Loving God, His Instruction
There are numerous presentations and articles which we believe are critically important for people to understand. However, in our view, there is perhaps nothing more important than the information we will present on this page. For the person of faith, this is the most essential and at the same time, the most widely misunderstood topic of Scripture. We wish to acknowledge and thank two people for their service to God and to all of us.
We first heard Ray Comfort of Living Waters Ministries teach on "The Ten Commandments" in 1997, and we understood the depth of our personal sin. Over the years we have come to a greater depth of understanding in the good work begun by him.
In 2002 we read Dr. Gay Chapman's book, "The Five Love Languages," and we began to understand how God had uniquely created each of us in His likeness and image. For the first time, we understood how we were each"designed" to give and receive love.
It would be years before we began to see that what seemed to be two totally unrelated (and opposing) areas, "Sin" and "Love" were in fact, one and the same. We put this to the test by merging Ray's and Gary's work together. We humbly wish to add to these two good works as best we are able. What we now know and understand is that all "sin" is a failure to "love." God's Commandments are His standards of how we are to love Him... and each other. We urge you to consider the information that follows with care. We believe it is a matter of great urgency and a matter with eternal consequences.
Shalom... and Blessings... Aman Ministries.
Please see our “Statement of Faith (Full Version)" for more details on The Torah (Law), Grace, Salvation, etc. We will only be discussing the Ten Commandments here, which is the "Covenant"... God made with Israel, they broke, and the "Covenant" that Yahusha renewed.
God's "Law" of Love
THE TWO GREAT COMMANDS · THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE · THE RIGHTEOUS FOUNDATION
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS · THE COVENANT OF GRACE · FULFILLING THE LAWS OF LOVE
GODS PRIMARY LOVE LANGUAGE
THE THREE TESTAMENTS · THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES · LOVE IS WILLING SUBMISSION
THE TWO ARE THE TEN, AND TORAH · THE TWO ARE TEN AND WILLING SUBMISSION
FULFILLING THE TEN LAWS
THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS, LOVE GOD and LOVE ONE ANOTHER
"This is My commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
You are My friends IF you do whatever I command you." (Jn 15:12–14)
"By this, we know that we love the children of God,
when we love God and keep His commandments." (1 John 5:2)
"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
(Jn 14:21)
And now, Israel, what does Yahuah your Elohiy (the Lord your God) require of you, but to fear Yahuah your Elohiy, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve Yahuah your Elohiy with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of Yahuah and His statutes which I command you today for your good. (Deut 10:12–13)
The first thing that God desires is for you to know that He is real and that His love for you is equally real. If you are someone who does not believe it is possible to know this... we want you to know you are wrong. The Holy Scriptures are the only collection of writings on the face of the Earth which declare... they are from the One true God... they are truth (everything He originally spoke is true)... and then offers irrefutable physical proof of these two great truths. This is the single great purpose of prophecy! (Isa 41:4, 21-22, 26, 43:9-12, 44:6-8, 45:21-22; 46:5, 8-10; Ps 119:160). God chose prophecy so that you can know without any doubt, question or reservation that “He Is”... “Ahayah” or the Great “I AM” (Ex 3:14). Prophecy is… the proof of the truth! And, that great truth is... God is real, alive and actively working to bring about all that He has prophesied in His Word... with the ultimate goal of restoring you back to Him forever... in perfect love! This is the Good News or the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Today, this message is now more urgent than at any other time in the history of Humanity. Major prophetic fulfillments in His Word have and are taking place at this very moment and are increasing exponentially as “birth pangs” (Mat 24:7-8; Mk 13:8; 1 Thes 5:2-11). The Love of God is at the very brink of its prophesied collision with Humanities rejection of that love. The time of God’s next major prophetic encounter with all of Humanity, “as in the days of Noah” (Mat 24:37-39) is right at the door (Mat 24:33). We say this not based upon one prophetic fulfillment, but based upon a series of multiple major prophetic fulfillments that are all literally connected and functioning as a single unit. The time to know He is real... repent of our failures to love Him with all that we are, and cast off the teachings of men with a right heart... is urgent! A “right heart” loves God because He loved us first, and saved us from before the foundation of the world. A “right heart” seeks to love God in the way He has told us that He wants to be loved. A "right heart" seeks to obey God as an expression of love back to Him. A wrong heart attempts obedience, offers works to be saved, and holds these works up as proof of that love. If we truly love God, we obey Him because we know He has saved us. We do not obey God so that He will save us. Salvation cannot be earned... it can only be acknowledged in the same way it was given... out of love! All of this is in His Word.
