How do you know that you love God?

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Grace911

Grace911

Active member
#1
Nov 11, 2018
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#1
Matthew_25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Luke_13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
Luke_13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, ALL YE WORKERS OF INIQUITY.

What is iniquity? Is it sin? The scriptures defines sin.

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

We are to first love God (YHWH) with all our heart, soul and mind and second to love your neighbors.

How do you know that you love God?
 
Magenta

Magenta

Senior Member
#2
Jul 3, 2015
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#2

Mark 12 verse 30 ~ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
 
P

Pasifika

Active member
#3
Jun 18, 2024
167
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#3
Grace911 said:
Matthew_25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Luke_13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
Luke_13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, ALL YE WORKERS OF INIQUITY.

What is iniquity? Is it sin? The scriptures defines sin.

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

We are to first love God (YHWH) with all our heart, soul and mind and second to love your neighbors.

How do you know that you love God?
Click to expand...
It's when you Love His Son Jesus Christ (by Believe), and obey His message (The Gospel) which is Faith.
 
HealthAndHappiness

HealthAndHappiness

Well-known member
#4
Jul 7, 2022
11,455
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113
Almost Heaven West Virginia
#4
Magenta said:

Mark 12 verse 30 ~ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
Click to expand...

That's my "1-2-3, glory to Thee Lord" verse!

My prayers for years is that the Lord would help me to love Him consistently with all of my heart, mind, soul and strength.

One of my long term goals is to be as close to Jesus as John the beloved disciple. He was the closest of the inner circle of the 3 disciples.
This can only be possible with God's help. I believe He will answer these prayers because it's according to His will. There are so many prayer promises that lead me to trust Him on this.

I love the verse that you posted my dear sister. That was of the Lord.
 
P

Pasifika

Active member
#5
Jun 18, 2024
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#5
1 John5:1.. everyone who loves the Father loves His child as well...
 
Brasspen

Brasspen

Well-known member
#6
Sep 14, 2024
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#6
KJV Matthew;

{14:15} If ye love me, keep my commandments.

{15:10} If ye keep my
commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have
kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

Jesus said, that if you love him, you will keep he's commandments.

When you keep he's commandments, you have faith in him.
 
Grace911

Grace911

Active member
#7
Nov 11, 2018
598
148
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#7
Brasspen said:
KJV Matthew;

{14:15} If ye love me, keep my commandments.

{15:10} If ye keep my
commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have
kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

Jesus said, that if you love him, you will keep he's commandments.

When you keep he's commandments, you have faith in him.
Click to expand...
Does God have standards? Just because I believe in the love of Christ and that salvation is free?
when I was a teenager I lived for free in my parents house. There were rules or laws to observe. When I married, there were rules and laws to observe. My home was not rent free, but we had to WORK to maintain standards we set for ourselves. I think this is how we know we love God. God said He never changes. Jesus said he only did and spoke that which His Father commanded. It is the same now. We know we love God by keeping his commandments, standards, laws, but most importantly His Sabbaths. Plural. Not just one day that we call the 7th, but all the feasts of the Lord. Why are Sabbaths important? Because these are His time set apart for His set apart ones.
 
Magenta

Magenta

Senior Member
#8
Jul 3, 2015
63,584
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#8

Colossians 2:16-17 Let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.
 
D

DOUGLASPAUL

Guest
#9
#9
Magenta said:

Colossians 2:16-17 Let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.
Click to expand...
Wonderful Post, as always, sister!
 
HealthAndHappiness

HealthAndHappiness

Well-known member
#12
Jul 7, 2022
11,455
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Almost Heaven West Virginia
#12
Magenta said:

Colossians 2:16-17 Let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.
Click to expand...
Yes, and

Galatians 4
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
 
S

Soyeong

Active member
#13
Oct 11, 2023
995
138
43
#13
Grace911 said:
Matthew_25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Luke_13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
Luke_13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, ALL YE WORKERS OF INIQUITY.

What is iniquity? Is it sin? The scriptures defines sin.

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

We are to first love God (YHWH) with all our heart, soul and mind and second to love your neighbors.

How do you know that you love God?
Click to expand...
God's way is the way to know, love, and believe in Him and Jesus by directing out lives towards being in His likeness through being a doer of His character traits, which is also the way to eternal life (John 17:3). For example, in Genesis 18:19, God knew Abraham that he would teach his children and those of his household to walk in His way by being a doer of righteousness and justice that the Lord might bring to him all that He has promised. In Exodus 33:13, Moses wanted God to be gracious to him by teaching him to walk in His way that he and Israel might know Him, in 1 Kings 2:1-3, God taught how to walk in His way through His law, and in Matthew 7:23, Jesus said that he would tell those who are workers of lawlessness to depart from him because he never knew them, so the goal of the law is to teach us how to know God and Jesus, which is His gift of eternal life. This is also why Jesus affirmed in Luke 10:25-28 that the way to inherit the gift of eternal life is by obeying the greatest two commandments.

Likewise, the way to love justice is by directing our lives towards being a doer of justice in obedience to God's instructions, the way to love holiness is by being a doer of His instructions for how to be holy as He is holy, and so forth. In others words, the goal of everything that God has commanded is to teach us how to love different aspects of God's character, which is why the Bible repeatedly states that the way to love God is by obeying His commandments. Similarly, the way to believe that God is a doer of justice is by directing our lives towards being a doer of justice in obedience to God's instructions, the way to believe that God is holy is by being a doer of His instructions for how to be holy as He is holy. This is why the Bible repeatedly connects our belief in God with our obedience to Him, such as in Revelation 14:12, those who kept faith in Jesus are the same as those who kept God's commandments.
 
