lord as He commands us simply because He is our Creator, our Redeemer, our Lord, and our Savior. Those who are unconverted still are under the obligation to obey God. They may not have the ability, they may not have the power, but they are still under the obligation to love the Lord with all their heart, mind, soul, and body. Simply because fallen man has lost his power and ability to obey does not mean that God has lost His right to command. First, let me try to answer this question regarding loving the Lord with all of our heart, soul, and mind.

[John Weaver] You would notice, I hope, that as I quoted from Mark 12 in verse 30, that the word strength is also added. You will also find that in Luke 10 in verse 27. In Deuteronomy 6 in verse 5, the word might is added.

[John Weaver] Now, some scholars will take this and translate it or interpret it, I should say, in a very general sense such as this, listen to this quote, Thou shalt love him with all the faculties or powers. Thou shalt love him supremely more than all other beings and things and with all ardor possible. To love him with the heart is to fix the affection supremely upon him more strongly than on anything else and to be willing to give up all that we hold dear at his command. That was one author. who is just trying to tell you what it means to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and body. Some will take that and break down each individual part. And they will say something like this, to love the Lord with the heart refers to the affections. To love the Lord with the soul refers to the life. To love the Lord with the mind refers to the intellect. Thus, they would say, when we set our affections upon Him, we love Him more than life, and we learn to think His thoughts after Him as they are revealed in His Word.

[John Weaver] So, some will take this very generally and say, here it is in a nutshell. But there are some scholars, like Adam Clark, who will take this and divide it and explain it in such a way where it seems almost impossible for you and I to conceive of what it means to love the Lord with all of our heart, mind, soul, and body. I want you to listen to what he said. He's got about four paragraphs, but listen carefully and see if you come up with the same thought that I came up with. Adam Clark goes into detail and he states, but what is implied in loving God with all the heart, soul, mind, strength, and when may a man be said to do this?

[John Weaver] Number one, He loves God with all of his heart, who loves nothing in comparison of him, and nothing but in reference to him, who is ready to give up, do, or suffer anything in order to please and glorify him, who has in his heart neither love nor hatred, hope nor fear, inclination nor aversion, desire nor delight, but as they relate to God and are regulated by him. Number two, He loves God with all his soul, or rather with all of his life, who is ready to give up his life for his sake, to endure all sorts of torments, and to be deprived of all kinds of comforts rather than to dishonor God, who employs life with all of its comforts and conveniences to glorify God in, by, and through all, to whom life and death are nothing but as they come from and lead to God.

[John Weaver] From this divine principle sprang the blood of the martyrs, which became the seed of the church. They overcame him through the blood of the Lamb, and loved not their life unto death. 3. He loves God with all of his strength, who exerts all the powers of his body and soul in the service of God, who for the glory of his Maker spares neither labor nor cost, who sacrifices his time, body, health, ease for the honor of God, his divine master, who employs in his service

[John Weaver] all his goods, talents, power, credit, authority, and influence. 4. He loves God with all of his mind, his intellect, who applies himself only to know God and His holy will, who receives with submission, gratitude, and pleasure the sacred truths which God has revealed to man, who studies no art nor science but as far as it is necessary for the service of God, and uses it at all times to promote His glory, who forms no projects nor designs but in reference to God, and the interest of mankind, who banishes from his understanding and memory every useless, foolish and dangerous thought together with every idea which has any tendency to defile his soul, or to turn it

[John Weaver] for a moment from the center of eternal repose. In a word, he who sees God in all things, thinks of Him at all times, having his mind continually fixed upon God, acknowledging Him in his ways, who begins, continues, and ends all his thoughts, words, and works to the glory of His name, This is the person who loves God with all his heart, life, strength, and intellect. He is crucified to the world and the world to him.

[John Weaver] He lives, yet not he but Christ lives in him. He beholds, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord and is changed to the same image from glory to glory, simply and constantly looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of his faith. He receives continual supplies of enlightening and sanctifying grace, and is thus fitted for every good worded work. O glorious state, far, far beyond this description, which comprises an ineffable communion between the ever-blessed Trinity and the soul of man." Now, here's my question. What was your thoughts? when Adam Clarke told you who the man was that really loved God with all of his heart, mind, soul and being.

[John Weaver] I'll tell you what my thought was. There ain't many. I mean, when you read that, you almost think that he's talking about perfection. And that may be true what it should be. But none of us are ever going to be perfect until we reach glory.

[John Weaver] Now, before I try to show you how applicable this truth is from scripture, let me just try to cover very quickly these two words, strength and might. Because they were added in the scripture, we're not only to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul and mind, but our strength and our might as well. When I think of the word strength, I think of what David said in Psalm 103, verse 1, where David said, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. So loving the Lord with all of our strength then simply means this, that everything that we are, everything that we have, enters into loving Him and praising Him and worshiping Him. It means that we understand that God is worthy of all of our strength and all of our praise, all of our glory, and all of our worship. Now, what about this little word, might, M-I-G-H-T? So many times we will say, well, strength and might are exactly the same thing, but not necessarily.

[John Weaver] Because the word might is used a little differently in Scripture at times. For instance, if you would turn in your Bibles to 1 Chronicles chapter 29. 1 Chronicles 29. Let me show you a use of the word might. And remember now, this is added. This is added to loving the Lord with all of our souls, our hearts and our minds. In 1 Chronicles 29, beginning there with verse 1, look what David says. 1 Chronicles 29 verse 1. Furthermore, David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great that is building the temple for the Lord. For the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God. Now I want you to look carefully at verse 2. Look what David says.

[John Weaver] Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God The gold for the things to be made of gold, the silver for the things of silver, the brass for the things of brass, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, onyx stones and stones to be said, glycerin stones and of diverse colors, and of all manner of precious stones and marble stones in abundance. Now note what David said, Now I have prepared with all my what? Might.

[John Weaver] What was he talking about? Let me put it in one simple word, money. Because he talks about all the gold and all the silver and all the brass and all the precious stones that he has laid up for the temple of God. So the word might then can also refer to money. Many who proclaim to love the Lord with all their might refuse to love Him with their tithes and their offerings and their gifts. So I submit to you that loving the Lord with all of our might.

[John Weaver] Includes all of the resources that we have available to us now. We understand that we have been commanded to love the Lord with all of our heart, mind and soul, but here is a question. What is it to love the Lord? What does it mean to love the Lord? Is loving the Lord a warm, tingling feeling? Is loving the Lord getting goosebumps coming up as I think about Him?

[John Weaver] Or the hair standing up on the back of my neck? Or getting that crawling sensation upon my skin? Is loving the Lord withdrawing from the world and living the life of an ascetic? I want you to go back with me to Deuteronomy chapter six. I want to show you something. I want you to see the context. Deuteronomy chapter six, and let's begin reading there with verse one, because I want you to see from the Bible what it is to love the Lord. Notice Deuteronomy chapter six, and let's begin reading with verse one.

[John Weaver] Now, these are the commandments the statutes and the judgments which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, watch carefully, that you might do them in the land whether you go to possess it, that thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments which I command thee, thou and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life, and that thy days may be prolonged. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it." that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth of milk and honey. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. Now watch, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shall talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up, and thou shalt bind

[John Weaver] them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes, and thou shalt write them upon the post of thy house, and on thy gates." Now, I want you to note that this passage began with the commandments of God, the Word of God, And then after he said, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart. He then says you're to teach them to all of your children. And it's interesting, I want you to turn, if you would, to the book of Mark chapter 12. Watch this. This is very informative. Mark chapter 12, because our Lord is going to give you the answer to the lawyer that we just read in Matthew 22.

[John Weaver] But look how he prefaces. in Mark 12, verse 29. Here's the preface. Look in Mark 12, verse 29. And Jesus answered him, the first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, with all thy strength. This is the first commandment. The preface to his answer is the Shema Israel that is mentioned back in Deuteronomy 6 and verse 4. So what is our Lord doing? Our Lord is, number one, supporting the law as it was given in the Word of God, and He is also instructing us and telling us this is how we love the Lord. There does exist a covenantal relationship between God and His people.

[John Weaver] That covenant existed in the Old Testament. That covenant exists in the New Testament. And the covenant that binds us is revealed in His Word. Thus, our Lord quotes the Shema Israel in Mark chapter 12 and verse 29. What He's teaching us is this. We have one Lord, one Word, one faith, and one baptism. I want to just take the Bible and show you from the Old Testament and then from the New Testament what it really means to love the Lord. So I want you to go back, if you would, to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 30 and verse 16. I'll show you several verses. Deuteronomy 30. Look at verse 16. Because I'm going to show you there is indeed a standard of measurement. So that you may know whether or not you love the Lord. And so that you may know whether anyone else loves the Lord. Notice if you would, Deuteronomy chapter 30 and verse 16, look what God says. In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply.

[John Weaver] And the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land where thou goest to possess it." Now, look carefully, verse 16, in that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God. Well, how do you love the Lord thy God? He didn't clarify it. To walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments. That's loving the Lord. Look in your Bibles, Deuteronomy 13, verse 20. Now thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him, for he is thy life, and the length of thy days, that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob, to give to them." Now notice what he calls loving the Lord in verse 20. It's obeying Him. It's cleaving unto Him. So he tells you in verse 16 it's keeping His commandments. Now in verse 20 he tells you it's obeying Him and cleaving unto Him. If you would turn right over to the book of Joshua, chapter 22, and look if you would please at verse 5.

[John Weaver] Joshua 22 and verse 5. Joshua 22 verse 5. Notice what he says. But take diligent heed to do the commandment of the law, which Moses, a servant of the Lord, charged you. What's the next phrase? To love the Lord your God. and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart, with all your soul." Isn't that interesting? What does he say? Look at that again. Joshua 22 and verse 5,"...but take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses, the servant of the Lord, charged you to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep His commandments, and cleave unto Him, and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul." Well, what's serving Him with all your heart and your soul? It's keeping His commandments. What is loving Him is keeping His commandments. If you'd skip down to verse 11, Joshua 23 verse 11. Joshua 23.

[John Weaver] Look, if you would please verse 11. Take good heed, therefore, into yourselves that you love the Lord your God. Oh, but go back to verse 8, but cleave unto the Lord your God as you've done in this day. Well, what is cleaving to the Lord? Well, according Deuteronomy. And Joshua 22 cleaving unto him is obeying him and keeping his law now. What I want to show you is this, the New Testament is just as plain as the Old Testament. Listen carefully, love is obedience. It is not sentimentalism, it's not emotionalism, it's not feeling, it's not traditionalism, it's not anything but simply obedience. You don't have to turn there, but let me just quote Romans 13 in verse 10. The Bible says this, Love worketh no ill to his neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. What is love? Love is the fulfilling of the law.

[John Weaver] Now, go in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 14. I want you to see this because this is going to be very important when I make the application. Notice, if you would, John chapter 14 and verse 15. In fact, we'll look at a number of verses right here. John chapter 14 and verse 15, look what our Lord said. If you love me. Keep my commandments. If you love me. Keep my commandments. What is loving Christ? It is keeping His commandments. Look in verse 21. John 14, verse 21. Our Lord says it like this. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. Well, who is it that loves Christ? He that has His commandments and keeps them. Look in verse 23. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, He will keep my words. Look in verse 24. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings. Now isn't that simple? Our Lord said if you love me, you'll obey me. If you love me, you'll keep my commandments.

[John Weaver] You want to know who loves me, said our Lord? It's the man who has my word and does it. You want to know who does not love me? It's the one who does not keep my commandments. I want you to turn over to 1 John, chapter 5. 1 John, chapter 5. I'm just trying to show you that the New Testament says exactly that same thing that the Old Testament says. Look in 1 John 5 at verses 2 and 3. 1 John 5, verse 2. Watch carefully. By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep His commandments. By this we know we love the children of God when we love God and keep His commandments. What is loving God according to verse 2? It's keeping His commandments. Watch verse 3. For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments. And His commandments do not grieve us. So what is the love of God? It's keeping His commandments. That's simple. This is the love of God.

[John Weaver] Go back to 1 John chapter 2. 1 John chapter 2 and look at verse 3. 1 John 2 verse 3. And hereby we do know that we know Him If we keep his commandments now, let me stop right there. Hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments. Does keeping his commandments save us? No, you're not saved by works. But he says, here's how you know whether or not you have been genuinely saved by grace. Because my grace will lead you to obey and keep my word. So he that hath my commandments and keepeth them, what does he say?

[John Weaver] He's the one that knows me. Watch verse 4. What? In fact, let's read verse 3 and 4 together. Look at verse 3, 1 John 2. And hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. Wow. Let me ask you a question. Where does that leave most church members who say that they love Christ? And yet their lives. Or lives of total disobedience to the Word of God. Our Lord says he that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. In 2 John 1 in verse 6, let me just quote it. 2 John 1 verse 6. And this is love that we walk after His commandments. Now, let me tell you something about love and then we'll show it to you from 1 John chapter 3. OK. Biblical love is always active. Biblical love always evidences itself. And manifest itself in service ministry, and sacrifice.

