Our love for God defines who we are and determines our course of action. If there is to be a center point from which all else revolves, it is the love for God. Arsene Houssaye describes it, “Tell me whom you love, and I will tell you what you are.”

The highest form of love (agape love) is the elevation of others above oneself. This is associated with feelings and emotional energy, along with our spirit and intellect (Mark 12:30). In other words, we are to love God with all our being. Love should be the drive and motivation behind our actions. It asks each day, “how may I serve, today?” In serving, love is the basis for it. The emotion associated with it should not be the bases for the action. Emotions should be kept in check and not be confused with love. Jesus said to “love with all your heart…” and that suggests accompaniment. To illustrate, consider a mother who fights for her child or a property owner arguing a case in his favor. If the actions are based solely on their emotions, the mother would blindly defend her child, even when the child is guilty of wrong-doing and the property owner may jump to his defense in a passionate outcry for justice, even when the facts of the case are against him/her. Such love is poorly defined as pure emotion. When what we believe is based on an emotional sentiment or tie that we are willing to defend at all costs, then we are like the raging mother coming to the aid of her child. Here, logic and truth is clouded by emotions. While the mother would claim to love her child, true love is a decision to act in the best interest of the child. Ignoring their insolence or disobedience is not parental love. We see, then, how emotional responses falsely called “love” squelches human reason and intellect whereby each are allowed to choose their own path and call it “their truth” or “their faith” as if it can be individualized just for them.

With such a viewpoint and bases of operation, confusion and division exist in society and religion. Life governed by emotions leaves Christians vulnerable to false doctrines antithetical to Scripture. It is this writer’s opinion that the division in creed and practice among denominations has its origin in human emotions. One of the most troubling conditions in Christianity is the susceptibility of people toward emotional manipulation by charismatic leaders. If they can persuade people to buy into whatever they are promoting and get them emotionally attached to it, they have a new disciple. For this and other reasons, Paul reminds Corinth in 2 Cor. 13:5, “Try your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your own selves.” The battlefield of the mind is where today’s war is being waged and, unfortunately, many are losing this fight because of intellectual neglect. Paul writes, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will” (Rom 12:2). The Christian must use his or her intellect by the power of the Holy Spirit and knowledge of Scripture, not feelings and emotions, to discern truth from falsehood. The Bible teaches that our faith is not to be built on the foundation of our own personal emotions, but on the solid foundation of revealed truth. We must learn to look outside ourselves and our feelings to the objective truth revealed in the Bible.

Having this same approach, we should be able to discuss the content of God’s word without getting angry and defensive about what we believe because what we believe is not the standard. The naive and foolish would respond emotionally, “what I believe is the truth!” Of course, they and everyone else would hope to have the truth, also. Yet, if what I believe is the truth, then we can just throw the Bible out and follow me. If it’s the Word that we elevate and honor and not “what we believe,” then we have nothing to fear by an open study of God’s word, if we love God. This is the epitome of loving God – to forsake ourselves, take God at this word and obey Him. Loving God is a daily decision of the heart, soul, and mind to honor Him by submitting ourselves to His will. Paul describes it as “dying daily” while Jesus calls his disciples to “take up the cross daily.” Pleasing God is a daily decision, not weekly when “going to church.”

Paul wrote to Colossae, “My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:2-4).

                                                                  ——————————————————————————–

                                                                                  Copyright © 2010 Taylor Daily Press