Tag Archives: Love of God

CHRISTIAN LIVING, GOD, NEW TESTAMENT

MIND BOGGLING! — BOB PRICHARD

Remember the Rubik’s Cube? That little six colored cube presented quite a challenge to most of us. I remember feeling proud of myself for getting a couple of sides all the same color. In June 2023, Max Park bettered his own world record for solving the puzzle by solving the puzzle in 3.13 seconds. Since there are 43 quintillion unique combinations possible (we’ll take the word of the mathematicians on this), it is truly mind boggling to me that anyone could solve the puzzle in 3.13 minutes, much less 3.13 seconds.

In an age when there are not too many things which we consider awesome, this feat of solving that puzzle so quickly truly amazes me.

We too easily take things for granted. Putting a man on the moon is arguably the greatest technological achievement of the twentieth century. Those of us who were of age will all remember seeing Neil Armstrong taking those first steps for mankind on the moon in 1969. But what about the second and third trips to the moon? The astronauts had to play golf on the moon to even get TV coverage. We so easily lose our sense of awe!

There is so much of scripture that we, out of familiarity, fail to recognize with the proper sense of awe. John 3:16 has been familiar to us since our childhood, and most all of us can easily quote it. But to restore your sense of awe, read it for the personal message it truly is. “For God so loved ME, that he gave his only begotten Son, that I SHOULD believe in him AND should not perish, but have everlasting life.” “But God commendeth his love toward ME, in that, while I WAS yet A sinner, Christ died for ME” (Romans 5:8).

Isn’t it mind boggling and awesome, to consider how much He loved us!

CHRISTIAN LIVING, JESUS CHRIST

COGITO, ERGO SUM — BOB PRICHARD

“Cogito, ergo sum”—“I think, therefore I am” is perhaps the most famous philosophical statement ever made. Scientist and philosopher René Descates wrote these words in his Discourse on Method (1637). He reasoned logically that since he was able to think, he knew he existed. He continued to reason from this point that God exists.

Louis XIV had a different philosophy: “l’etat, c’est moi”—“I am the state.” It is not surprising that he would come to this conclusion in view of the fact that he reigned as king over France for seventy-two years. His absolute monarchy set a pattern followed in several other European countries. No doubt his style of tyrannical behavior contributed to the bloody French revolution of 1789.

Anna B. Warner penned a philosophy for all of us, however, with her words, “Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so.” In her 1860 hymn we find words of comfort and strength! This hymn is a favorite with children, but all of us can benefit from the words written for her Bible class of West Point cadets.

Even if you missed every other doctrinal point in the New Testament, surely you could not miss this one. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6–8).

“And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30–31).

“Jesus loves me! He who died, Heaven’s gate to open wide; He will wash away my sin, Let his little child come in. Yes, Jesus loves me; Yes, Jesus loves me; Yes, Jesus loves me, The Bible tells me so.”

BIBLE, BIBLE QUESTIONS, OLD TESTAMENT

WHAT DOES THE FIRST COMMANDMENT MEAN TO CHRISTIANS? — BOB PRICHARD

The Ten Commandments, found in Exodus 20, form the basis for modern western civilization. In their summary of the proper attitude to God and one another, they provide fundamental concepts that allow people to function in obedience to God. The relevance of the Ten Commandments for the Christian lies in the timeless principles they describe. Paul explained that the Christian is no longer bound by the old covenant, including the ten commandments, because Christ brought the Jew and the Gentile together, “having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace” (Ephesians 2:15). In giving His life, Christ was “blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross” (Colossians 2.14). Christians are “delivered from the law” (Romans 7:6-7) to live under the better covenant of Christianity (Hebrews 8:6-7). 

The first commandment emphasizes that God must be first in the life of His children. “And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:1-3). As God reminded Israel that He had delivered them from Egyptian bondage, the first commandment demands, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

The Israelites lived in a world of many gods vying for the allegiance of men. God demanded that they recognize Him and Him alone as God. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” is literally “Thou shalt have no other gods before my face.” Just as a woman with two husbands would be unacceptable to either husband, God demands undivided loyalty from all who claim to follow Him. The Jews could not adopt the pagan practices of their neighbors and maintain the purity God demanded. Peter and the other apostles understood the principle, refusing to be silenced by the Sanhedrin, saying, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). In like manner, Christ demanded undivided loyalty from His followers. “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37-38). 

The command, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me,” is also a demand for wholehearted love. God redeemed Israel from Egyptian bondage, and today He redeems mankind from the bondage of sin. The magnificence of His creation and the sacrifice of Christ for us shows that He truly is worthy of our love. Jesus summed up the proper attitude to the Father: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself’” (Matthew 22:37-39). If we do this, we can truly insure that we put no other gods before Him.