The first five books of His Prophetic Word (written by Moses), are called the Torah, which means, “Instruction.” These instructions contain Laws, Judgments, Statutes, Ordinances, and Precepts. The second nineteen books consist of the Nevi’im, or the Prophets which are divided into the seven Major Prophets and the twelve Minor Prophets. The final eleven books are referred to as the Kethuvim, or the Writings. In total, these thirty-five Hebrew texts are the same books that the Protestant Christian Churches refer to as the Old Testament and divide into thirty-nine books by splitting the books of Samuel, Kings, Chronicles and Ezra/Nehemiah. These books came to be written over a period of about thirteen hundred years by thirty-three human agents. Collectively, they are known as the Tanakh and are truly two separate “Testimonies” by God to Humanity.
The first testimony covers from Creation to Jacob’s death and final prophecy. There is then a 400-year gap in which God is silent with no recorded prophets speaking. The second testimony then covers from Moses’ birth to Malachi’s final prophecy. These “Holy Scriptures” claim to cover the events from before the creation of man through the reconstruction of the second temple in Jerusalem. These books give an account of God’s creation of all things… humanity’s fall and separation from God… God’s salvation of Noah, his family, and all life in the destruction of great corruption with a flood… God beginning to work with humanity at Babel… God’s choice of Abram (later Abraham) to build a nation through whom He would call all peoples back to Himself… the history of the nation of Israel… and God’s plan of redemption through a coming Messiah. The Messiah or Mashiach appears in Scripture as God’s special chosen anointed King and the Savior of all Israel. These things are the united common ground upon which both Jew and Christian alike stand.
Those who believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and study these books would all additionally agree that these books are ultimately a love story. They tell the story of God’s love for Man, the pain of the loss of that relationship due to Man’s willful disobedience... and God’s resolute determination to restore that relationship at any cost. Malachi speaks the final prophecy to Israel, four hundred years then pass, and once again, God is silent with no other recorded prophets speaking. God’s “Third Testimony” then begins in the B’rit Chadasha or New Testament. From a Hebraic perspective, this is known as a Derash or Midrash which is a repeating pattern and points at the truth of the B’rit Chadasha as being from God. (Ecc 1:9-10, 3:14-15)
In the Hebrew Gematria (The Divine Meaning of Numbers), the number "400" is "Testing to the Next Great Expansion - Magnified." The number "1" is "Separation to Holiness." The number "2" is "Division." And, the number "3" is "Gathering / Perfection for Life and Resurrection." Now consider how the Scriptural meanings of these numbers perfectly apply to what we are seeing in this Midrash.
The twenty-seven books of the B'rit Chadasha (New Testament) then record the belief among many Jews of the First Century that God sent His Mashiach (Messiah) to Israel exactly as prophesied in the Tanakh (Zech 6; Dan 9:24-26). He came in the person of a Jew named Yahusha ben Yoseph (Jesus the son of Joseph) who perfectly fulfilled over three hundred of approximately twenty-seven hundred prophecies about and surrounding “Messiah” in the Tanakh... including Israel’s initial rejection of Him (Ps 69:4, 118:22-23; Isa 53) which are coupled with Israel’s later acceptance and restoration by Him (Isa 54, 55; Isa 31:34; Jer 50:20; Zech 12:10). In the fulfillment of the prophecies, these devout Jews all believed that Yahusha was the ultimate outpouring of God’s great love for Israel and in turn for all of humanity... having willingly given up His life as the ransom for the sins of Israel (Lk 1:68, Rev 5:9) and all who would willingly believe, repent and turn to God in love for what He has done. (Acts 2:22-41)
All of Holy Scripture can, therefore, be summed up in a single word... “Love.” Love is what it is all about. God is love and loves perfectly (Jer 31:3-4; 1 Jn 4:8, 16; 2 Sam 22:31; Mat 5:48) and this is the very thing that God calls His children to do in faith. We are to love one another.