[John Weaver] Let me say that again. Biblical love always evidences itself, manifests itself, in service, ministry, and sacrifice.

[John Weaver] Now look in verse John 3 and verse 16. Look what God says. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. Now, remember what the word perceive means. It means to comprehend. It means to understand, to grab a hold of. Now, look carefully. And hereby understand we, perceive we, the love of God, because He laid down His life for us.

[John Weaver] Not because He just told us He loved us. Not because He said, I have feelings for you. Not because he had sensations and emotions. No, no. Hereby perceive we the love of God because he actually did something. He ministered. He sacrificed. He laid down his life for us. And here's the application. One of them right here. And he said we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. If we say that we love the brethren, which I'm going to show you just momentarily. Then it's not going to be feelings, it's not going to be sensations, it's not going to be emotionalism.

[John Weaver] Look what he said in verse 17. After he said we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren, he said, but whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth." Now, go back to verse 17,"...but whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shut up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him."

[John Weaver] So, if I see Robert hungry, and he tells me he's hungry, and he asks me for food, And I happen to have some. And I say something like this to him, well, brother, I tell you what. I'm going to be praying for you. I'll pray the Lord will lead you to a job somewhere or the Lord will lead you somewhere where you can find some food or harvest some food. When I've got it. What does God say? If I profess then that I love the Lord. And yet at the same time, I'm disobeying his commandments. Very obviously I don't love the Lord. So he says that we're to love not just in word or in tongue, but actually in deed and in truth.

[John Weaver] So there has to be actions. There has to be something real. There has to be something very obviously that can be manifested and demonstrated. So here's what I'm trying to answer. Think with me now. I'm trying to answer this question. How do I love the Lord with all my heart, with all my mind, and with all my soul? I want you to understand what I've just already told you. Love is obedience. I want you to understand that love is always demonstrated, it is always manifested, it is always evidence that is real, genuine, biblical love is. Since love is obedience then, it has to be in connection with God's Word, God's commands. And since I'm going to say that I love the Lord, it means very obviously I must obey Him. So obviously loving the Lord is not what most people think it is or what most people believe.

[John Weaver] We live in a feeling-oriented society. In fact, all you've got to do is watch most of the TV preachers and TV ministries and you'll understand that. In fact, you will hear people say, well, did you feel the Lord? Or I felt the Lord, what? God is spirit. You may have had an emotional response to faith or to perception, but you did not feel the Lord. No. Because God is spirit.

[John Weaver] All I'm trying to show you is this. The usual teaching on this is a bunch of religious bunk. It's junk. It's worthless. Let me ask you some questions. I want you to think about this. We're talking about loving the Lord and what it is to love the Lord. Here's my questions. Can we cuddle up to the Lord? Can I feel all warm and fuzzy with the Lord?

[John Weaver] Can I get all teary-eyed and sentimental with Him? Can I have an emotional high with the Lord? Can I jump and shout and have some type of experience? Can I do all of these things and call it love? Well, you may try to do some of those things. And in one or two of them, you may succeed. But you may not call it love, or at least you may not call it biblical love. For biblical love is obedience.

[John Weaver] Now let me show you. Look in your Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6. And let's begin there with verse 15. 1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 15. Remember, I'm asking you this question. Can you cuddle up to the Lord? Can you get all warm and fuzzy with him? I mean, and call this love. Look in First Timothy chapter one or chapter six. It is in verses 15 and 16. First Timothy chapter six, verse 15. Which in his times he shall show who is the blessed and only potentate. The king of kings and Lord of lords.

[John Weaver] Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light, which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see, to whom be honour and power everlasting." Well, there goes up your cuddling and your warm fuzzies with the Lord. Whom no man can approach unto. You may weep and you may cry and you may wail and you may scream that you love Him, but that does not mean that you do. Are you listening?

[John Weaver] Your emotionalism, your sentimentalism is all worthless. Emotionalism, sentimentalism do not equate to biblical love. Okay?

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look in your Bibles. to the book of Hebrews chapter 6. Hebrews chapter 6 because I'm still answering the question, what does it mean to love the Lord? I've already showed you that love is obedience and that love is always manifested, demonstrated, evidenced. But don't you notice what he said in Hebrews chapter 6 and look if you would please at verse 10. He says, for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which you have showed toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister." Now, wait a minute. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love. Here it is. It's real, genuine love, which you have showed toward His name. Well, how did you show love toward His name? In that you have ministered to the saints, and do Do you remember what our Lord said in Matthew 25 in verse 40? Listen carefully.

[John Weaver] Let me just quote it. And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you have done it to the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me. Since love is the fulfilling of the law, the way that we love God with all of our hearts, with all our minds, with all our soul, with all our strength, with all our might, is to keep His law toward each other and toward those who are outside of the faith.

[John Weaver] I want you to think with me. I've gone through the Old Testament, I've gone through the New Testament, I've showed you where love is obedience. I showed you where love is real, really manifested and demonstrated in evidence, if it's biblical love. I've showed you from Hebrews 6, loving the Lord is ministering to the saints. I want to love the Lord with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my soul.

[John Weaver] How do I do that? The answer is by obeying him in every sphere and every area of my life. Are you listening? When I love my wife the way God commanded me. I love the Lord. He forbids adultery and fornication and all uncleanness. Yet he commands me in Proverbs 5 and verse 18, let my fountain be blessed and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. That means this, I'm to find my joy, my fulfillment and my satisfaction in the wife that God has given me. And I'm to treat her the way he tells me to treat her. Malachi 2 and verse 14, let me just quote it. Yet you say wherefore, because the Lord hath been a witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously. Yet she is thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant." So, what I'm trying to show you is this. When I love my wife with a biblical love, when I love her as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, I'm obeying Christ.

[John Weaver] I'm fulfilling his law. I am demonstrating and evidencing and manifesting the fact that I love God with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind in that area. How about this one? Likewise, when my wife submits to me and loves me and helps me in the way that God is ordained, she is expressing her love to Christ. Because you remember in Ephesians chapter 5, the wife is to be a picture of the church and the church's submission to Jesus Christ. So love then is obedience. And it's obedience to God. If we love Him, we will keep His commandments. So when I love my wife the way God tells me to love her, I love the Lord. When she loves me the way God commands her, she loves the Lord. Let me go further. When I honor my parents the way God commanded me, I love the Lord. When I obey, submit, honor, support, sustain, encourage and esteem them highly in the Lord, I love Him.

[John Weaver] Exodus 20 verse 12 says, honor thy father and thy mother. And when you get to Matthew 15 in Mark chapter 7. Our Lord elucidates and expands that. And he shows that it means supporting them and taking care of them in their old age when they cannot take care of themselves. And let me tell you something. You know, you can always get more from an elderly parent. When I say get more, I'm talking about more cooperation, more help. by always encouraging them and honoring them. I took my mother to dinner innumerable times.

[John Weaver] I would pick her up. My sister would tell me, she said, she's very weak today. You'll just about have to pick her up and get her in the car yourself. I would walk her down to the car and I'd tell her, oh, you're doing such a fine job. You're doing a great job.

[John Weaver] Now, Mother, can you do this? Oh, I know you can. And guess what? She would do it. She would do it. And after she would do it, I would say, man, you're all right. You'll be running down the road next week. You know, something like that. And she was just as happy as she could be. And she would help. All I'm trying to show you is this. When I love her and honor her, I'm loving the Lord because that is exactly what God has commanded me.

[John Weaver] Here's another area I want you to think about it. When I tithe in obedience to the Lord, according to Deuteronomy 26 and verse 17. I am avouching that the Lord is my God. Let me just quote it, Deuteronomy 26 and verse 17. God says, thou hast to vouch the Lord this day to be thy God, to walk in his ways and to keep his statutes and his commandments and his judgments and to hearken into his voice. So if you read Deuteronomy 26, it's all about the tithes. And when you go up there to give your tithes, you are confessing and acknowledging that the Lord is your God.

[John Weaver] And the interesting thing is this. The word of vouch. Means literally. To say in one's heart. Think about that. The word of vouch means literally to say in one's heart. So what I give when I time. I'm saying in my heart. I recognize the Lord. I love him. I'm obeying him. I'm doing that which he has commanded me to do. Let me go further. When I refuse to steal, defraud, cheat, swindle and lie. I'm evidencing and manifesting the fact that I love the Lord. When I give cheerfully, lovingly, and generously to the Lord. Again, I'm manifesting that I love the Lord.

[John Weaver] How can that be so? Well, you remember the 8th commandment in Exodus chapter 20 verse 15 says this, thou shalt not steal. The positive that according to Ephesians 4 verse 28 is this, let him that stole steal no more. But rather let him labor working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needeth. So the opposite of thou shalt not steal is to be an honest individual working with your hands that which is good that you may have to give to show that you're not a selfish individual to him that needeth. Isn't that amazing? So when I refuse to lie and cheat and defraud and steal, I'm evidencing the fact that I love the Lord. When I'm willing to help someone who is a real, genuine, needful object of help, and I include biblical need, then I'm evidencing the fact that I love the Lord. You see, the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9, verse 7, Every man, according as he purported in his heart, so let him give.

[John Weaver] Not grudgingly, nor of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver. What's that mean? What I give according to the Word of God and I obey, I'm evidencing the fact that I love the Lord. You remember Jesus Christ in Proverbs 8 is wisdom personified. Verse 17, he said, I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me. I love those that love me. Well, how do I know that I love Him? I keep His commandments. How do I know that He loves me? Because He's given me grace and mercy to keep those commandments and to obey Him. I love the Lord with all my heart, mind and soul. When I love my Christian brethren, Let me show you.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to 1 John chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3. I'm just trying to show you how simple it is to love the Lord and yet at the same time show you there is a measuring stick. Look in 1 John chapter 3 and verse 14. He says, we know that we pass from death unto life. Because we love the brethren. Watch. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." We know we've passed from death to the lifeline because we love the brethren. Now, I realize and I understand there are some brethren who are not easy to love. I understand that. There are personality differences. But if someone is a genuine Christian, we still love them.

[John Weaver] We may not necessarily like everything about them. We may not necessarily always enjoy being around them. But we're going to help them, and we're going to take care of them, and we're going to act biblically and scripturally toward them regardless. We know we've passed from death into life because we love the brethren. And then he said this, he that loveth and honors a brother abideth in death.

[John Weaver] Look in 1 John 4, if you would, verses 7 and 8. 1 John 4, verses 7 and 8. The Bible says this. Beloved, let us love one another. For love is of God, and everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love. Now, wait a minute. He that loveth not knoweth not, for God is love. Wait a minute, let's go back. Beloved, let us love one another for love is of God. How do we love one another?

[John Weaver] Well, don't you remember I quoted? Go there. We're in 1st John. Go back to chapter 5, verse 2. Look in 1st John 5, verse 2. By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments. So that means simply this. How do I know that I love the brethren? Because I act implicitly toward them. I may never hug Ron's neck. I may never squall and cry on his shoulder and wipe my nose on him, you know. And squall, I love you, I love you, I love you. I may never do that. But if I treat him biblically, if I honor his family, if I honor him, and if I act toward him the way God tells me to act, I love him. Because love is the fulfilling. Of the law now go back to 1 John 4 and look if you would it versus 20 and 21. First John 4 verses 20 and 21. Here we go. If a man say I love God and hated his brother.

[John Weaver] He is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? This commandment have we from him that he who loveth God love his brother also. Wow. So that means I'm obligated to act biblically toward any brother. That's how I love him. Doesn't mean I like his tonal pattern. Doesn't mean I like his habits. Doesn't mean I like a lot of things about him. But I'm going to act biblically toward him. I'm going to act scripturally toward him.

[John Weaver] As Christians, we must love our husbands, wives, neighbors, and brethren the way Christ commands us if we wish to demonstrate and manifest our love for Christ. If we do not love as He has commanded, then we do not love Him. You could reverse all of this stuff. If I run around on Alice and commit fornication and adultery, I'm not only demonstrating I don't love her, I'm demonstrating that I don't love Christ. If I begin to lie and cheat and steal and swindle and defraud, I'm not only not loving my brethren, I'm not loving Christ, because I'm not obeying Him. Love is the fulfilling of the law. Listen to me. When I hate sin, wickedness, disobedience and rebellion, and when I refuse to participate in all such iniquity, I love the Lord.

[John Weaver] How can that be so? Because He has commanded me in Psalm 97, verse 10, Ye that love the Lord hate evil. He's also commanded me in Amos 5 and verse 15, hate the evil and love the good. You see, it is impossible to love the Lord without at the same time hating everything that's contrary to the Lord. I want you to listen. And I want you to think. Upon these verses as I read them, don't turn there, just listen. Exodus 20 and verse 6, where God says, and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. What is loving the Lord? Keeping his commandments. Deuteronomy 5.10, and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. Deuteronomy 19, verse 9,"'If thou shalt keep all these commandments, to do them which I command thee this day, to love the Lord thy God, and to walk ever in his ways, then shalt thou add three cities more for thee besides these three, loving the Lord according to the scripture, as walking in

[John Weaver] his ways, and obeying him.'" In 2 Chronicles 34, verse 31, King Josiah makes a covenant. I want you to listen to what he said. And the King Josiah stood in his place and made a covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and with all his soul to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book. Wow. What is walking after the Lord with all your heart and all your soul? What is loving the Lord with all your heart and all your soul? It's obeying Him in every area of your life. I want you to understand something.

