CHRIST FOR PRISONERS WEEKLY BULLETIN
Sunday, January 6, 2008

Christian Duties Part One
Our Duty to God:

Lesson 1 – Our Love to God

This is the first part of a series of lessons on “Christian Duties – Our Duties to God.” In this lesson we will look at the fact that we are obligated to love God. I realize this shouldn’t have to be taught but the way “Christians” are living today I wonder if they really love the Lord. If we really believed that we are living in the last days our lifestyles would be different. We will teach on obedience in a later lesson. I pray that God will bless you as you study the lessons on Christian duties.

1. Our Love to God is a Supreme Obligation.

To love God with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the mind is the “first and great commandment.” [It includes all the rest.]

1) We are to love God with all our heart.

Matthew 22:37
³⁷ Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Matthew 22:37 (RVR)
³⁷ Jesús le dijo: Amarás al Señor tu Dios con todo tu corazón, y con toda tu alma, y con toda tu mente.

Read: Luke 10:27; Deuteronomy 6:5

Love to God must come from:
   1. The heart: That is all of our inward affections.
   2. The soul: All our consciousness.
   3. The mind: All our thoughts.

Are all your inward affections about pleasing God? Do you think about His will in all that you do? Have you ever asked yourself, “Would I want Jesus to see what I am doing or what I read or what I’m watching on TV”?

Deut. 10:12-13
¹² And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
¹³ To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (RVR)
¹² Ahora, pues, Israel, ¿qué pide Jehová tu Dios de ti, sino que temas a Jehová tu Dios, que andes en todos sus caminos, y que lo ames, y sirvas a Jehová tu Dios con todo tu corazón y con toda tu alma;
¹³ que guardes los mandamientos de Jehová y sus estatutos, que yo te prescribo hoy, para que tengas prosperidad?

Keeping God’s commandments is more than merely obeying God’s commandments. The word translated “keep” expresses or means “watchful care.” The word keep means several other things which include “attend to carefully,” “take care of,” “guard.”

2) The greatest commandment.

Matthew 22:36-38
³⁶ Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
³⁷ Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
³⁸ This is the first and great commandment.

Matthew 22:36-38 (RVR)
³⁶ Maestro, ¿cuál es el gran mandamiento en la ley?
³⁷ Jesús le dijo: Amarás al Señor tu Dios con todo tu corazón, y con toda tu alma, y con toda tu mente.
³⁸ Este es el primero y grande mandamiento.

I don’t know about you but whenever I see the words, “Thou Shalt” I believe it is a command whether in the Old or New Testament.

3) Our Love for God is even more important than our love for parents or children.

Matthew 10:37 (NKJV)
³⁷ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

Matthew 10:37 (NKJV)
³⁷ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

Read: Luke 14:26

One must prefer God or love Him more than all else. God First is the motto of the Bible.

4) Love to God is commanded of God.

Deut. 11:1
¹ Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.

Deuteronomy 11:1 (RVR)
¹ Amarás, pues, a Jehová tu Dios, y guardarás sus ordenanzas, sus estatutos, sus decretos y sus mandamientos, todos los días.

Joshua 22:5
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 to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Joshua 22:5 (RVR)
⁵ Solamente que con diligencia cuidéis de cumplir el mandamiento y la ley que Moisés siervo de Jehová os ordenó: que améis a Jehová vuestro Dios, y andéis en todos sus caminos; que guardéis sus mandamientos, y le sigáis a él, y le sirváis de todo vuestro corazón y de toda vuestra alma.

If we love the Lord, as the Bible says, we will not have a hard time obeying His Word and Walking in His ways, or serving Him.

5) The Bible says to love God is better than sacrifices.

Mark 12:33
³³ And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Mark 12:33 (RVR)
³³ y el amarle con todo el corazón, con todo el entendimiento, con toda el alma, y con todas las fuerzas, y amar al prójimo como a uno mismo, es más que todos los holocaustos y sacrificios.

It is possible to go to church, put money in the offering, give to the poor, etc. and not love Him with all the heart. We could do all these things and not have the right motivation.

We should pray, “Search me O God and know my heart...”