How Do We Know That We Are Loving God?

After stating that the greatest commandment was to love God, Jesus said that the second greatest commandment was to “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39, NIV). He also said “Do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 7:12, ESV).

Our love for others compels us to be the ones in our neighborhood who are known as the friendly neighbors always willing to help. Our love for others compels us to be the ones at our workplace who are honest, compassionate and patient with unreasonable bosses. In our recreation our love for others compels us to make friends, understand their hearts and be a source of encouragement. When we love others they aren’t bothered by our Christian holiness; they care about how we treat them.

And Jesus asks us to go even further in the way we love others. He provided a shocking explanation of the second greatest commandment when he said: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?” (Matt. 5:42-46, NIV). So our love should extend even to those who hurt or attack us. This is a sign that we really are children of our Father, in other words that his image is being restored in us.

“our love should extend even to those who hurt or attack us. This is a sign that we really are children of our Father “

Our love needs to go above and beyond the usual. In Matthew 12:39 Jesus says: “Do not resist an evil person” (NIV). In verse 41 he says: “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles” (NIV). Jesus modeled this himself by coming to earth and subjecting himself to the opposition of the ungodly, all for the love of sinners. As he hung on the Cross he even prayed to his Father for the soldiers who were crucifying him: “forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34, NIV).

Therefore, our love for God is measured by our love for those around us, especially enemies and anyone who is difficult for us. This is why Jesus said “blessed are the meek” (Matt. 5:5, ESV), “blessed are the merciful” (Matt. 5:7, ESV), “blessed are the peacemakers” (Matt. 5:9, ESV) and “forgive other people” (Matt. 6:14, ESV). If we abide in the Spirit we will develop “patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23, ESV).

When we read through the various list of Christian virtues in Scripture we find that the majority of Christian virtues concern our treatment of others. All these virtues go to the heart of Christformation. This is the lifestyle that Jesus modeled for us. One is not loving God and “growing in every way more and more like Christ” (Eph. 4:15, NLT) unless one is growing in these virtues.