[John Weaver] There is a measuring stick. There is a measuring rod. You ask me. How much do I love the Lord? My answer is. How much do you obey the Lord? You ask me, what is the measure of my love? I answer. It's obedience. It's obedience to the word of God. Your talk is worthless. Your emotions are fickle. Your sentimentality is useless. Obedience and obedience alone evidences the fact. Whether or not you love the Lord.

[John Weaver] Christ could not have said it any plainer than he did in John 14 in verse 21 when he said. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them He it is that loveth me. So if I want to love Him with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my soul, that means this. In every area and every sphere of my life, I seek to be biblical and obedient and walk according to His Word and His truth. For He that hath His commandments and keepeth them, He's the one Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your truth and for Your grace and for Your mercy and Your kindness. Teach us, Lord, to love Thee with all of our hearts, minds, soul and bodies and strength and might by being obedient and walking according to Thy law. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray, Amen.

[John Weaver] This program was produced by Dominion Ministry. For more information about Pastor Weaver's sermons, you may contact Dominion Ministry by mail at 7400 Abercorn, that's A-B-E-R-C-O-R-N, Street, Suite 705, PMV 175, Savannah, Georgia, 31406. Or give us a call at 912-833-7000. You can also visit our website at www.dominionministry.com

How Do We Love the Lord?

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	42211154011
Subject	Family Government
Course	The Christian Family: Marriage and Household Order: The Family
Genre	Sermon
Date	2011-02-13
Dictation Name
Book	Book 027: The Christian Family: Marriage and Household Order — Chapter 13
Source Timed Segments	65

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Reading of the Great Commandment

Weaver reads Matthew 22:35-40 and poses the central question: How do we love the Lord with all our heart?

Let's open our Bibles today, if you would please, to the book of Matthew, chapter 22. Matthew, chapter 22. And we're going to be reading there, beginning with verse 35. Matthew 22, beginning there with verse 35. Notice, if you would, what our Lord says to answer the question of the lawyer.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 22:35-40

"Then one of them who was a lawyer asked him a question, tempting him and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

I want to ask and answer a question today, and I want you to follow with me in the word of God. But here's the question. How do we love the Lord with all of our heart? We've been commanded to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and body.

The Command Repeated in Scripture

The command to love God is repeated in Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27, and Deuteronomy 6:4-5, emphasizing its importance.

Our text is exceedingly clear upon this. Therefore, there is no excuse for anyone failing to obey this command. Moreover, the Lord repeats this command in Mark 12 and verse 30. He said this,

Scripture Reading — Mark 12:30

"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment."

And then again in Luke chapter 10 and verse 27,

Scripture Reading — Mark 12:30

"He answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself."

So three times in the New Testament He has said this. I want you to turn back in your Bibles, hold Matthew 22 if you would, but turn back in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 6. In Deuteronomy chapter 6 and verse 4, you're going to find what is known as the Shema Israel. And it is just something that goes simply like this, "Shema Israel, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad, Hear O Israel, The Lord our God is one." Notice, if you would, Deuteronomy 6 and verse 4. "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord." But note the next verse. "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might." So it really does not matter if we look in the Old Testament or we look in the New Testament.

Scholarly Interpretations of Loving God

Weaver reviews general and detailed interpretations, including Adam Clarke's exhaustive description, which seems to demand perfection.

Now, some scholars will take this and translate it or interpret it, I should say, in a very general sense such as this, listen to this quote, "Thou shalt love him with all the faculties or powers. Thou shalt love him supremely more than all other beings and things and with all ardor possible. To love him with the heart is to fix the affection supremely upon him more strongly than on anything else and to be willing to give up all that we hold dear at his command." That was one author who is just trying to tell you what it means to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and body. Some will take that and break down each individual part. And they will say something like this, to love the Lord with the heart refers to the affections. To love the Lord with the soul refers to the life. To love the Lord with the mind refers to the intellect. Thus, they would say, when we set our affections upon Him, we love Him more than life, and we learn to think His thoughts after Him as they are revealed in His Word.

So, some will take this very generally and say, here it is in a nutshell. But there are some scholars, like Adam Clarke, who will take this and divide it and explain it in such a way where it seems almost impossible for you and I to conceive of what it means to love the Lord with all of our heart, mind, soul, and body. I want you to listen to what he said. He's got about four paragraphs, but listen carefully and see if you come up with the same thought that I came up with. Adam Clarke goes into detail and he states, "But what is implied in loving God with all the heart, soul, mind, strength, and when may a man be said to do this?" Number one, "He loves God with all of his heart, who loves nothing in comparison of him, and nothing but in reference to him, who is ready to give up, do, or suffer anything in order to please and glorify him, who has in his heart neither love nor hatred, hope nor fear, inclination nor aversion, desire nor delight, but as they relate to God and are regulated by him." Number two, "He loves God with all his soul, or rather with all of his life, who is ready to give up his life for his sake, to endure all sorts of torments, and to be deprived of all kinds of comforts rather than to dishonor God, who employs life with all of its comforts and conveniences to glorify God in, by, and through all, to whom life and death are nothing but as they come from and lead to God."

From this divine principle sprang the blood of the martyrs, which became the seed of the church. They overcame him through the blood of the Lamb, and loved not their life unto death. 3. "He loves God with all of his strength, who exerts all the powers of his body and soul in the service of God, who for the glory of his Maker spares neither labor nor cost, who sacrifices his time, body, health, ease for the honor of God, his divine master, who employs in his service" all his goods, talents, power, credit, authority, and influence. 4. "He loves God with all of his mind, his intellect, who applies himself only to know God and His holy will, who receives with submission, gratitude, and pleasure the sacred truths which God has revealed to man, who studies no art nor science but as far as it is necessary for the service of God, and uses it at all times to promote His glory, who forms no projects nor designs but in reference to God, and the interest of mankind, who banishes from his understanding and memory every useless, foolish and dangerous thought together with every idea which has any tendency to defile his soul, or to turn it"

for a moment from the center of eternal repose. In a word, he who sees God in all things, thinks of Him at all times, having his mind continually fixed upon God, acknowledging Him in his ways, who begins, continues, and ends all his thoughts, words, and works to the glory of His name, This is the person who loves God with all his heart, life, strength, and intellect. He is crucified to the world and the world to him. He lives, yet not he but Christ lives in him. He beholds, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord and is changed to the same image from glory to glory, simply and constantly looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of his faith. He receives continual supplies of enlightening and sanctifying grace, and is thus fitted for every good word and work. O glorious state, far, far beyond this description, which comprises an ineffable communion between the ever-blessed Trinity and the soul of man." Now, here's my question. What was your thoughts when Adam Clarke told you who the man was that really loved God with all of his heart, mind, soul and being?

I'll tell you what my thought was. There ain't many. I mean, when you read that, you almost think that he's talking about perfection. And that may be true what it should be. But none of us are ever going to be perfect until we reach glory.

Defining Strength and Might

Strength involves all that we are praising God; might includes material resources like money, as seen in David's preparation for the temple.

Now, before I try to show you how applicable this truth is from scripture, let me just try to cover very quickly these two words, strength and might. Because they were added in the scripture, we're not only to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul and mind, but our strength and our might as well. When I think of the word strength, I think of what David said in Psalm 103, verse 1, where David said,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 103:1

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name."

So loving the Lord with all of our strength then simply means this, that everything that we are, everything that we have, enters into loving Him and praising Him and worshiping Him. It means that we understand that God is worthy of all of our strength and all of our praise, all of our glory, and all of our worship. Now, what about this little word, might, M-I-G-H-T? So many times we will say, well, strength and might are exactly the same thing, but not necessarily.

Because the word might is used a little differently in Scripture at times. For instance, if you would turn in your Bibles to 1 Chronicles chapter 29. 1 Chronicles 29. Let me show you a use of the word might. And remember now, this is added. This is added to loving the Lord with all of our souls, our hearts and our minds. In 1 Chronicles 29, beginning there with verse 1, look what David says. 1 Chronicles 29 verse 1. "Furthermore, David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great that is building the temple for the Lord. For the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God." Now I want you to look carefully at verse 2. Look what David says.

"Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God The gold for the things to be made of gold, the silver for the things of silver, the brass for the things of brass, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, onyx stones and stones to be set, glistering stones and of diverse colors, and of all manner of precious stones and marble stones in abundance." Now note what David said, "Now I have prepared with all my what? Might." What was he talking about? Let me put it in one simple word, money. Because he talks about all the gold and all the silver and all the brass and all the precious stones that he has laid up for the temple of God. So the word might then can also refer to money. Many who proclaim to love the Lord with all their might refuse to love Him with their tithes and their offerings and their gifts. So I submit to you that loving the Lord with all of our might.

Includes all of the resources that we have available to us now. We understand that we have been commanded to love the Lord with all of our heart, mind and soul, but here is a question. What is it to love the Lord? What does it mean to love the Lord? Is loving the Lord a warm, tingling feeling? Is loving the Lord getting goosebumps coming up as I think about Him?

Love Defined as Obedience in the Old Testament

Deuteronomy 6, 30:16, 13:20, and Joshua 22:5 equate loving God with walking in His ways, keeping His commandments, and cleaving to Him.

"Now, these are the commandments the statutes and the judgments which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, watch carefully, that you might do them in the land whether you go to possess it, that thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments which I command thee, thou and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life, and that thy days may be prolonged. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth of milk and honey. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. Now watch, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shall talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up, and thou shalt bind"

"them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes, and thou shalt write them upon the post of thy house, and on thy gates." Now, I want you to note that this passage began with the commandments of God, the Word of God, And then after he said, "thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." He then says you're to teach them to all of your children. And it's interesting, I want you to turn, if you would, to the book of Mark chapter 12. Watch this. This is very informative. Mark chapter 12, because our Lord is going to give you the answer to the lawyer that we just read in Matthew 22.

But look how he prefaces in Mark 12, verse 29. Here's the preface. Look in Mark 12, verse 29.

Scripture Reading — Mark 12:29

"And Jesus answered him, the first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, with all thy strength. This is the first commandment."

The preface to his answer is the Shema Israel that is mentioned back in Deuteronomy 6 and verse 4. So what is our Lord doing? Our Lord is, number one, supporting the law as it was given in the Word of God, and He is also instructing us and telling us this is how we love the Lord. There does exist a covenantal relationship between God and His people.

That covenant existed in the Old Testament. That covenant exists in the New Testament. And the covenant that binds us is revealed in His Word. Thus, our Lord quotes the Shema Israel in Mark chapter 12 and verse 29. What He's teaching us is this. We have one Lord, one Word, one faith, and one baptism. I want to just take the Bible and show you from the Old Testament and then from the New Testament what it really means to love the Lord. So I want you to go back, if you would, to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 30 and verse 16. I'll show you several verses. Deuteronomy 30. Look at verse 16. Because I'm going to show you there is indeed a standard of measurement. So that you may know whether or not you love the Lord. And so that you may know whether anyone else loves the Lord. Notice if you would, Deuteronomy chapter 30 and verse 16, look what God says. "In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply."

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 30:16

"And the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land where thou goest to possess it."

Now, look carefully, verse 16,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 30:16

"in that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God."

Well, how do you love the Lord thy God? He didn't clarify it.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 30:16

"To walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments."

That's loving the Lord. Look in your Bibles, Deuteronomy 13, verse 20.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 30:16

"Now thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him, for he is thy life, and the length of thy days, that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob, to give to them."

Now notice what he calls loving the Lord in verse 20. It's obeying Him. It's cleaving unto Him. So he tells you in verse 16 it's keeping His commandments. Now in verse 20 he tells you it's obeying Him and cleaving unto Him. If you would turn right over to the book of Joshua, chapter 22, and look if you would please at verse 5.

Joshua 22 and verse 5. Joshua 22 verse 5. Notice what he says. "But take diligent heed to do the commandment of the law, which Moses, a servant of the Lord, charged you." What's the next phrase? "To love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart, with all your soul." Isn't that interesting? What does he say? Look at that again. Joshua 22 and verse 5, "...but take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses, the servant of the Lord, charged you to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep His commandments, and cleave unto Him, and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul." Well, what's serving Him with all your heart and your soul? It's keeping His commandments. What is loving Him is keeping His commandments. If you'd skip down to verse 11, Joshua 23 verse 11. Joshua 23.

Look, if you would please verse 11.

Scripture Reading — Joshua 23:11

"Take good heed, therefore, into yourselves that you love the Lord your God."

Oh, but go back to verse 8,

Scripture Reading — Joshua 23:11

"but cleave unto the Lord your God as you've done in this day."

