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#58185
Mon Nov 14, 2022 9:16 AM
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Joined: Apr 2013
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A pastor is continually admonishing his congregation to "love Jesus most." It seems to me that as a Christian you would naturally do this. I realize that sometime we get caught up in the world and what it has to offer. We take our mind off the fact that we are merely sojourners here and our permanent home is heaven. However it almost seems as if the admonishment is to stir us up to try harder as if our salvation depended on our works. Has anyone ever heard of a pastor doing this?
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,419 Likes: 55
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Head Honcho
Joined: Apr 2001
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No, I personally have not heard of a pastor doing that. Admittedly, my experience(s) have been rather narrow in scope.  However, aside from the many passages which tell us to love God with all our heart, mind and soul, there is quite a number of places in the Epistles which encourage us to keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus. And, our love for Christ is demonstrated when we keep His commandments and they are not burdensome. Methinks that it would be more biblical that a pastor preach the Word in order to bring about the sanctification of the saints, encouraging them to fight the good fight, against the enemies from within and without. 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (ASV) 14 But abide thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. 15 And that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 Every scripture inspired of God [is] also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. 17 That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work. Too often, IMO, the word "love" is misused and misunderstood. Love is a motive, not an end in itself. Love is always, according to Scripture, expressed in conformation to God's truth, His law, commandments, precepts, etc. Being conformed to the of Christ is the end goal, yes?! "Romans 8:29 (ASV) 29 For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren:" After reading the following, who being given a new nature by the Spirit could not love Jesus? Ephesians 1:3-14 (ASV) 3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ: 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: 5 having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: 7 in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him 10 unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, [I say,] 11 in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will; 12 to the end that we should be unto the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ: 13 in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,-- in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of [God's] own possession, unto the praise of his glory.
simul iustus et peccator
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