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Love

King Jesus, the anointed Messiah, is direct with us. He can do nothing but say what He hears His Father say. He knows God’s agenda. His only desire is to do exactly what God wants Him to. He is  speaking to us this way so that we will be saved.

Jesus challenges us to love. We must love completely and with our whole heart. This quote is actually from a very long rant that Jesus gave to the religious (Jews) in church (The Temple) one day. To get it in context read all John 5.

We need to be careful. Going to church may make us feel good but it won’t “save us”. May Jesus never say this of us what he said to the religious people of His day.

41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?[1]

(John 5:41-44 ESV)

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These religious elites had a problem, and this was the lack of love in their hearts. “You have not the love of God in you” (John 5:42). This means the experience of God’s love for them as well as their expression of love for God. They claimed to love God, but their attitude toward Jesus the Messiah proved that their love was counterfeit.

Their attitude toward God’s Word hindered their faith, but so also did their attitude toward themselves and one another.

  • The Pharisees [religious elites] enjoyed being honored by men and they did not seek for the honor that comes from God alone.
  • They did not honor the Son because He did not honor them! Because they rejected the true Son of God who came in the Father’s name, they would one day accept a false messiah, the Antichrist, who would come in his own name.
  • If we reject that which is true, we will ultimately receive that which is false.

Our Master Jesus closed this penetrating sermon by warning the Jewish leaders that Moses, whom they honored, would be their judge, not their savior. The very Scriptures that they used to defend their religion would one day bear witness against them.

The Jews knew what Moses wrote, but they did not really believe what he wrote. It is one thing to have the Word in our hands or our heads, but quite another thing to have it in our hearts. Jesus is the Word made flesh, and the written Word bears witness to the Incarnate Word. “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27). [2]

Bonus Content: Check out this supplemental content about “How should we show love for God?”. It adds context to this article. If you like it, please consider subscribing to the channel on YouTube.

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Jn 5:41–44). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 308–309). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.