Well, what is cleaving to the Lord? Well, according Deuteronomy and Joshua 22 cleaving unto him is obeying him and keeping his law. Now, what I want to show you is this, the New Testament is just as plain as the Old Testament. Listen carefully, love is obedience. It is not sentimentalism, it's not emotionalism, it's not feeling, it's not traditionalism, it's not anything but simply obedience. You don't have to turn there, but let me just quote Romans 13 in verse 10. The Bible says this, "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law." What is love? Love is the fulfilling of the law.

Love Defined as Obedience in the New Testament

John 14:15, 21, 23-24; 1 John 5:2-3; and 2:3-4 show that loving Christ means keeping His commandments, and those who disobey are liars.

Now, go in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 14. I want you to see this because this is going to be very important when I make the application. Notice, if you would, John chapter 14 and verse 15. In fact, we'll look at a number of verses right here. John chapter 14 and verse 15, look what our Lord said. "If you love me. Keep my commandments." If you love me. Keep my commandments. What is loving Christ? It is keeping His commandments. Look in verse 21. John 14, verse 21. Our Lord says it like this. "He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me." Well, who is it that loves Christ? He that has His commandments and keeps them. Look in verse 23. "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, He will keep my words." Look in verse 24. "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings." Now isn't that simple? Our Lord said if you love me, you'll obey me. If you love me, you'll keep my commandments.

Scripture Reading — John 14:15, 21, 23-24

You want to know who loves me, said our Lord? It's the man who has my word and does it. You want to know who does not love me? It's the one who does not keep my commandments. I want you to turn over to 1 John, chapter 5. 1 John, chapter 5. I'm just trying to show you that the New Testament says exactly that same thing that the Old Testament says. Look in 1 John 5 at verses 2 and 3. 1 John 5, verse 2. Watch carefully. "By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep His commandments." By this we know we love the children of God when we love God and keep His commandments. What is loving God according to verse 2? It's keeping His commandments. Watch verse 3. "For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments. And His commandments do not grieve us." So what is the love of God? It's keeping His commandments. That's simple. This is the love of God.

Go back to 1 John chapter 2. 1 John chapter 2 and look at verse 3. 1 John 2 verse 3.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 5:2-3

"And hereby we do know that we know Him If we keep his commandments."

Now, let me stop right there. Hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments. Does keeping his commandments save us? No, you're not saved by works. But he says, here's how you know whether or not you have been genuinely saved by grace. Because my grace will lead you to obey and keep my word. So he that hath my commandments and keepeth them, what does he say?

He's the one that knows me. Watch verse 4. What? In fact, let's read verse 3 and 4 together. Look at verse 3, 1 John 2.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 2:3-4

"And hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him."

Wow. Let me ask you a question. Where does that leave most church members who say that they love Christ? And yet their lives are lives of total disobedience to the Word of God. Our Lord says he that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. In 2 John 1 in verse 6, let me just quote it. 2 John 1 verse 6. "And this is love that we walk after His commandments." Now, let me tell you something about love and then we'll show it to you from 1 John chapter 3. OK. Biblical love is always active. Biblical love always evidences itself and manifests itself in service, ministry, and sacrifice.

Biblical Love is Active and Demonstrated

Love is always evidenced in service, ministry, and sacrifice, as seen in 1 John 3:16-18 and Hebrews 6:10.

Let me say that again. Biblical love always evidences itself, manifests itself, in service, ministry, and sacrifice. Now look in verse John 3 and verse 16. Look what God says. "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." Now, remember what the word perceive means. It means to comprehend. It means to understand, to grab a hold of. Now, look carefully. And hereby understand we, perceive we, the love of God, because He laid down His life for us.

Not because He just told us He loved us. Not because He said, I have feelings for you. Not because he had sensations and emotions. No, no. Hereby perceive we the love of God because he actually did something. He ministered. He sacrificed. He laid down his life for us. And here's the application. One of them right here. And he said we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. If we say that we love the brethren, which I'm going to show you just momentarily. Then it's not going to be feelings, it's not going to be sensations, it's not going to be emotionalism.

Look what he said in verse 17. After he said we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren, he said, "but whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth." Now, go back to verse 17, "...but whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shut up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him." So, if I see Robert hungry, and he tells me he's hungry, and he asks me for food, And I happen to have some. And I say something like this to him, well, brother, I tell you what. I'm going to be praying for you. I'll pray the Lord will lead you to a job somewhere or the Lord will lead you somewhere where you can find some food or harvest some food. When I've got it. What does God say? If I profess then that I love the Lord. And yet at the same time, I'm disobeying his commandments. Very obviously I don't love the Lord. So he says that we're to love not just in word or in tongue, but actually in deed and in truth.

So there has to be actions. There has to be something real. There has to be something very obviously that can be manifested and demonstrated. So here's what I'm trying to answer. Think with me now. I'm trying to answer this question. How do I love the Lord with all my heart, with all my mind, and with all my soul? I want you to understand what I've just already told you. Love is obedience. I want you to understand that love is always demonstrated, it is always manifested, it is always evidence that is real, genuine, biblical love is. Since love is obedience then, it has to be in connection with God's Word, God's commands. And since I'm going to say that I love the Lord, it means very obviously I must obey Him. So obviously loving the Lord is not what most people think it is or what most people believe.

We live in a feeling-oriented society. In fact, all you've got to do is watch most of the TV preachers and TV ministries and you'll understand that. In fact, you will hear people say, well, did you feel the Lord? Or I felt the Lord, what? God is spirit. You may have had an emotional response to faith or to perception, but you did not feel the Lord. No. Because God is spirit.

All I'm trying to show you is this. The usual teaching on this is a bunch of religious bunk. It's junk. It's worthless. Let me ask you some questions. I want you to think about this. We're talking about loving the Lord and what it is to love the Lord. Here's my questions. Can we cuddle up to the Lord? Can I feel all warm and fuzzy with the Lord?

Can I get all teary-eyed and sentimental with Him? Can I have an emotional high with the Lord? Can I jump and shout and have some type of experience? Can I do all of these things and call it love? Well, you may try to do some of those things. And in one or two of them, you may succeed. But you may not call it love, or at least you may not call it biblical love. For biblical love is obedience.

Now let me show you. Look in your Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6. And let's begin there with verse 15. 1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 15. Remember, I'm asking you this question. Can you cuddle up to the Lord? Can you get all warm and fuzzy with him? I mean, and call this love. Look in First Timothy chapter one or chapter six. It is in verses 15 and 16. First Timothy chapter six, verse 15. "Which in his times he shall show who is the blessed and only potentate. The king of kings and Lord of lords."

"Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light, which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see, to whom be honour and power everlasting." Well, there goes up your cuddling and your warm fuzzies with the Lord. Whom no man can approach unto. You may weep and you may cry and you may wail and you may scream that you love Him, but that does not mean that you do. Are you listening? Your emotionalism, your sentimentalism is all worthless. Emotionalism, sentimentalism do not equate to biblical love. Okay?

Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 6. Hebrews chapter 6 because I'm still answering the question, what does it mean to love the Lord? I've already showed you that love is obedience and that love is always manifested, demonstrated, evidenced. But don't you notice what he said in Hebrews chapter 6 and look if you would please at verse 10. He says,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 6:10

"for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which you have showed toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister."

Now, wait a minute. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love. Here it is. It's real, genuine love, which you have showed toward His name. Well, how did you show love toward His name? In that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Do you remember what our Lord said in Matthew 25 in verse 40? Listen carefully.

Practical Applications of Loving God

Loving God is shown by obeying Him in marriage, honoring parents, tithing, honesty, giving, and loving the brethren.

How do I do that? The answer is by obeying him in every sphere and every area of my life. Are you listening? When I love my wife the way God commanded me. I love the Lord. He forbids adultery and fornication and all uncleanness. Yet he commands me in Proverbs 5 and verse 18, "let my fountain be blessed and rejoice with the wife of thy youth." That means this, I'm to find my joy, my fulfillment and my satisfaction in the wife that God has given me. And I'm to treat her the way he tells me to treat her. Malachi 2 and verse 14, let me just quote it. "Yet you say wherefore, because the Lord hath been a witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously. Yet she is thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant." So, what I'm trying to show you is this. When I love my wife with a biblical love, when I love her as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, I'm obeying Christ.

I'm fulfilling his law. I am demonstrating and evidencing and manifesting the fact that I love God with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind in that area. How about this one? Likewise, when my wife submits to me and loves me and helps me in the way that God is ordained, she is expressing her love to Christ. Because you remember in Ephesians chapter 5, the wife is to be a picture of the church and the church's submission to Jesus Christ. So love then is obedience. And it's obedience to God. If we love Him, we will keep His commandments. So when I love my wife the way God tells me to love her, I love the Lord. When she loves me the way God commands her, she loves the Lord. Let me go further. When I honor my parents the way God commanded me, I love the Lord. When I obey, submit, honor, support, sustain, encourage and esteem them highly in the Lord, I love Him.

Exodus 20 verse 12 says, "honor thy father and thy mother." And when you get to Matthew 15 in Mark chapter 7. Our Lord elucidates and expands that. And he shows that it means supporting them and taking care of them in their old age when they cannot take care of themselves. And let me tell you something. You know, you can always get more from an elderly parent. When I say get more, I'm talking about more cooperation, more help by always encouraging them and honoring them. I took my mother to dinner innumerable times.

I would pick her up. My sister would tell me, she said, she's very weak today. You'll just about have to pick her up and get her in the car yourself. I would walk her down to the car and I'd tell her, oh, you're doing such a fine job. You're doing a great job.

Now, Mother, can you do this? Oh, I know you can. And guess what? She would do it. She would do it. And after she would do it, I would say, man, you're all right. You'll be running down the road next week. You know, something like that. And she was just as happy as she could be. And she would help. All I'm trying to show you is this. When I love her and honor her, I'm loving the Lord because that is exactly what God has commanded me.

Here's another area I want you to think about it. When I tithe in obedience to the Lord, according to Deuteronomy 26 and verse 17. I am avouching that the Lord is my God. Let me just quote it, Deuteronomy 26 and verse 17. God says, "thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, to walk in his ways and to keep his statutes and his commandments and his judgments and to hearken into his voice." So if you read Deuteronomy 26, it's all about the tithes. And when you go up there to give your tithes, you are confessing and acknowledging that the Lord is your God. And the interesting thing is this. The word avouch means literally to say in one's heart. Think about that. The word avouch means literally to say in one's heart. So what I give when I tithe, I'm saying in my heart, I recognize the Lord. I love him. I'm obeying him. I'm doing that which he has commanded me to do. Let me go further. When I refuse to steal, defraud, cheat, swindle and lie. I'm evidencing and manifesting the fact that I love the Lord. When I give cheerfully, lovingly, and generously to the Lord. Again, I'm manifesting that I love the Lord.

How can that be so? Well, you remember the 8th commandment in Exodus chapter 20 verse 15 says this, "thou shalt not steal." The positive that according to Ephesians 4 verse 28 is this, "let him that stole steal no more. But rather let him labor working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needeth." So the opposite of thou shalt not steal is to be an honest individual working with your hands that which is good that you may have to give to show that you're not a selfish individual to him that needeth. Isn't that amazing? So when I refuse to lie and cheat and defraud and steal, I'm evidencing the fact that I love the Lord. When I'm willing to help someone who is a real, genuine, needful object of help, and I include biblical need, then I'm evidencing the fact that I love the Lord. You see, the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9, verse 7, "Every man, according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give."

"Not grudgingly, nor of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver." What's that mean? What I give according to the Word of God and I obey, I'm evidencing the fact that I love the Lord. You remember Jesus Christ in Proverbs 8 is wisdom personified. Verse 17, he said, "I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me." I love those that love me. Well, how do I know that I love Him? I keep His commandments. How do I know that He loves me? Because He's given me grace and mercy to keep those commandments and to obey Him. I love the Lord with all my heart, mind and soul. When I love my Christian brethren, Let me show you.

Look in your Bibles to 1 John chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3. I'm just trying to show you how simple it is to love the Lord and yet at the same time show you there is a measuring stick. Look in 1 John chapter 3 and verse 14. He says, "we know that we pass from death unto life. Because we love the brethren. Watch. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." We know we've passed from death to the lifeline because we love the brethren. Now, I realize and I understand there are some brethren who are not easy to love. I understand that. There are personality differences. But if someone is a genuine Christian, we still love them.

We may not necessarily like everything about them. We may not necessarily always enjoy being around them. But we're going to help them, and we're going to take care of them, and we're going to act biblically and scripturally toward them regardless. We know we've passed from death into life because we love the brethren. And then he said this, he that loveth and honors a brother abideth in death. Look in 1 John 4, if you would, verses 7 and 8. 1 John 4, verses 7 and 8. The Bible says this. "Beloved, let us love one another. For love is of God, and everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love." Now, wait a minute. He that loveth not knoweth not, for God is love. Wait a minute, let's go back. Beloved, let us love one another for love is of God. How do we love one another?

