Hard Truth Two: God Commands Us to put Him First

Hard Truth Two: God Commands Us to put Him First

God is God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit. All are one God, and God is each individually. All three command us first to love Him first. In everything we think, say and do, God commanded that we love Him first and foremost. But what does it mean to love God first? Paul teaches us:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2)

Loving God is to sacrifice all that we are, putting aside everything of this world that can possibly be in the forefront of our thoughts, intentions and actions. God commands that we are not to have any "gods" other than the God of Heaven. Jesus clearly told us in Matthew 5:19 we will be called "least in the kingdom of heaven" if we do not follow and teach His commandments.

This is no easy thing to do if we do not hold to God as our first love. We are surrounded by Satan, the ruler of this world with all his distractions and temptations, enveloped by our own sin and the sin of others. God understands that we are weak. We lose the battle over and over but through Jesus, the war is never lost.

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. (2 Corinthians 4:8-12)

How many fewer battle we would need to fight if we followed the command to "love your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind"? Jesus already fought the war, and He won.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5)

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

Jesus further explained to his disciples what it meant to be a member of His kingdom.

And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. (Luke 12:29-33)

Jesus also warned the leaders of the Jewish people:

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. (Matthew 21:42-43)

If in fact it is God's good pleasure to give the kingdom to the people producing it's fruits, in all humility, we need to understand the fruits of the kingdom.

Read on... Hard Truth Three: No Fruit, No Kingdom