How do followers of the Most High show their love for Elohim? We’ve all read and heard the verse where Yeshua quotes from the Torah that we are to love Elohim with all our being, heart, and mind.
“Teacher, which is the great command in the Torah? And יהושע said to him, " ‘You shall love יהוה your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:36-37)
“Hear, O Yisra’ĕl: יהוה our Elohim, יהוה is one! “And you shall love יהוה your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)
How do we Show our Love?
Knowing we are to love Elohim is important, but you cannot properly love Him if you don’t know how. Despite what some may say, how we are to show love for Elohim is not subjective or relativistic. Mainstream Christianity (The term here is used to mean those who follow the traditions of the Church instead of the Messiah), will say, and properly so, to follow the commands is to show love.
“If you love Me, you shall guard My commands.” (John 14:15)
But Christianity rejects the Torah and follows whatever commands the church deems still applicable, this is dispensationalism at its finest. Those stuck in “Churchianity” (mainstream lawless Christianity) will most likely say they only follow the two commands Yeshua gave, but as we’ve just gone over, Yeshua was only quoting the Torah and, as we read a few verses down, speaking the words the Father commanded him to speak. So, in essence, it’s as if the Father told us to keep His commands, which are found in the Torah. Furthermore, Yeshua is the walking, talking, Torah. If that sounds bizarre to you, check out my post titled, “The Parable of the Ten Virgins.” Given this, then, we can dismiss dispensationalist teachings and recognize that as believers of the Most High we show our love through Torah observance.
“He who possesses My commands and guards them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I shall love him and manifest Myself to him.” Yehudah – not the one from Qerioth – said to Him, “Master, what has come about that You are about to manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” יהושע answered him, “If anyone loves Me, he shall guard My Word. And My Father shall love him, and We shall come to him and make Our stay with him. “He who does not love Me does not guard My Words. And the Word which you hear is not Mine but of the Father Who sent Me." (John 14: 21-24)
“And by this we know that we know Him, if we guard His commands. The one who says, “I know Him,” and does not guard His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever guards His Word, truly the love of Elohim has been perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked.” (1 John 2:3-6)
Many claim to know and love Elohim but if they do not guard the Torah then they are liars and the truth, the Messiah and the Torah, are not in them. I know that may sound harsh and perhaps you’re thinking of friends and family you know who proclaim to love Elohim, and maybe they sound genuine, but as John said, if they do not keep the Torah then it is a farce. For many it’s not even their fault, the church doctrine has led them astray and taught them replacement theology and dispensationalism, it is a snare that is not easily overcome. I myself came out of that system, I know how confusing it can be at first but after that, my eyes and heart were opened to hear and practice the whole Bible, including the Torah. John also states that the one guarding, this meaning to protect and do, the commands (Torah), is showing perfect love towards Elohim. A child who loves their parents will listen and obey the counsel they receive from them; this is self-evident as a child who does not love their parents will be disobedient and rebellious. The same applies to us, for we are children of Elohim.
“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of Elohim!” (1 John 3:1)
Do you Love the Father?
Elohim gave us instructions, the Torah, on how to live life and how we should treat others. I, like King David and all the authors in the Bible, delight in the Torah and do so in loving obedience. My Father, YHWH, instructed me to wear Tzitzit so I do, and I enjoy having them on. He told me not to serve idols, so I don’t. He told me not to listen to a false prophet, so I don’t. He told me not to inquire of spirits, so I don’t. He told me to reprove a neighbor who sins, so I do. I do all these and more because I love Elohim and I’m thankful beyond measure for his Son Yeshua who not only died for my transgressions of the Torah but also showed me how to live a Torah observant life. I exemplify the very essence of love for Elohim and my fellow siblings in Yeshua when I keep the Torah.
“By this we know that we love the children of Elohim, when we love Elohim and guard His commands. For this is the love for Elohim, that we guard His commands, and His commands are not heavy.” (1 John 5:2-3)
If you are unfamiliar with the commands of Elohim, I am working on a series of posts right now titled, “Testing the 613.” Feel free to give them a read, so you too can learn how to love Elohim. Don’t fret or feel overwhelmed by the number of commands, take it slow and learn them a little at a time, as James instructed in Acts 15. It’s better to be a child who is learning and applying the instructions than to be one who is not.
I hope this post and this website, in general, helps you in your walk with Messiah and it is my prayer that you continue to grow, to test all things and that the Ruach Hakodesh leads you into all Truth.
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