Well, don't you remember I quoted? Go there. We're in 1st John. Go back to chapter 5, verse 2. Look in 1st John 5, verse 2. "By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments." So that means simply this. How do I know that I love the brethren? Because I act implicitly toward them. I may never hug Ron's neck. I may never squall and cry on his shoulder and wipe my nose on him, you know. And squall, I love you, I love you, I love you. I may never do that. But if I treat him biblically, if I honor his family, if I honor him, and if I act toward him the way God tells me to act, I love him. Because love is the fulfilling of the law. Now go back to 1 John 4 and look if you would at verses 20 and 21. First John 4 verses 20 and 21. Here we go. "If a man say I love God and hated his brother."

"He is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? This commandment have we from him that he who loveth God love his brother also." Wow. So that means I'm obligated to act biblically toward any brother. That's how I love him. Doesn't mean I like his tonal pattern. Doesn't mean I like his habits. Doesn't mean I like a lot of things about him. But I'm going to act biblically toward him. I'm going to act scripturally toward him.

As Christians, we must love our husbands, wives, neighbors, and brethren the way Christ commands us if we wish to demonstrate and manifest our love for Christ. If we do not love as He has commanded, then we do not love Him. You could reverse all of this stuff. If I run around on Alice and commit fornication and adultery, I'm not only demonstrating I don't love her, I'm demonstrating that I don't love Christ. If I begin to lie and cheat and steal and swindle and defraud, I'm not only not loving my brethren, I'm not loving Christ, because I'm not obeying Him. Love is the fulfilling of the law. Listen to me. When I hate sin, wickedness, disobedience and rebellion, and when I refuse to participate in all such iniquity, I love the Lord.

Hating Evil as Part of Loving God

Psalm 97:10 and Amos 5:15 teach that loving God requires hating evil; obedience in all areas is the measure of love.

How can that be so? Because He has commanded me in Psalm 97, verse 10, "Ye that love the Lord hate evil." He's also commanded me in Amos 5 and verse 15, "hate the evil and love the good." You see, it is impossible to love the Lord without at the same time hating everything that's contrary to the Lord. I want you to listen. And I want you to think upon these verses as I read them, don't turn there, just listen. Exodus 20 and verse 6, where God says, "and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments." What is loving the Lord? Keeping his commandments. Deuteronomy 5.10, "and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments." Deuteronomy 19, verse 9, "If thou shalt keep all these commandments, to do them which I command thee this day, to love the Lord thy God, and to walk ever in his ways, then shalt thou add three cities more for thee besides these three, loving the Lord according to the scripture, as walking in"

"his ways, and obeying him." In 2 Chronicles 34, verse 31, King Josiah makes a covenant. I want you to listen to what he said. "And the King Josiah stood in his place and made a covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and with all his soul to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book." Wow. What is walking after the Lord with all your heart and all your soul? What is loving the Lord with all your heart and all your soul? It's obeying Him in every area of your life. I want you to understand something.

There is a measuring stick. There is a measuring rod. You ask me. How much do I love the Lord? My answer is. How much do you obey the Lord? You ask me, what is the measure of my love? I answer. It's obedience. It's obedience to the word of God. Your talk is worthless. Your emotions are fickle. Your sentimentality is useless. Obedience and obedience alone evidences the fact. Whether or not you love the Lord.

Conclusion and Prayer

Weaver concludes that obedience alone evidences love for God, and prays for grace to love God through obedience.

Christ could not have said it any plainer than he did in John 14 in verse 21 when he said. "He that hath my commandments and keepeth them He it is that loveth me." So if I want to love Him with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my soul, that means this. In every area and every sphere of my life, I seek to be biblical and obedient and walk according to His Word and His truth. For He that hath His commandments and keepeth them, He's the one Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your truth and for Your grace and for Your mercy and Your kindness. Teach us, Lord, to love Thee with all of our hearts, minds, soul and bodies and strength and might by being obedient and walking according to Thy law. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray, Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Love as Obedience

Summary: True love for God is defined not by feelings but by keeping His commandments, as consistently taught in both Testaments.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'Love is obedience. It is not sentimentalism, it's not emotionalism, it's not feeling, it's not traditionalism, it's not anything but simply obedience.'

The Measuring Stick of Love

Summary: Obedience to God's Word is the only reliable standard to measure whether one truly loves God.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'There is a measuring stick. There is a measuring rod. You ask me. How much do I love the Lord? My answer is. How much do you obey the Lord?'

Rejection of Emotionalism

Summary: Emotional experiences, sentimentalism, and feelings are worthless as evidence of love for God; only obedience matters.

Evidence: Weaver declares, 'Your emotionalism, your sentimentalism is all worthless. Emotionalism, sentimentalism do not equate to biblical love.'

Love Demonstrated in Action

Summary: Biblical love always manifests itself in concrete service, ministry, and sacrifice toward God and others.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'Biblical love always evidences itself and manifests itself in service, ministry, and sacrifice.'

Loving God Through Relationships

Summary: Loving God is expressed by obeying His commands in marriage, parenting, and treatment of fellow believers.

Evidence: Weaver illustrates, 'When I love my wife the way God tells me to love her, I love the Lord.'

The Inseparability of Love for God and Love for Brethren

Summary: One cannot love God without loving fellow Christians, and love for brethren is shown by acting biblically toward them.

Evidence: Weaver cites 1 John 4:20-21: 'If a man say I love God and hated his brother, he is a liar.'

Key Arguments

Obedience is the only valid expression of love for God

Summary: Weaver argues from multiple scriptures that loving God is synonymous with obeying His commandments, not having emotional experiences.

Evidence: He quotes John 14:15: 'If you love me, keep my commandments,' and 1 John 5:3: 'For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments.'

Emotionalism is a false substitute for biblical love

Summary: Weaver contends that feelings, sentimentalism, and emotional highs are not biblical love and are worthless as evidence of devotion.

Evidence: He asks rhetorically, 'Can I do all of these things and call it love? ... you may not call it biblical love. For biblical love is obedience.'

Love for God is measured by obedience in every area of life

Summary: The extent of one's love for God is directly proportional to one's obedience in all spheres, including finances, morality, and relationships.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'In every area and every sphere of my life, I seek to be biblical and obedient and walk according to His Word and His truth.'

Love for God is demonstrated through love for others

Summary: Obeying God's commands regarding treatment of spouse, parents, and brethren is a direct expression of love for God.

Evidence: He says, 'When I love my wife with a biblical love... I'm obeying Christ. I'm fulfilling his law. I am demonstrating... that I love God.'

Those who claim to love God but disobey are liars

Summary: Weaver emphasizes that profession of love without obedience is self-deception, citing 1 John 2:4.

Evidence: He quotes, 'He that saith, I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him.'

Scripture References

Matthew 22:35-40

Context: The lawyer's question about the great commandment and Jesus' answer to love God and neighbor.

Mark 12:30

Context: Jesus repeats the command to love God with all heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Luke 10:27

Context: Another repetition of the command to love God with all heart, soul, strength, and mind.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5

Context: The Shema Israel and the command to love God with all heart, soul, and might.

Psalm 103:1

Context: David's call to bless the Lord with all that is within, illustrating loving God with strength.

1 Chronicles 29:1-2

Context: David prepared for the temple with all his might, showing might includes material resources.

Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Context: The context of the command to love God, linking it to keeping commandments and teaching them.

Mark 12:29

Context: Jesus prefaces the great commandment with the Shema, supporting the law.

Deuteronomy 30:16

Context: Loving God is defined as walking in His ways and keeping His commandments.

Deuteronomy 13:20

Context: Loving God is equated with obeying His voice and cleaving to Him.

Joshua 22:5

Context: Loving God is to walk in His ways, keep His commandments, cleave to Him, and serve Him.

Joshua 23:11

Context: Exhortation to take heed to love the Lord, connected to cleaving to Him.

Romans 13:10

Context: Love is the fulfilling of the law.

John 14:15, 21, 23-24

Context: Jesus teaches that loving Him means keeping His commandments.

1 John 5:2-3

Context: Loving God is keeping His commandments; His commandments are not burdensome.

1 John 2:3-4

Context: Knowing God is evidenced by keeping His commandments; those who disobey are liars.

2 John 1:6

Context: Love is walking after His commandments.

1 John 3:16-18

Context: Love is demonstrated by laying down lives and meeting practical needs, not just words.

Hebrews 6:10

Context: God remembers the work and labor of love shown by ministering to the saints.

Matthew 25:40

Context: Serving the least of Christ's brethren is serving Him.

Historical References

Adam Clarke

Context: Weaver quotes Clarke's detailed description of what it means to love God with all heart, soul, mind, and strength, noting it seems to demand perfection.

King Josiah

Context: Josiah made a covenant to walk after the Lord and keep His commandments with all his heart and soul, exemplifying love through obedience.

Important Quotes

Love is obedience. It is not sentimentalism, it's not emotionalism, it's not feeling, it's not traditionalism, it's not anything but simply obedience.

Significance: This is the central thesis of the sermon, defining love for God strictly as obedience to His commands.

Your emotionalism, your sentimentalism is all worthless. Emotionalism, sentimentalism do not equate to biblical love.

Significance: Weaver emphatically rejects feelings as a basis for love, reinforcing the obedience-only standard.

He that saith, I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him.

Significance: Quoting 1 John 2:4, Weaver uses this to warn that profession without obedience is self-deception.

There is a measuring stick. There is a measuring rod. You ask me. How much do I love the Lord? My answer is. How much do you obey the Lord?

Significance: This encapsulates the practical application: obedience is the sole metric of love for God.

When I love my wife the way God tells me to love her, I love the Lord.

Significance: Illustrates how obedience in specific relationships is a direct expression of love for God.

Discussion Questions

How does defining love as obedience challenge common cultural or church assumptions about what it means to love God?

Context: Weaver argues that love is not emotionalism but obedience to God's commands.

In what ways might we be tempted to substitute emotional experiences for genuine obedience in our walk with God?

Context: Weaver warns against sentimentalism and feeling-oriented religion.

How can we practically measure our love for God in daily life using the 'measuring stick' of obedience?

Context: Weaver states that obedience is the only standard to measure love for God.

What does it look like to love God through our relationships with spouse, parents, and fellow believers?

Context: Weaver gives examples of loving God by obeying commands in marriage, honoring parents, and loving brethren.

Why is it impossible to love God while hating a brother, according to 1 John 4:20-21?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that love for God and love for brethren are inseparable.

How does the command to hate evil (Psalm 97:10) relate to loving God with all our heart?

Context: Weaver explains that loving God requires hating everything contrary to Him.

Applications

Evaluate love by obedience, not feelings

Summary: Believers should assess their love for God by their obedience to His commands rather than by emotional experiences.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Your talk is worthless. Your emotions are fickle. Your sentimentality is useless. Obedience and obedience alone evidences the fact.'

Obey God in marriage as an act of love

Summary: Husbands and wives demonstrate love for God by fulfilling their biblical roles toward each other.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'When I love my wife the way God tells me to love her, I love the Lord.'

Honor parents as obedience to God

Summary: Caring for and honoring parents, especially in old age, is a direct expression of love for God.

Evidence: Weaver shares his personal example of encouraging and helping his mother, linking it to the command to honor parents.

Tithe as a confession of God's lordship

Summary: Giving tithes is an act of obedience that acknowledges God as Lord and expresses love for Him.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'When I tithe in obedience to the Lord... I am avouching that the Lord is my God.'

Practice honesty and generosity

Summary: Refusing to steal and instead working to give to those in need demonstrates love for God.

Evidence: Weaver cites Ephesians 4:28 and says, 'When I refuse to steal, defraud, cheat, swindle and lie, I'm evidencing... that I love the Lord.'

Love fellow believers through biblical action

Summary: Love for brethren is shown not by emotions but by treating them according to God's commands.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'If I treat him biblically, if I honor his family, if I honor him... I love him.'

Hate evil as part of loving God

Summary: Loving God requires actively hating sin and refusing to participate in wickedness.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'When I hate sin, wickedness, disobedience and rebellion... I love the Lord.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T17:33:04Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T08:37:57Z

Clean Transcript

How Do We Love the Lord?

