In Deuteronomy 10, Moses gives a short sermon to the people on what the NKJV titles, “The Essence of the Law”—where the rubber meets the road, if you will. One of the things included in the list Moses gives is, “walk in His ways and love Him” (10:12). It is interesting to note that he doesn’t separate those two things—“walk in His ways” and “love Him.” The list has several items, separated by commas, but these two are conjoined—“walk in His ways and love Him.” It isn’t that they are one and the same. Hardly! However, as we study the rest of the Bible, the two are very much connected, so much so that they cannot be separated. For example, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Sometimes, however, we may find ourselves on either side of the spectrum in relation to this principle. Consider:

     It is possible to say that we love Him, but ignore His commandments. A young lady told me last week that she was very much in love with Jesus, but that her relationship was more spiritual than anything. I wasn’t sure what all that entailed. I soon found out that it meant she wanted to ascribe love to the name Jesus, and the sin-washing blood of His sacrifice, but wanted to do it her own way. She had no regard for who Jesus actually was, and what Jesus actually said, and had no interest in the Bible whatsoever. It seems to me to be on one extreme swing of the pendulum.

     However, sometimes we fall into the opposite swing of the weight—we think that if we keep the commandments, then that must mean we love Him. Such also cannot be the case. Though we may not blatantly say so, in such a situation, our discipleship of Jesus has become only a checklist of rights and wrongs, do’s and don’ts—going through motions. In Micah 6, the people were continuing to practice the Law, offering sacrifices, etc., but, among other things, had no heart behind what they were doing. He asked, “Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, ten thousand rivers of oil?” (6:7). Essentially, the message was, “Go through all the motions you want, but without a pure heart and love of the one being worshipped, your sacrifices mean nothing.” So it is today—our commandments kept with no love toward to one who gave them, avails nothing. 

     Jesus did not say, “Love Me in your own way.” Nor did Jesus say, “If you keep My commandments, you love Me.” Those are quite incorrect. He said, “IF you love Me, [THEN] you will keep My commandments.” Loving Him for the Savior He is, and the forgiveness He gave, but then showing that love by following His every step and desire. Is it not what Jesus desires?