When Yahusha (Jesus) was asked...
"Rabbi, which is the great commandment in the Torah? Yahusha 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 Torah and the Prophets.” (Mat 22:36-40)
The Spirit confirms this through the apostle John...
"Brethren, I write no renewed commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. Again, I write a renewed commandment to you... for this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous." (1 Jn 2:7, 3:11-12)
The commandment to love one another has been from Creation. This is confirmed in 1 John as the Spirit points back to Abel’s obedience to God’s righteous command as the cause of his murder by Cain. In this verse, he tells us not to love as Cain loved, but to love righteously as Abel loved. There are therefore acts of love based on the standards of man (Cain) which are not acceptable and unrighteous to God, and there are acts of love based on the standards of God (Abel) which are righteous and acceptable to God. Abel’s righteous sacrifice was accepted while Cain’s unrighteous sacrifice is rejected. (Gen 4:3-8)
To obey the command to love, we must first know what “love” is. To know what “love” is we cannot rely on our own definitions of love. What may be loving by one person’s definition is not necessarily loving by another person’s definition. And, what may be “loving” by human definition may not be “loving” by God’s definition. We can only rely on God’s definition of what love is, and upon His definition of how we are to express that love righteously. To do this we must turn to Scripture and first look at the words God chooses and uses for “love.” For the sake of consistency; the best way to do this is to look at the Greek texts of the Septuagint (Tanakh/Old Testament) and the B’rit Chadasha (New Testament). The Hebrew has separate words which correspond to each of the Greek words that we will look at, and that is used in the Hebrew Tanakh. So, what we find in the Greek words for “love” is likewise also found in the Hebrew. However, in English the word “love” can mean many things and these meanings are not always well defined by the context. Because of this, we must look to the Greek to understand what God is truly saying. In the Greek language there are five primary words with very different meanings that are all translated as “love” in the English translations. There is...
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Mania: A Mentally Passionate/Obsessive/Fixated/Lustful/Love – It is a possessive love. It can seem and be irrational, is always possessive, and it can be one-sided in nature. Jealousy springs from this intense love. When thoughts of affection towards another continually fill a person’s mind in an obsessive, compulsive and uncontrollable fashion it is “Mania” in operation.
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Eros: Sensual/Erotic/Physical/ Love – This is emotional love and can be circumstantial with peaks and valleys which manifests and expresses itself through and in physical contact. Here is the most fragile type of love. It is a reciprocal love of physical desire shared by two. This bond of love is usually very temporary and short-lived when it stands alone.
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Philos: Brotherly/Sisterly/Friend/Love – Friendship Love. It is steady, loyal & looks to the best interests of two or more people equally. This is a love that can be easily violated and broken when self-interest enters in. It is a love that involves and is conditioned upon mutual respect.
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Storge: Motherly/Fatherly/Love – The protective and providing love of a parent toward a child. It is steadfast and generally involves a blood bond of love which is nearly unbreakable. This love can suffer many wrongs and forgives abundantly and quickly. It is equally the love of a child for a parent.
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Agape (or Agapao): Unconditional Love – It is “making a commitment” to choose to love someone no matter what happens. It is a love of will and choice. It is choosing to love someone even when they are unlovable. This love is the most steadfast and unbreakable of all because it is a love of choice which is not dependent upon anything. There is nothing that needs to be done or which can be done by another to receive this love. Of all the types of love, this is the one which is most greatly desired by people and has become the rarest in our modern society. It is a love which many have never experienced. It is the foundational love upon which marriage must rest. Without this kind of love, every marriage would fail over time. It is the love available from and given by God to His children. This is the love most clearly demonstrated by God through Yahusha (Jesus) and offered to Humanity. It is love perfected and incorporates a perfect selfless combination and balance of all forms of “love” on an emotional level. God then says of Agape... 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. Love never fails... And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest is love. (1 Cor 13:4–8, 13)
Our focus here is, therefore, upon the greatest of all these types of love, “Agape” or “Agapao.” This is the love that God has for us and demonstrates to us. It is the love He calls us to in loving others and in loving Him. While the reader of the English translations is unaware of this in Scripture, when Yahusha (Jesus) restores Simon Peter (who had denied Him three times), He asks Peter if he will “Agapao” Him (love Him unconditionally). Peter tells Yahusha that he “Philo’s” Him (loves him as a brother). This repeats a second time. Then, the third time Yahusha asks Simon Peter if he will “Philo” Him. And here lies the reason why Simon Peter’s heart is broken by Yahusha’s third request! Yahusha lowered His request from the unconditional love He was calling Simon Peter to choose... to the brotherly love he already possessed (Jn 21:15-17). While Yahusha was calling him to choose a higher form of love, Yahusha was willing to meet him where he was. The same is still true for us today. God desires and wants us to choose unconditional love... but, He will meet with us wherever we are because of His love for us... in this, He demonstrates unconditional love!