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Let's open our Bibles today, if you would please, to the book of Matthew, chapter 22. Matthew, chapter 22. And we're going to be reading there, beginning with verse 35. Matthew 22, beginning there with verse 35. Notice, if you would, what our Lord says to answer the question of the lawyer. "Then one of them who was a lawyer asked him a question, tempting him and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." I want to ask and answer a question today, and I want you to follow with me in the word of God. But here's the question. How do we love the Lord with all of our heart? We've been commanded to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and body.
#1 | 0:02 to 1:16 | cleaned
Our text is exceedingly clear upon this. Therefore, there is no excuse for anyone failing to obey this command. Moreover, the Lord repeats this command in Mark 12 and verse 30. He said this, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment." And then again in Luke chapter 10 and verse 27, "He answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself."
#2 | 1:16 to 1:52 | cleaned
So three times in the New Testament He has said this. I want you to turn back in your Bibles, hold Matthew 22 if you would, but turn back in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 6. In Deuteronomy chapter 6 and verse 4, you're going to find what is known as the Shema Israel. And it is just something that goes simply like this, "Shema Israel, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad, Hear O Israel, The Lord our God is one." Notice, if you would, Deuteronomy 6 and verse 4. "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord." But note the next verse. "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might." So it really does not matter if we look in the Old Testament or we look in the New Testament.
#3 | 1:53 to 2:49 | cleaned
The command is the same. We're commanded to love the Lord our God with all of our hearts, minds, souls. Several important questions arise. The first one is this. How do we accomplish that task? How do we know whether or not we love the Lord with all of our heart? Is there a standard of measurement? Can I determine or can anyone else determine as to whether or not either I or you love the Lord with all of our heart and with all of our soul? Now, we are obligated to love the Lord as He commands us simply because He is our Creator, our Redeemer, our Lord, and our Savior. Those who are unconverted still are under the obligation to obey God. They may not have the ability, they may not have the power, but they are still under the obligation to love the Lord with all their heart, mind, soul, and body. Simply because fallen man has lost his power and ability to obey does not mean that God has lost His right to command. First, let me try to answer this question regarding loving the Lord with all of our heart, soul, and mind.
#4 | 2:49 to 4:10 | cleaned
You would notice, I hope, that as I quoted from Mark 12 in verse 30, that the word strength is also added. You will also find that in Luke 10 in verse 27. In Deuteronomy 6 in verse 5, the word might is added.
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Now, some scholars will take this and translate it or interpret it, I should say, in a very general sense such as this, listen to this quote, "Thou shalt love him with all the faculties or powers. Thou shalt love him supremely more than all other beings and things and with all ardor possible. To love him with the heart is to fix the affection supremely upon him more strongly than on anything else and to be willing to give up all that we hold dear at his command." That was one author who is just trying to tell you what it means to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and body. Some will take that and break down each individual part. And they will say something like this, to love the Lord with the heart refers to the affections. To love the Lord with the soul refers to the life. To love the Lord with the mind refers to the intellect. Thus, they would say, when we set our affections upon Him, we love Him more than life, and we learn to think His thoughts after Him as they are revealed in His Word.
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So, some will take this very generally and say, here it is in a nutshell. But there are some scholars, like Adam Clarke, who will take this and divide it and explain it in such a way where it seems almost impossible for you and I to conceive of what it means to love the Lord with all of our heart, mind, soul, and body. I want you to listen to what he said. He's got about four paragraphs, but listen carefully and see if you come up with the same thought that I came up with. Adam Clarke goes into detail and he states, "But what is implied in loving God with all the heart, soul, mind, strength, and when may a man be said to do this?"
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Number one, "He loves God with all of his heart, who loves nothing in comparison of him, and nothing but in reference to him, who is ready to give up, do, or suffer anything in order to please and glorify him, who has in his heart neither love nor hatred, hope nor fear, inclination nor aversion, desire nor delight, but as they relate to God and are regulated by him." Number two, "He loves God with all his soul, or rather with all of his life, who is ready to give up his life for his sake, to endure all sorts of torments, and to be deprived of all kinds of comforts rather than to dishonor God, who employs life with all of its comforts and conveniences to glorify God in, by, and through all, to whom life and death are nothing but as they come from and lead to God."
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From this divine principle sprang the blood of the martyrs, which became the seed of the church. They overcame him through the blood of the Lamb, and loved not their life unto death. 3. "He loves God with all of his strength, who exerts all the powers of his body and soul in the service of God, who for the glory of his Maker spares neither labor nor cost, who sacrifices his time, body, health, ease for the honor of God, his divine master, who employs in his service"
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all his goods, talents, power, credit, authority, and influence. 4. "He loves God with all of his mind, his intellect, who applies himself only to know God and His holy will, who receives with submission, gratitude, and pleasure the sacred truths which God has revealed to man, who studies no art nor science but as far as it is necessary for the service of God, and uses it at all times to promote His glory, who forms no projects nor designs but in reference to God, and the interest of mankind, who banishes from his understanding and memory every useless, foolish and dangerous thought together with every idea which has any tendency to defile his soul, or to turn it"
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for a moment from the center of eternal repose. In a word, he who sees God in all things, thinks of Him at all times, having his mind continually fixed upon God, acknowledging Him in his ways, who begins, continues, and ends all his thoughts, words, and works to the glory of His name, This is the person who loves God with all his heart, life, strength, and intellect. He is crucified to the world and the world to him.
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He lives, yet not he but Christ lives in him. He beholds, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord and is changed to the same image from glory to glory, simply and constantly looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of his faith. He receives continual supplies of enlightening and sanctifying grace, and is thus fitted for every good word and work. O glorious state, far, far beyond this description, which comprises an ineffable communion between the ever-blessed Trinity and the soul of man." Now, here's my question. What was your thoughts when Adam Clarke told you who the man was that really loved God with all of his heart, mind, soul and being?
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I'll tell you what my thought was. There ain't many. I mean, when you read that, you almost think that he's talking about perfection. And that may be true what it should be. But none of us are ever going to be perfect until we reach glory.
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Now, before I try to show you how applicable this truth is from scripture, let me just try to cover very quickly these two words, strength and might. Because they were added in the scripture, we're not only to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul and mind, but our strength and our might as well. When I think of the word strength, I think of what David said in Psalm 103, verse 1, where David said, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name." So loving the Lord with all of our strength then simply means this, that everything that we are, everything that we have, enters into loving Him and praising Him and worshiping Him. It means that we understand that God is worthy of all of our strength and all of our praise, all of our glory, and all of our worship. Now, what about this little word, might, M-I-G-H-T? So many times we will say, well, strength and might are exactly the same thing, but not necessarily.
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Because the word might is used a little differently in Scripture at times. For instance, if you would turn in your Bibles to 1 Chronicles chapter 29. 1 Chronicles 29. Let me show you a use of the word might. And remember now, this is added. This is added to loving the Lord with all of our souls, our hearts and our minds. In 1 Chronicles 29, beginning there with verse 1, look what David says. 1 Chronicles 29 verse 1. "Furthermore, David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great that is building the temple for the Lord. For the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God." Now I want you to look carefully at verse 2. Look what David says.
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"Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God The gold for the things to be made of gold, the silver for the things of silver, the brass for the things of brass, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, onyx stones and stones to be set, glistering stones and of diverse colors, and of all manner of precious stones and marble stones in abundance." Now note what David said, "Now I have prepared with all my what? Might."
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What was he talking about? Let me put it in one simple word, money. Because he talks about all the gold and all the silver and all the brass and all the precious stones that he has laid up for the temple of God. So the word might then can also refer to money. Many who proclaim to love the Lord with all their might refuse to love Him with their tithes and their offerings and their gifts. So I submit to you that loving the Lord with all of our might.
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Includes all of the resources that we have available to us now. We understand that we have been commanded to love the Lord with all of our heart, mind and soul, but here is a question. What is it to love the Lord? What does it mean to love the Lord? Is loving the Lord a warm, tingling feeling? Is loving the Lord getting goosebumps coming up as I think about Him?
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Or the hair standing up on the back of my neck? Or getting that crawling sensation upon my skin? Is loving the Lord withdrawing from the world and living the life of an ascetic? I want you to go back with me to Deuteronomy chapter six. I want to show you something. I want you to see the context. Deuteronomy chapter six, and let's begin reading there with verse one, because I want you to see from the Bible what it is to love the Lord. Notice Deuteronomy chapter six, and let's begin reading with verse one.
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"Now, these are the commandments the statutes and the judgments which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, watch carefully, that you might do them in the land whether you go to possess it, that thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments which I command thee, thou and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life, and that thy days may be prolonged. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth of milk and honey. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. Now watch, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shall talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up, and thou shalt bind"
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"them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes, and thou shalt write them upon the post of thy house, and on thy gates." Now, I want you to note that this passage began with the commandments of God, the Word of God, And then after he said, "thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." He then says you're to teach them to all of your children. And it's interesting, I want you to turn, if you would, to the book of Mark chapter 12. Watch this. This is very informative. Mark chapter 12, because our Lord is going to give you the answer to the lawyer that we just read in Matthew 22.
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But look how he prefaces in Mark 12, verse 29. Here's the preface. Look in Mark 12, verse 29. "And Jesus answered him, the first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, with all thy strength. This is the first commandment." The preface to his answer is the Shema Israel that is mentioned back in Deuteronomy 6 and verse 4. So what is our Lord doing? Our Lord is, number one, supporting the law as it was given in the Word of God, and He is also instructing us and telling us this is how we love the Lord. There does exist a covenantal relationship between God and His people.
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That covenant existed in the Old Testament. That covenant exists in the New Testament. And the covenant that binds us is revealed in His Word. Thus, our Lord quotes the Shema Israel in Mark chapter 12 and verse 29. What He's teaching us is this. We have one Lord, one Word, one faith, and one baptism. I want to just take the Bible and show you from the Old Testament and then from the New Testament what it really means to love the Lord. So I want you to go back, if you would, to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 30 and verse 16. I'll show you several verses. Deuteronomy 30. Look at verse 16. Because I'm going to show you there is indeed a standard of measurement. So that you may know whether or not you love the Lord. And so that you may know whether anyone else loves the Lord. Notice if you would, Deuteronomy chapter 30 and verse 16, look what God says. "In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply."
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"And the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land where thou goest to possess it." Now, look carefully, verse 16, "in that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God." Well, how do you love the Lord thy God? He didn't clarify it. "To walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments." That's loving the Lord. Look in your Bibles, Deuteronomy 13, verse 20. "Now thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him, for he is thy life, and the length of thy days, that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob, to give to them." Now notice what he calls loving the Lord in verse 20. It's obeying Him. It's cleaving unto Him. So he tells you in verse 16 it's keeping His commandments. Now in verse 20 he tells you it's obeying Him and cleaving unto Him. If you would turn right over to the book of Joshua, chapter 22, and look if you would please at verse 5.
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Joshua 22 and verse 5. Joshua 22 verse 5. Notice what he says. "But take diligent heed to do the commandment of the law, which Moses, a servant of the Lord, charged you." What's the next phrase? "To love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart, with all your soul." Isn't that interesting? What does he say? Look at that again. Joshua 22 and verse 5, "...but take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses, the servant of the Lord, charged you to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep His commandments, and cleave unto Him, and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul." Well, what's serving Him with all your heart and your soul? It's keeping His commandments. What is loving Him is keeping His commandments. If you'd skip down to verse 11, Joshua 23 verse 11. Joshua 23.
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Look, if you would please verse 11. "Take good heed, therefore, into yourselves that you love the Lord your God." Oh, but go back to verse 8, "but cleave unto the Lord your God as you've done in this day." Well, what is cleaving to the Lord? Well, according Deuteronomy and Joshua 22 cleaving unto him is obeying him and keeping his law. Now, what I want to show you is this, the New Testament is just as plain as the Old Testament. Listen carefully, love is obedience. It is not sentimentalism, it's not emotionalism, it's not feeling, it's not traditionalism, it's not anything but simply obedience. You don't have to turn there, but let me just quote Romans 13 in verse 10. The Bible says this, "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law." What is love? Love is the fulfilling of the law.
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Now, go in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 14. I want you to see this because this is going to be very important when I make the application. Notice, if you would, John chapter 14 and verse 15. In fact, we'll look at a number of verses right here. John chapter 14 and verse 15, look what our Lord said. "If you love me. Keep my commandments." If you love me. Keep my commandments. What is loving Christ? It is keeping His commandments. Look in verse 21. John 14, verse 21. Our Lord says it like this. "He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me." Well, who is it that loves Christ? He that has His commandments and keeps them. Look in verse 23. "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, He will keep my words." Look in verse 24. "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings." Now isn't that simple? Our Lord said if you love me, you'll obey me. If you love me, you'll keep my commandments.
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You want to know who loves me, said our Lord? It's the man who has my word and does it. You want to know who does not love me? It's the one who does not keep my commandments. I want you to turn over to 1 John, chapter 5. 1 John, chapter 5. I'm just trying to show you that the New Testament says exactly that same thing that the Old Testament says. Look in 1 John 5 at verses 2 and 3. 1 John 5, verse 2. Watch carefully. "By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep His commandments." By this we know we love the children of God when we love God and keep His commandments. What is loving God according to verse 2? It's keeping His commandments. Watch verse 3. "For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments. And His commandments do not grieve us." So what is the love of God? It's keeping His commandments. That's simple. This is the love of God.
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Go back to 1 John chapter 2. 1 John chapter 2 and look at verse 3. 1 John 2 verse 3. "And hereby we do know that we know Him If we keep his commandments." Now, let me stop right there. Hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments. Does keeping his commandments save us? No, you're not saved by works. But he says, here's how you know whether or not you have been genuinely saved by grace. Because my grace will lead you to obey and keep my word. So he that hath my commandments and keepeth them, what does he say?
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He's the one that knows me. Watch verse 4. What? In fact, let's read verse 3 and 4 together. Look at verse 3, 1 John 2. "And hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him." Wow. Let me ask you a question. Where does that leave most church members who say that they love Christ? And yet their lives are lives of total disobedience to the Word of God. Our Lord says he that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. In 2 John 1 in verse 6, let me just quote it. 2 John 1 verse 6. "And this is love that we walk after His commandments." Now, let me tell you something about love and then we'll show it to you from 1 John chapter 3. OK. Biblical love is always active. Biblical love always evidences itself and manifests itself in service, ministry, and sacrifice.
