God has chosen to limit Himself to partnership with us on earth. God won’t violate our free will, and Satan can’t override it by force. It’s always up to us. Our choices either empower God to bless us, or empower the devil to destroy us. Our opening text declares this truth, so how can we limit God? In the first four parts of this study series, we’ve looked at the importance of mouth management, unforgiveness, unconfessed sin, an unrenewed mind, uncontrolled flesh and disobedience. Today we examine the issue of love.   

Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the Commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal, “”You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet” and if there is any other commandment, all are summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:8-10.  

The Old Testament was full of rules, regulations and requirements – none of which the Jews were able to keep in their own strength (James 2:10/Acts 15:10). When Jesus came, He lived a sin-free life that fulfilled the Law, took away our sins on the cross and when raised from the dead, instituted a New Covenant (Testament) that replaced the Old. What changed when that happened? All the commandments found in the Old Testament were now wrapped up into one main commandment that only born-again Christians could keep. Being saved through faith and not by works meant that the agape love of God was now shed abroad in a believer’s heart by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). This meant that we could love people the way God does, placing value upon them simply because they are, and for no other reason. 

Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said to Him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment . “And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself'. “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets". Matthew 22: 36-40.  

When an Old Testament lawyer wanted Jesus to identify the greatest of all the commandments found in the Law, this was His answer. The problem was that nobody could keep these commandments because the Greek word used here for “love” is the Greek word “agape,” which is the divine love of God. Until Jesus rose from dead, nobody could love with that kind of love because it can only be obtained by way of the new birth. God gave the Mosaic Law to show the Jews it was impossible to earn their salvation through works. The Mosaic Law was never meant to save anyone. It was meant to point people to the only One who could save us – Jesus. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. 

Galatians 2:16

Like the Jews of old, too many Christians today try to please (or impress) God in the arm of the flesh, which can never satisfy a holy and righteous God. Instead of prioritizing this business of loving like God loves, so many believers spend their time pampering their dead-to-sin flesh. How do they do such things? By failing to make the love walk the only walk in their lives. My friend, if we don’t let God’s love dominate our lives in every way, the flesh will take back control. When that happens, we become like the Corinthian church, who were born-again but carnal (1 Corinthians 3:1-3). There are only two kinds of Christians on earth: spiritual or carnal. We handcuff God and limit Him when we choose to stay carnal, letting the flesh dominate our thoughts, words and actions. When it comes to life on earth as a Christian, the endgame is love – walking and living in agape love (Ephesians 5:2). This was Paul’s message to the early church, and God’s message to us today. A lack of love cripples God, and prevents Him from being great in our lives. This is the essence of God’s very nature, and ours too, now that we’re born again. The Bible says He is love, and as He is, so are we in this world

(1 John 4:16-17).   

When Jesus replied to the lawyer about the greatest commandment to keep, He told us to love with God’s love in three areas. We love God, then we love our neighbor and finally, we love ourselves. 

How do we love God? With all our heart, soul, mind and strength

(Mark 12:30). That leaves no room for the flesh, the world or the devil in our lives. We place God at the top of everything we think, say and do. We develop and maintain the attitude Paul expressed to the Corinthians: Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 2 Corinthians 5:9.  It's impossible to please God without making Him the center of our lives, and loving Him above all else.  And how do we prove to Him that we really love Him? Jesus gives us the answer:

If you love Me, keep my commandments. John 14:15

That’s it. Simple, precise and to-the-point. We have to know and then keep the commandments we find in the Bible, and specifically, in the New Testament. Nothing else will do. In the New Testament, there are 10 new main commandments to keep, replacing those 10 old main commandments everybody knows from Exodus chapter 20. I’m writing a book that will highlight those 10 new main commandments, but for now, just understand that loving God is where everything starts in our walk as Christians.  

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James 1:22

Loving our neighbors will mean we love fellow believers and unbelievers alike. To say this is challenging would be an understatement, as anyone working to please God will attest to. Unbelievers can be ugly, and Christians can be just as ugly. By experience, I know this to be true, and you probably do, too! First, when it comes to loving the unbelievers, it's simple - we love them by telling the truth (Ephesians 4:14-15). Wherever, whenever, to whomsoever, we are debtors to the world, and we owe them the truth about heaven, hell, salvation and damnation (Romans 1:14). Some will love us for it, most others will hate us for it. So be it. It’s our job and our responsibility (Mark 16:15-20). It's not a popularity contest. And then for Christians, we follow the guidelines laid out in the Bible.  

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 

1 Corinthians 13:1-8.

When these verses take hold in our lives, we are truly walking in love towards our Christian neighbors. These aren’t suggestions – they’re commands. We don’t have to “like” each other, but we must love each other! There’s a big difference between those two mindsets of like and love. Jesus made it plain: A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. 

John 13:34-35. That means we “bear” with one another, whether we like it or not (Ephesians 4:1-3). No exceptions. We limit God when we choose to ignore these instructions.

Too many believers have a very low opinion of themselves. If we wish to give God a free hand in blessing us at every turn, this must not be allowed to continue. I know in my own life; I have to guard against this diligently. Without thinking, I can easily begin belittling myself with words and thoughts, and that’s wrong, unscriptural, and gives place to the devil.  

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

See yourself as God sees you, and you’ll be just fine! He loves you just the way you are. So, if He does, who cares what others think? Be at peace with yourself. We’re not perfect people, and God knows it. We’re all works in progress. We all have spots, wrinkles and blemishes (spiritually as well as physically), but God still thinks we’re the apple of His eye (Psalms 17:8)! According to Psalms 138:8, He’ll never drop us or leave us behind, so relax and take it easy on yourself!  

When we walk in agape love, our lives become rooted and grounded (Ephesians 3:14-20). No matter what comes our way from the devil, we stand strong and secure, because our house is built on the rock of God’s word (Luke 6:48). That’s the only way we can please God, and avoid the mistakes made by so many in the past and around us today. Enable God – don’t limit Him with a lack of love.  

Notice this in our opening passage from Psalms. The people of God didn’t just limit God occasionally. They did it again and again. Don’t be like them. When His love is the defining attribute of your life, instead of failing God again and again, you’ll be triumphant in Christ again and again. It’s your choice! 

Never forget this truth: Matthew 12:50. Only those who are obedient to do the will of God are considered to be our Lord’s true family in heaven. No one else!