As for Simon Peter, after Yahusha restored Him, he spent the rest of his life serving and walking with God. Through this, he came to love God unconditionally and called others to do the same (1 Pet 2:17; 4:8). As to how Peter did this, we must first understand the language of love which God created in us and demonstrates to us.
THE “LANGUAGE” OF LOVE, GOD’S DESIGN IN US
We all communicate our thoughts, ideas, feelings, and emotions through the language we speak. The five most commonly spoken languages in the world today are English, Mandarin, Hindustani, Spanish and Arabic. Within all of these languages, there are also certain dialects spoken depending on the area that a person was raised and grew up in. A “dialect” is a “language” within a language that can be viewed as a separate language. Just because two people share the same language it does not guarantee that they will fully understand each other if they speak different dialects of the same language. Yet, the truly most common and universally spoken language did not make “the list.” Nor did any of its dialects. That language is... Faith! “Faith” is “Belief” in action! In our words we may speak what we believe; however, it is by our actions that our genuine faith becomes known, reveals what we really believe... and displays who we really are. “Belief” talks... “Faith” walks! (Hab 2:4; Rom 1:17; Heb 10:38, 11:3-31; Jas 2:17-24) A person's actions always speak the truth of what they really believe far more than their words ever do. “Faith” is the universally spoken language of Love... it communicates our true thoughts, ideas, feelings, and emotions. “Faith” is the “Language of Love” and the Language of Love has five major dialects that are spoken.
Love has its own “language” and is only truly known and fully understood when that “language” is spoken. However, the “language” of love is not a language of spoken words that declare our love by saying “I love you.” While there is no substitute for these three simple words and no greater words can be spoken, these three words are meaningless unless they are confirmed by our actions. Love is a language of actions. Love is only known, understood and believed to be genuine based on what we do. We can all tell people that we love God or that we love them, but the truth of our words always become known by what we do. This is why people from different countries and speaking different languages can fall in love with each other. They fall in love by witnessing the other person’s actions towards themselves and to others. If a picture speaks a thousand words... the truth of ten thousand words which proclaim our love is spoken in a single loving act of faith.
None-the-less, there are many people who genuinely love another person and they believe they are doing all the things by which their love should be known... and yet... the other person feels and believes that they are unloved. The frustration for both people can become consuming and will eventually end the relationship if not corrected. God created us this way. He created us with the capacity and desire to love and to be loved. It is not an accident or a mistake that He did this. There is a reason behind it. Further, “love” is only experienced in unity which is why God created Woman from Adam... and for Adam. “Love” was designed to require time, effort, knowledge and thought which selflessly takes action in humility within an unconditional commitment to love.
Over twenty years ago Gary Chapman recognized this very thing and wrote a book called “The Five Love Languages.” It recognizes that there are five basic ways in which we communicate love to each other. Through these five basic actions, we show our love to others, and we receive love from others. These five “dialects” of Love or five “Love Languages” are:
The first thing we need to recognize here is that all five of these “languages” require intentional, thoughtful actions based on what we know about a person. God, in fact, reveals this very thing in Scripture if we are paying attention. When a man and a woman come together in marriage, God uses a very interesting term to describe this unity in a bond of unconditional love. He says, they “knew” each other (Gen 4:1, 17, 25). To know someone begins the process of learning how to love them in the way they need and/or desire. While all of these things communicate love; for each of us, there is one “language” or “dialect” above all the others that will shout, “I love you!” in a way that we feel needed, desired and valued above all else. It is a direct line of communication to our heart, soul, and mind which touches our very spirit. This is a person’s primary love language. It is the dialect of love where we live and breathe. It is the main entrance to that special place where love resides in each one of us. The other four are love languages secondary and their effectiveness in communicating love to another person varies from person to person because we are all unique creations of God. To love someone well we need to know the exact dialect or love language of another person, learn to speak it fluently and practice speaking it as often as we can.