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Let me say that again. Biblical love always evidences itself, manifests itself, in service, ministry, and sacrifice.
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Now look in verse John 3 and verse 16. Look what God says. "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." Now, remember what the word perceive means. It means to comprehend. It means to understand, to grab a hold of. Now, look carefully. And hereby understand we, perceive we, the love of God, because He laid down His life for us.
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Not because He just told us He loved us. Not because He said, I have feelings for you. Not because he had sensations and emotions. No, no. Hereby perceive we the love of God because he actually did something. He ministered. He sacrificed. He laid down his life for us. And here's the application. One of them right here. And he said we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. If we say that we love the brethren, which I'm going to show you just momentarily. Then it's not going to be feelings, it's not going to be sensations, it's not going to be emotionalism.
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Look what he said in verse 17. After he said we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren, he said, "but whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth." Now, go back to verse 17, "...but whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shut up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him."
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So, if I see Robert hungry, and he tells me he's hungry, and he asks me for food, And I happen to have some. And I say something like this to him, well, brother, I tell you what. I'm going to be praying for you. I'll pray the Lord will lead you to a job somewhere or the Lord will lead you somewhere where you can find some food or harvest some food. When I've got it. What does God say? If I profess then that I love the Lord. And yet at the same time, I'm disobeying his commandments. Very obviously I don't love the Lord. So he says that we're to love not just in word or in tongue, but actually in deed and in truth.
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So there has to be actions. There has to be something real. There has to be something very obviously that can be manifested and demonstrated. So here's what I'm trying to answer. Think with me now. I'm trying to answer this question. How do I love the Lord with all my heart, with all my mind, and with all my soul? I want you to understand what I've just already told you. Love is obedience. I want you to understand that love is always demonstrated, it is always manifested, it is always evidence that is real, genuine, biblical love is. Since love is obedience then, it has to be in connection with God's Word, God's commands. And since I'm going to say that I love the Lord, it means very obviously I must obey Him. So obviously loving the Lord is not what most people think it is or what most people believe.
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We live in a feeling-oriented society. In fact, all you've got to do is watch most of the TV preachers and TV ministries and you'll understand that. In fact, you will hear people say, well, did you feel the Lord? Or I felt the Lord, what? God is spirit. You may have had an emotional response to faith or to perception, but you did not feel the Lord. No. Because God is spirit.
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All I'm trying to show you is this. The usual teaching on this is a bunch of religious bunk. It's junk. It's worthless. Let me ask you some questions. I want you to think about this. We're talking about loving the Lord and what it is to love the Lord. Here's my questions. Can we cuddle up to the Lord? Can I feel all warm and fuzzy with the Lord?
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Can I get all teary-eyed and sentimental with Him? Can I have an emotional high with the Lord? Can I jump and shout and have some type of experience? Can I do all of these things and call it love? Well, you may try to do some of those things. And in one or two of them, you may succeed. But you may not call it love, or at least you may not call it biblical love. For biblical love is obedience.
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Now let me show you. Look in your Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6. And let's begin there with verse 15. 1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 15. Remember, I'm asking you this question. Can you cuddle up to the Lord? Can you get all warm and fuzzy with him? I mean, and call this love. Look in First Timothy chapter one or chapter six. It is in verses 15 and 16. First Timothy chapter six, verse 15. "Which in his times he shall show who is the blessed and only potentate. The king of kings and Lord of lords."
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"Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light, which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see, to whom be honour and power everlasting." Well, there goes up your cuddling and your warm fuzzies with the Lord. Whom no man can approach unto. You may weep and you may cry and you may wail and you may scream that you love Him, but that does not mean that you do. Are you listening?
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Your emotionalism, your sentimentalism is all worthless. Emotionalism, sentimentalism do not equate to biblical love. Okay?
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Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 6. Hebrews chapter 6 because I'm still answering the question, what does it mean to love the Lord? I've already showed you that love is obedience and that love is always manifested, demonstrated, evidenced. But don't you notice what he said in Hebrews chapter 6 and look if you would please at verse 10. He says, "for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which you have showed toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister." Now, wait a minute. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love. Here it is. It's real, genuine love, which you have showed toward His name. Well, how did you show love toward His name? In that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Do you remember what our Lord said in Matthew 25 in verse 40? Listen carefully.
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Let me just quote it. "And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you have done it to the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me." Since love is the fulfilling of the law, the way that we love God with all of our hearts, with all our minds, with all our soul, with all our strength, with all our might, is to keep His law toward each other and toward those who are outside of the faith.
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I want you to think with me. I've gone through the Old Testament, I've gone through the New Testament, I've showed you where love is obedience. I showed you where love is real, really manifested and demonstrated in evidence, if it's biblical love. I've showed you from Hebrews 6, loving the Lord is ministering to the saints. I want to love the Lord with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my soul.
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How do I do that? The answer is by obeying him in every sphere and every area of my life. Are you listening? When I love my wife the way God commanded me. I love the Lord. He forbids adultery and fornication and all uncleanness. Yet he commands me in Proverbs 5 and verse 18, "let my fountain be blessed and rejoice with the wife of thy youth." That means this, I'm to find my joy, my fulfillment and my satisfaction in the wife that God has given me. And I'm to treat her the way he tells me to treat her. Malachi 2 and verse 14, let me just quote it. "Yet you say wherefore, because the Lord hath been a witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously. Yet she is thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant." So, what I'm trying to show you is this. When I love my wife with a biblical love, when I love her as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, I'm obeying Christ.
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I'm fulfilling his law. I am demonstrating and evidencing and manifesting the fact that I love God with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind in that area. How about this one? Likewise, when my wife submits to me and loves me and helps me in the way that God is ordained, she is expressing her love to Christ. Because you remember in Ephesians chapter 5, the wife is to be a picture of the church and the church's submission to Jesus Christ. So love then is obedience. And it's obedience to God. If we love Him, we will keep His commandments. So when I love my wife the way God tells me to love her, I love the Lord. When she loves me the way God commands her, she loves the Lord. Let me go further. When I honor my parents the way God commanded me, I love the Lord. When I obey, submit, honor, support, sustain, encourage and esteem them highly in the Lord, I love Him.
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Exodus 20 verse 12 says, "honor thy father and thy mother." And when you get to Matthew 15 in Mark chapter 7. Our Lord elucidates and expands that. And he shows that it means supporting them and taking care of them in their old age when they cannot take care of themselves. And let me tell you something. You know, you can always get more from an elderly parent. When I say get more, I'm talking about more cooperation, more help by always encouraging them and honoring them. I took my mother to dinner innumerable times.
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I would pick her up. My sister would tell me, she said, she's very weak today. You'll just about have to pick her up and get her in the car yourself. I would walk her down to the car and I'd tell her, oh, you're doing such a fine job. You're doing a great job.
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Now, Mother, can you do this? Oh, I know you can. And guess what? She would do it. She would do it. And after she would do it, I would say, man, you're all right. You'll be running down the road next week. You know, something like that. And she was just as happy as she could be. And she would help. All I'm trying to show you is this. When I love her and honor her, I'm loving the Lord because that is exactly what God has commanded me.
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Here's another area I want you to think about it. When I tithe in obedience to the Lord, according to Deuteronomy 26 and verse 17. I am avouching that the Lord is my God. Let me just quote it, Deuteronomy 26 and verse 17. God says, "thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, to walk in his ways and to keep his statutes and his commandments and his judgments and to hearken into his voice." So if you read Deuteronomy 26, it's all about the tithes. And when you go up there to give your tithes, you are confessing and acknowledging that the Lord is your God.
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And the interesting thing is this. The word avouch means literally to say in one's heart. Think about that. The word avouch means literally to say in one's heart. So what I give when I tithe, I'm saying in my heart, I recognize the Lord. I love him. I'm obeying him. I'm doing that which he has commanded me to do. Let me go further. When I refuse to steal, defraud, cheat, swindle and lie. I'm evidencing and manifesting the fact that I love the Lord. When I give cheerfully, lovingly, and generously to the Lord. Again, I'm manifesting that I love the Lord.
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How can that be so? Well, you remember the 8th commandment in Exodus chapter 20 verse 15 says this, "thou shalt not steal." The positive that according to Ephesians 4 verse 28 is this, "let him that stole steal no more. But rather let him labor working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needeth." So the opposite of thou shalt not steal is to be an honest individual working with your hands that which is good that you may have to give to show that you're not a selfish individual to him that needeth. Isn't that amazing? So when I refuse to lie and cheat and defraud and steal, I'm evidencing the fact that I love the Lord. When I'm willing to help someone who is a real, genuine, needful object of help, and I include biblical need, then I'm evidencing the fact that I love the Lord. You see, the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9, verse 7, "Every man, according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give."
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"Not grudgingly, nor of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver." What's that mean? What I give according to the Word of God and I obey, I'm evidencing the fact that I love the Lord. You remember Jesus Christ in Proverbs 8 is wisdom personified. Verse 17, he said, "I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me." I love those that love me. Well, how do I know that I love Him? I keep His commandments. How do I know that He loves me? Because He's given me grace and mercy to keep those commandments and to obey Him. I love the Lord with all my heart, mind and soul. When I love my Christian brethren, Let me show you.
#54 | 45:35 to 46:33 | cleaned
Look in your Bibles to 1 John chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3. I'm just trying to show you how simple it is to love the Lord and yet at the same time show you there is a measuring stick. Look in 1 John chapter 3 and verse 14. He says, "we know that we pass from death unto life. Because we love the brethren. Watch. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." We know we've passed from death to the lifeline because we love the brethren. Now, I realize and I understand there are some brethren who are not easy to love. I understand that. There are personality differences. But if someone is a genuine Christian, we still love them.
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We may not necessarily like everything about them. We may not necessarily always enjoy being around them. But we're going to help them, and we're going to take care of them, and we're going to act biblically and scripturally toward them regardless. We know we've passed from death into life because we love the brethren. And then he said this, he that loveth and honors a brother abideth in death.
#56 | 47:30 to 47:51 | cleaned
Look in 1 John 4, if you would, verses 7 and 8. 1 John 4, verses 7 and 8. The Bible says this. "Beloved, let us love one another. For love is of God, and everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love." Now, wait a minute. He that loveth not knoweth not, for God is love. Wait a minute, let's go back. Beloved, let us love one another for love is of God. How do we love one another?
#57 | 47:52 to 48:29 | cleaned
Well, don't you remember I quoted? Go there. We're in 1st John. Go back to chapter 5, verse 2. Look in 1st John 5, verse 2. "By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments." So that means simply this. How do I know that I love the brethren? Because I act implicitly toward them. I may never hug Ron's neck. I may never squall and cry on his shoulder and wipe my nose on him, you know. And squall, I love you, I love you, I love you. I may never do that. But if I treat him biblically, if I honor his family, if I honor him, and if I act toward him the way God tells me to act, I love him. Because love is the fulfilling of the law. Now go back to 1 John 4 and look if you would at verses 20 and 21. First John 4 verses 20 and 21. Here we go. "If a man say I love God and hated his brother."
#58 | 48:29 to 49:36 | cleaned
"He is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? This commandment have we from him that he who loveth God love his brother also." Wow. So that means I'm obligated to act biblically toward any brother. That's how I love him. Doesn't mean I like his tonal pattern. Doesn't mean I like his habits. Doesn't mean I like a lot of things about him. But I'm going to act biblically toward him. I'm going to act scripturally toward him.
#59 | 49:37 to 50:09 | cleaned
As Christians, we must love our husbands, wives, neighbors, and brethren the way Christ commands us if we wish to demonstrate and manifest our love for Christ. If we do not love as He has commanded, then we do not love Him. You could reverse all of this stuff. If I run around on Alice and commit fornication and adultery, I'm not only demonstrating I don't love her, I'm demonstrating that I don't love Christ. If I begin to lie and cheat and steal and swindle and defraud, I'm not only not loving my brethren, I'm not loving Christ, because I'm not obeying Him. Love is the fulfilling of the law. Listen to me. When I hate sin, wickedness, disobedience and rebellion, and when I refuse to participate in all such iniquity, I love the Lord.
#60 | 50:12 to 51:14 | cleaned
How can that be so? Because He has commanded me in Psalm 97, verse 10, "Ye that love the Lord hate evil." He's also commanded me in Amos 5 and verse 15, "hate the evil and love the good." You see, it is impossible to love the Lord without at the same time hating everything that's contrary to the Lord. I want you to listen. And I want you to think upon these verses as I read them, don't turn there, just listen. Exodus 20 and verse 6, where God says, "and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments." What is loving the Lord? Keeping his commandments. Deuteronomy 5.10, "and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments." Deuteronomy 19, verse 9, "If thou shalt keep all these commandments, to do them which I command thee this day, to love the Lord thy God, and to walk ever in his ways, then shalt thou add three cities more for thee besides these three, loving the Lord according to the scripture, as walking in"
#61 | 51:15 to 52:44 | cleaned
"his ways, and obeying him." In 2 Chronicles 34, verse 31, King Josiah makes a covenant. I want you to listen to what he said. "And the King Josiah stood in his place and made a covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and with all his soul to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book." Wow. What is walking after the Lord with all your heart and all your soul? What is loving the Lord with all your heart and all your soul? It's obeying Him in every area of your life. I want you to understand something.
#62 | 52:44 to 53:38 | cleaned
There is a measuring stick. There is a measuring rod. You ask me. How much do I love the Lord? My answer is. How much do you obey the Lord? You ask me, what is the measure of my love? I answer. It's obedience. It's obedience to the word of God. Your talk is worthless. Your emotions are fickle. Your sentimentality is useless. Obedience and obedience alone evidences the fact. Whether or not you love the Lord.
#63 | 53:40 to 54:29 | cleaned
Christ could not have said it any plainer than he did in John 14 in verse 21 when he said. "He that hath my commandments and keepeth them He it is that loveth me." So if I want to love Him with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my soul, that means this. In every area and every sphere of my life, I seek to be biblical and obedient and walk according to His Word and His truth. For He that hath His commandments and keepeth them, He's the one Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your truth and for Your grace and for Your mercy and Your kindness. Teach us, Lord, to love Thee with all of our hearts, minds, soul and bodies and strength and might by being obedient and walking according to Thy law. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray, Amen.
#64 | 54:30 to 55:40 | cleaned
This program was produced by Freedom Ministries. For more information about Pastor Weaver's sermons, you may contact Freedom Ministries by mail at 7400 Abercorn, that's A-B-E-R-C-O-R-N, Street, Suite 705, PMV 175, Savannah, Georgia, 31406. Or give us a call at 912-833-7000. You can also visit our website at www.dominionministry.com
#65 | 55:44 to 56:24 | cleaned

