aiki
Regular Member
God says the only reason for following Jesus that He accepts is love. (Matthew 22:36-38) And in the Bible, God tells us that we love Jesus because He first love us. (1 John 4:19). The apostle Paul, too, wrote that the only motivation for our walk with God that God accepts is love. No matter what we say, or know, or do, if love isn't our motivation - first for God and then for others - it is useless. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)
What does God mean by "love"? Is He talking about an emotion? A feeling of strong affection? No. He means desire. God wants us to desire Him, to long for, to hunger for, to thirst for, Him. This is what, at its core, God means by loving Him. Such desire may give rise to strong feelings of affection but one may possess such a desire without these sorts of emotions. When, then, you wonder if you really love God, ask yourself if you desire Him. If not, then there is something profoundly awry with your understanding of what it means to walk with God and how to do so.
Upvote
0
