With all your heart?

[Mark Quayle]

Can we, in our fallen-but-redeemed state here on Earth, love God with all of our heart? Or does our flesh prevent us from doing so?

Haha, I bet I know where you are going with this!

Somewhat unrelated: I have a Wesleyan friend who says after his second experience --what do they call that--I don't remember-- anyhow, he says after that he hasn't sinned at all. I told him I'd like to ask his wife's opinion on that. He laughed and said what he means is his whole attitude is to love and obey.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I didn’t ask Him, I asked you.

The thread isn’t about what God can do.

I think making any theology not about God, is a big problem.

 

[Mark Quayle]

I think making any theology not about God, is a big problem.

Sounds like you're dodging the question.

 

[Swag365]

Do you, though?

No.

Why don't we get to the crux of the matter? You seek to demonstrate that it is not possible for a man to love God with all of his heart, while he is here on the Earth.

What specific evidence would you require as proof that your assertion is false? For example, do you need evidence that a Christian has lived his entire post-conversion life free of sin? If not that, what else would suffice to disprove your assertion?

 

[mlepfitjw]

A friend shared with me this video...

There is a lot of work still needed to be done with me, personally due to a years of on and off drugs, and porn addiction, and abuse of my own self with isolation and numbing all my emotions. Not only myself but even abuse of others through relationships, and not being able to love properly.

Can we, in our fallen-but-redeemed state here on Earth, love God with all of our heart?

We can love God, the holy spirit is reminder of the love God had shown us by sending his Son Jesus Christ, to die on the cross, and rose him again from the dead. We also can remember that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God through Christ Jesus.

John 3:16; Romans 8:31-39




Or does our flesh prevent us from doing so?

No, it does not prevent us from loving God but it can find ways to do like my comment above the video has done to me as a person.

The reason I mention no is specifically because of these verses here; of course are able to live and have fun, but I believe the effort part is totally on us.

Making effort
​

5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge,

6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness,

7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Does those things make me who I am as a person?

No, those things mentioned about myself are not me, those things are me trying to avoid, numb, and isolate myself from the ability to love others* along with seeing myself as that I am good enough* and be authentic with who I really am with Gods help, which is a person who can be loving, kind, through the spirit that indwells him. (Though we still will get upset, frustrated, even angry sometimes)

Ephesians 4:26

Be angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:​

 

[Mark Quayle]

No.

Why don't we get to the crux of the matter? You seek to demonstrate that it is not possible for a man to love God with all of his heart, while he is here on the Earth.

What specific evidence would you require as proof that your assertion is false? For example, do you need evidence that a Christian has lived his entire post-conversion life free of sin? If not that, what else would suffice to disprove your assertion?

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives."

 

[zoidar]

I don't think Jesus would tell us to do something that is impossible. To love God with all your heart, I believe basically means, put God first. Can anyone live their whole life with that kind of love for God, to always put God first? I highly doubt that.

 

[Hammster]

I think making any theology not about God, is a big problem.

This one is about God’s command and our willingness and ability to obey.

 

[Hammster]

No.

Why don't we get to the crux of the matter? You seek to demonstrate that it is not possible for a man to love God with all of his heart, while he is here on the Earth.

What specific evidence would you require as proof that your assertion is false? For example, do you need evidence that a Christian has lived his entire post-conversion life free of sin? If not that, what else would suffice to disprove your assertion?

It’s seems self-evident that if one sins, they aren’t loving God with all of their heart at that particular moment.

 

[Hammster]

I don't think Jesus would tell us to do something that is impossible. To love God with all your heart, I believe basically means, put God first. Can anyone live their whole life with that kind of love for God, to always put God first? I highly doubt that.

The question isn’t whether it’s possible or not, but rather whether it’s possible or not here on earth. I fully expect to obey this command in Heaven.

 

[zoidar]

The question isn’t whether it’s possible or not, but rather whether it’s possible or not here on earth. I fully expect to obey this command in Heaven.

I was talking about here on Earth. Jesus wasn't talking about what is possible in heaven. How do you get what Jesus says to be about heaven?

 

[zoidar]

So the thread question is "is it possible to love God with all of your heart, or does living in a human body make this impossible?"

The follow up question for people who say "Yes" is "but do you actually love God with all of your heart?"

This seems to follow a particular pattern of theological application that is designed to reduce people's faith in what God can do through carnal reasoning.

It's a reasonable question: "Do I love God with my whole heart?" If the answer is "no", then we should ask ourselves "why it's a no?" and also "is there a way this could change?"

 

[returntosender]

You mean does our flesh get in the way of loving God. We are fleshly beings and so I don't see how it wouldn't and yet I feel like I love God but I see your point. I think this is a dilemma, a conundrum.. for me anyway. Flesh and God don't compute.
I've changed my vote twice.
We are fleshly humans how can we love as God does, in a Godly way?
As long as we are alive we are of flesh but in heaven we will be pure.

 

[Hammster]

I was talking about here on Earth. Jesus wasn't talking about what is possible in heaven. How do you get what Jesus says to be about heaven?

I think His command is for now and eternity.

 

[zoidar]

I think His command is for now and eternity.

Even so you see Jesus tell us to love God with all our heart now.

 

[returntosender]

Hey Hammster.. pray your doing GREAT and so blessed in Jesus name. Answer is simple..yes.

It was told in the OT and NT love the lord your God with all your heart Deu 6:5. He would not say it if we could not do it. No one but no one controls us. We make those choices every day. I battle put to death the flesh every day. There were those that walked with God and were taken up. Even Job was called what? Blameless and upright.. no one on earth was like him. That was before Christ came.

So I don't know about anyone else but.. I don't have to give in to my flesh. I don't have to give in to one thought.. nothing. Our flesh is in a fallen world but... its not written our flesh rule us

So if I don't love Him with all my heart.. I alone did it. Is this how HE sees it? Theres so much more to this praise GOD glory to Jesus.

I don't think as humans that we can love God with all our hearts because we have to much involvement in worldly desires. Our eye is not singular. If we can clear our lives with all else then we could love God with all our hearts.

 

[returntosender]

"the love God had shown us by sending his Son Jesus Christ, to die on the cross"

@Agallagher
how can we even hope to return that kind of love.
Its impossible to love as God does. That is the love with the whole heart.

 

[Hammster]

Even so you see Jesus tell us to love God with all our heart now.

Of course. That’s why I started the OP.

 

[returntosender]

I don't think Jesus would tell us to do something that is impossible. To love God with all your heart, I believe basically means, put God first. Can anyone live their whole life with that kind of love for God, to always put God first? I highly doubt that.

But maybe that is what he expects, for us to be like Jesus in every way and then we can love him with all our heart.

 

[mlepfitjw]

"the love God had shown us by sending his Son Jesus Christ, to die on the cross"

@Agallagher
how can we even hope to return that kind of love.
Its impossible to love as God does. That is the love with the whole heart.

maybe I’m wrong, maybe we only love by the spirit inside of us, when it’s active, though we had to make the choice to renew our minds with the word of God. It took me 26 years to turn, I still suffered with drugs and porn yet I reminded myself of his love and forgiveness, even while in my abuses.

@alllivesmatter im not saying we can do exactly what Jesus did. It is just a reminder for us to stay humble and give our respects back to God, and Lord for what they have accomplished for the world.