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T17:33:04Z

How Do We Love the Lord?

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver examines the biblical command to love God with all one's heart, soul, mind, and strength, arguing that true love for God is not emotionalism or sentimentality but obedience to His commandments. Drawing from both Old and New Testaments, he demonstrates that loving God is evidenced by keeping His law in every area of life, including relationships, finances, and moral conduct. The sermon emphasizes that obedience is the only reliable measure of love for God, and that those who claim to love Him yet disobey His Word are liars.

Introduction and Reading of the Great Commandment

Weaver reads Matthew 22:35-40 and poses the central question: How do we love the Lord with all our heart?

Scripture Reading — Matthew 22:35-40

"Then one of them who was a lawyer asked him a question, tempting him and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

The Command Repeated in Scripture

The command to love God is repeated in Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27, and Deuteronomy 6:4-5, emphasizing its importance.

Our text is exceedingly clear upon this. Therefore, there is no excuse for anyone failing to obey this command. Moreover, the Lord repeats this command in Mark 12 and verse 30. He said this,

Scripture Reading — Mark 12:30

"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment."

And then again in Luke chapter 10 and verse 27,

Scripture Reading — Mark 12:30

"He answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself."

Scholarly Interpretations of Loving God

Weaver reviews general and detailed interpretations, including Adam Clarke's exhaustive description, which seems to demand perfection.

Defining Strength and Might

Strength involves all that we are praising God; might includes material resources like money, as seen in David's preparation for the temple.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 103:1

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name."

Love Defined as Obedience in the Old Testament

Deuteronomy 6, 30:16, 13:20, and Joshua 22:5 equate loving God with walking in His ways, keeping His commandments, and cleaving to Him.

But look how he prefaces in Mark 12, verse 29. Here's the preface. Look in Mark 12, verse 29.

Scripture Reading — Mark 12:29

"And Jesus answered him, the first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, with all thy strength. This is the first commandment."

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 30:16

"And the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land where thou goest to possess it."

Now, look carefully, verse 16,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 30:16

"in that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God."

Well, how do you love the Lord thy God? He didn't clarify it.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 30:16

"To walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments."

That's loving the Lord. Look in your Bibles, Deuteronomy 13, verse 20.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 30:16

"Now thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him, for he is thy life, and the length of thy days, that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob, to give to them."

Look, if you would please verse 11.

Scripture Reading — Joshua 23:11

"Take good heed, therefore, into yourselves that you love the Lord your God."

Oh, but go back to verse 8,

Scripture Reading — Joshua 23:11

"but cleave unto the Lord your God as you've done in this day."

Love Defined as Obedience in the New Testament

John 14:15, 21, 23-24; 1 John 5:2-3; and 2:3-4 show that loving Christ means keeping His commandments, and those who disobey are liars.

Scripture Reading — John 14:15, 21, 23-24

You want to know who loves me, said our Lord? It's the man who has my word and does it. You want to know who does not love me? It's the one who does not keep my commandments. I want you to turn over to 1 John, chapter 5. 1 John, chapter 5. I'm just trying to show you that the New Testament says exactly that same thing that the Old Testament says. Look in 1 John 5 at verses 2 and 3. 1 John 5, verse 2. Watch carefully. "By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep His commandments." By this we know we love the children of God when we love God and keep His commandments. What is loving God according to verse 2? It's keeping His commandments. Watch verse 3. "For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments. And His commandments do not grieve us." So what is the love of God? It's keeping His commandments. That's simple. This is the love of God.

Go back to 1 John chapter 2. 1 John chapter 2 and look at verse 3. 1 John 2 verse 3.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 5:2-3

"And hereby we do know that we know Him If we keep his commandments."

He's the one that knows me. Watch verse 4. What? In fact, let's read verse 3 and 4 together. Look at verse 3, 1 John 2.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 2:3-4

"And hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him."

Biblical Love is Active and Demonstrated

Love is always evidenced in service, ministry, and sacrifice, as seen in 1 John 3:16-18 and Hebrews 6:10.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 6:10

"for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which you have showed toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister."

Practical Applications of Loving God

Loving God is shown by obeying Him in marriage, honoring parents, tithing, honesty, giving, and loving the brethren.

Hating Evil as Part of Loving God

Psalm 97:10 and Amos 5:15 teach that loving God requires hating evil; obedience in all areas is the measure of love.

Conclusion and Prayer

Weaver concludes that obedience alone evidences love for God, and prays for grace to love God through obedience.

How Do We Love the Lord?

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	42211154011
Subject	Family Government
Course	The Christian Family: Marriage and Household Order: The Family
Genre	Sermon
Date	2011-02-13
Dictation Name
Book	Book 027: The Christian Family: Marriage and Household Order — Chapter 13
Source Timed Segments	65

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Reading of the Great Commandment: Weaver reads Matthew 22:35-40 and poses the central question: How do we love the Lord with all our heart?
The Command Repeated in Scripture: The command to love God is repeated in Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27, and Deuteronomy 6:4-5, emphasizing its importance.
Scholarly Interpretations of Loving God: Weaver reviews general and detailed interpretations, including Adam Clarke's exhaustive description, which seems to demand perfection.
Defining Strength and Might: Strength involves all that we are praising God; might includes material resources like money, as seen in David's preparation for the temple.
Love Defined as Obedience in the Old Testament: Deuteronomy 6, 30:16, 13:20, and Joshua 22:5 equate loving God with walking in His ways, keeping His commandments, and cleaving to Him.
Love Defined as Obedience in the New Testament: John 14:15, 21, 23-24; 1 John 5:2-3; and 2:3-4 show that loving Christ means keeping His commandments, and those who disobey are liars.
Biblical Love is Active and Demonstrated: Love is always evidenced in service, ministry, and sacrifice, as seen in 1 John 3:16-18 and Hebrews 6:10.
Practical Applications of Loving God: Loving God is shown by obeying Him in marriage, honoring parents, tithing, honesty, giving, and loving the brethren.
Hating Evil as Part of Loving God: Psalm 97:10 and Amos 5:15 teach that loving God requires hating evil; obedience in all areas is the measure of love.
Conclusion and Prayer: Weaver concludes that obedience alone evidences love for God, and prays for grace to love God through obedience.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Obedience is the only valid expression of love for God

Weaver argues from multiple scriptures that loving God is synonymous with obeying His commandments, not having emotional experiences.

He quotes John 14:15: 'If you love me, keep my commandments,' and 1 John 5:3: 'For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments.'

Emotionalism is a false substitute for biblical love

Weaver contends that feelings, sentimentalism, and emotional highs are not biblical love and are worthless as evidence of devotion.

He asks rhetorically, 'Can I do all of these things and call it love? ... you may not call it biblical love. For biblical love is obedience.'

Love for God is measured by obedience in every area of life

The extent of one's love for God is directly proportional to one's obedience in all spheres, including finances, morality, and relationships.

Weaver states, 'In every area and every sphere of my life, I seek to be biblical and obedient and walk according to His Word and His truth.'

Love for God is demonstrated through love for others

Obeying God's commands regarding treatment of spouse, parents, and brethren is a direct expression of love for God.

He says, 'When I love my wife with a biblical love... I'm obeying Christ. I'm fulfilling his law. I am demonstrating... that I love God.'

Those who claim to love God but disobey are liars

Weaver emphasizes that profession of love without obedience is self-deception, citing 1 John 2:4.

He quotes, 'He that saith, I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him.'

Scripture References

Matthew 22:35-40: The lawyer's question about the great commandment and Jesus' answer to love God and neighbor.
Mark 12:30: Jesus repeats the command to love God with all heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Luke 10:27: Another repetition of the command to love God with all heart, soul, strength, and mind.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5: The Shema Israel and the command to love God with all heart, soul, and might.
Psalm 103:1: David's call to bless the Lord with all that is within, illustrating loving God with strength.
1 Chronicles 29:1-2: David prepared for the temple with all his might, showing might includes material resources.
Deuteronomy 6:1-9: The context of the command to love God, linking it to keeping commandments and teaching them.
Mark 12:29: Jesus prefaces the great commandment with the Shema, supporting the law.
Deuteronomy 30:16: Loving God is defined as walking in His ways and keeping His commandments.
Deuteronomy 13:20: Loving God is equated with obeying His voice and cleaving to Him.
Joshua 22:5: Loving God is to walk in His ways, keep His commandments, cleave to Him, and serve Him.
Joshua 23:11: Exhortation to take heed to love the Lord, connected to cleaving to Him.
Romans 13:10: Love is the fulfilling of the law.
John 14:15, 21, 23-24: Jesus teaches that loving Him means keeping His commandments.
1 John 5:2-3: Loving God is keeping His commandments; His commandments are not burdensome.
1 John 2:3-4: Knowing God is evidenced by keeping His commandments; those who disobey are liars.
2 John 1:6: Love is walking after His commandments.
1 John 3:16-18: Love is demonstrated by laying down lives and meeting practical needs, not just words.
Hebrews 6:10: God remembers the work and labor of love shown by ministering to the saints.
Matthew 25:40: Serving the least of Christ's brethren is serving Him.

Historical References

Adam Clarke: Weaver quotes Clarke's detailed description of what it means to love God with all heart, soul, mind, and strength, noting it seems to demand perfection.
King Josiah: Josiah made a covenant to walk after the Lord and keep His commandments with all his heart and soul, exemplifying love through obedience.

Important Quotes

Love is obedience. It is not sentimentalism, it's not emotionalism, it's not feeling, it's not traditionalism, it's not anything but simply obedience.

This is the central thesis of the sermon, defining love for God strictly as obedience to His commands.

Your emotionalism, your sentimentalism is all worthless. Emotionalism, sentimentalism do not equate to biblical love.

Weaver emphatically rejects feelings as a basis for love, reinforcing the obedience-only standard.

He that saith, I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him.

Quoting 1 John 2:4, Weaver uses this to warn that profession without obedience is self-deception.

There is a measuring stick. There is a measuring rod. You ask me. How much do I love the Lord? My answer is. How much do you obey the Lord?

This encapsulates the practical application: obedience is the sole metric of love for God.

When I love my wife the way God tells me to love her, I love the Lord.

Illustrates how obedience in specific relationships is a direct expression of love for God.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does defining love as obedience challenge common cultural or church assumptions about what it means to love God?

[Context]

Weaver argues that love is not emotionalism but obedience to God's commands.

[Question]

In what ways might we be tempted to substitute emotional experiences for genuine obedience in our walk with God?

[Context]

Weaver warns against sentimentalism and feeling-oriented religion.

[Question]

How can we practically measure our love for God in daily life using the 'measuring stick' of obedience?

[Context]

Weaver states that obedience is the only standard to measure love for God.

[Question]

What does it look like to love God through our relationships with spouse, parents, and fellow believers?

[Context]

Weaver gives examples of loving God by obeying commands in marriage, honoring parents, and loving brethren.

[Question]

Why is it impossible to love God while hating a brother, according to 1 John 4:20-21?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that love for God and love for brethren are inseparable.

[Question]

How does the command to hate evil (Psalm 97:10) relate to loving God with all our heart?

[Context]

Weaver explains that loving God requires hating everything contrary to Him.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T08:37:57Z