Magenta

Magenta

Senior Member
#14
Jul 3, 2015
63,584
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#14
HealthAndHappiness said:
Yes, and

Galatians 4
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak
and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10 Ye observe days, and months,
and times, and years. 11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Click to expand...

Galatians 4 verses 9-10 ~ Now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that my efforts for you may have been in vain.
 
S

Soyeong

Active member
#15
Oct 11, 2023
995
138
43
#15
HealthAndHappiness said:
Yes, and

Galatians 4
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Click to expand...
In Galatians 4:8-11, Paul addressed those verses to those who formerly did not know God who were enslaves to those that by nature are not gods, which does not describes those who were formerly following God's instructions for how to know Him (see my previous post), but rather it is describing former pagans, so the days that he was referring to them returning to were in the context of paganism. Paul was a servant of God, so it should make sense to you to interpret him as criticizing people for following Christ's example of obedience to what God has commanded.
 
Magenta

Magenta

Senior Member
#16
Jul 3, 2015
63,584
32,221
113
#16

From Galatians 4 verses 22-24 plus 28-29 and 5 verse 1 Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise. These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery. We, like Isaac, are children of promise. The son born by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.
 
HealthAndHappiness

HealthAndHappiness

Well-known member
#17
Jul 7, 2022
11,455
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Almost Heaven West Virginia
#17
Soyeong said:
In Galatians 4:8-11, Paul addressed those verses to those who formerly did not know God who were enslaves to those that by nature are not gods, which does not describes those who were formerly following God's instructions for how to know Him (see my previous post), but rather it is describing former pagans, so the days that he was referring to them returning to were in the context of paganism. Paul was a servant of God, so it should make sense to you to interpret him as criticizing people for following Christ's example of obedience to what God has commanded.
Click to expand...
Start at chapter 1 of Galatians and he addresses them with the strongest rebuke.

Soyeong said:
In Galatians 4:8-11, Paul addressed those verses to those who formerly did not know God who were enslaves to those that by nature are not gods, which does not describes those who were formerly following God's instructions for how to know Him (see my previous post), but rather it is describing former pagans, so the days that he was referring to them returning to were in the context of paganism. Paul was a servant of God, so it should make sense to you to interpret him as criticizing people for following Christ's example of obedience to what God has commanded.
Click to expand...
The context of chapter 1 is the strongest rebuke of those they allowed into their churches that taught a false gospel. He said nothing about paganism. The next chapters it's clearly a matter of how they were infiltrated by wicked Jews who taught them that false gospel of keeping the law.

1O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 1O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 4Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

It's just like the fake preachers today who say you must maintain salvation by the works of the law.
This false gospel is disguised by the phrase "repent of your sins."
 
S

Soyeong

Active member
#18
Oct 11, 2023
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#18
HealthAndHappiness said:
Start at chapter 1 of Galatians and he addresses them with the strongest rebuke.

The context of chapter 1 is the strongest rebuke of those they allowed into their churches that taught a false gospel. He said nothing about paganism. The next chapters it's clearly a matter of how they were infiltrated by wicked Jews who taught them that false gospel of keeping the law.

1O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 1O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 4Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

It's just like the fake preachers today who say you must maintain salvation by the works of the law.
This false gospel is disguised by the phrase "repent of your sins."
Click to expand...
In Matthew 4:15-23, Jesus began his ministry with the Gospel message to repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand which was a light to the Gentiles, and God's law was how his audience knew what sin is (Romans 3:20), so repenting from it is a central part of the Gospel of the Kingdom, which is in accordance with him being sent in fulfillment of the promise to bless us by turning us from our wickedness (Acts 3:25-26). Paul also taught the Gospel of the Kingdom based on God's law (Acts 14:21-22, 20:24-25, 28:23). In Romans 15:4. Paul said that OT Scripture was written for our instruction, and in 15:18-19, his Gospel involved bringing Gentiles to full obedience in word and in deed. In Romans 10:16, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, and 1 Peter 4:17, they all speak against those who do not obey the Gospel. So the start of chapter 1 of Galatians should not be interpreted in a way that turns it against the Gospel that Jesus and Paul taught.

Please specifically address this verse and explain why it makes more sense to interpret it as referring to those who were formerly following God's instructions for how to know Him rather than referring to former pagans:

Galatians 4:8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.

In Romans 3:27, Paul contrasted a law of works with a law of faith, in Galatians 3:10-12, he contrasted the Book of the Law with "works of the law", and in Romans 3:31 and Galatians 3:10-12, he said that our faith upholds the Law of God in contrast with saying that "works of the law" are not of faith, so that phrases does not refer to obedience to the Law of God, which means that you are incorrectly identifying Paul's problem in Galatians. Again, it shouldn't make sense to you to interpret a servant of God as speaking against obeying what He has commanded.
 
Brasspen

Brasspen

Well-known member
#19
Sep 14, 2024
522
256
63
#19
Grace911 said:
Does God have standards? Just because I believe in the love of Christ and that salvation is free?
when I was a teenager I lived for free in my parents house. There were rules or laws to observe. When I married, there were rules and laws to observe. My home was not rent free, but we had to WORK to maintain standards we set for ourselves. I think this is how we know we love God. God said He never changes. Jesus said he only did and spoke that which His Father commanded. It is the same now. We know we love God by keeping his commandments, standards, laws, but most importantly His Sabbaths. Plural. Not just one day that we call the 7th, but all the feasts of the Lord. Why are Sabbaths important? Because these are His time set apart for His set apart ones
Click to expand...
God gave us the commandments for our own good. Not to condemn us.
 
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