Unfortunately, we are all best at speaking our own “dialect” or “love language,” and we generally fail to recognize that what makes us feel loved is not necessarily what makes someone else feel loved. As an example: A woman’s primary love language may be “Quality Time” while a man’s primary love language may be “Physical Touch.” The woman is always trying to give the man “Quality Time” and does not understand why the man seems somewhat indifferent to this. For the woman, she can come to feel her love for him is being rejected and ultimately she is being rejected. The man, on the other hand, is constantly providing “Physical Touch” for the woman (even as he passes by touching a shoulder or sits next to her and places his hand on her back) and he cannot understand why she feels unloved by him and rarely responds to his loving touches. For the man, his perception is that she is rejecting his love for her and ultimately rejecting him. Each of them are in fact “telling” the other person that they love them deeply. They are both speaking the “Language of Love” but they are speaking different dialects, and their love is not being received at the level it is being given. If only she would just touch him as she walked by... and if only he would make the “Quality Time” she is so desperate to receive. The problem is this... two dialects of the same language can be so different that they are different languages altogether. Here is where a commitment to love unconditionally is required. We need to “know” that person and learn to speak their specific love language. In order to learn to speak the other person's love language on an effective level, an essential element is required… to truly love them... willing submission in obedience.
This is the very foundation upon which every loving relationship is sustained. It is one thing to learn the “language” which best communicates our love to someone else and it is entirely another to do it consistently over a lifetime. It does not generally come naturally unless both people share identical love languages, in the exact same order. This is why we are told in Scripture to humble ourselves and submit to each other in the same way we humble and submit ourselves to God (Eph 5:22, 25; Col 3:18-20; 1 Pet 5:5). The person who learns to love others in this way is also truly loving themselves... and we are to love others “as we love ourselves” (Eph 5:28; Jas 2:8). When we love ourselves, we willingly submit our own will and we think nothing of it. Therefore, to love others “as we love ourselves” we must submit to their will. In other words, we must love them as they desire to be loved... not how we desire to love them. This is equally true for each of us. We all desire to be loved in the way which makes us feel the most loved. That is the commandment, and we really need to lay hold of this if we are to rightly obey it in loving others and especially in loving God! Loving others “as we love ourselves” is a greatly misunderstood commandment. It is simply not what the vast majority of people believe it to be. It is not looking at the things which say, “I love you” to us and then doing those same things for them. It is humbly submitting ourselves in obedience to the will of another and loving them in the ways which they need, want and desire. So, if you did not get that... read this paragraph again and keep reading it until you lay ahold of this. It is the foundation of loving God righteously!
Anyone who has ever been in a relationship will immediately recognize the truth of “obedience” in a loving relationship the moment they consider it. When someone makes requests from another person to do certain things, and they say they will do them, and yet never do them, choosing to do only what they want to do, in the way they want to do it, we quickly recognize that they do not love or care for us; but rather, they only love themselves. What is lacking in this love relationship is the very foundation of every expression of love that can be made... obedience to the needs, wants, and desires of another. Yahusha (Jesus) teaches this very thing in the “Parable of the Two Sons” (Mat 21:28-32). However, because it is a parable we can fail to recognize that He is teaching us about love. This is a parable of a “father” and his two “sons,” not of a “landowner” and his two “servants.” They share a common bond of love which is nearly unbreakable in a parent/child relationship. One son refuses his father’s request... then repents and chooses to fulfill his father's will. The other son says he will fulfill his father’s request... but then he does not do it! The one who loved his father was the one who repented, humbled himself, submitted to his father’s request and was obedient to do what his father asked... in the way his father asked him to do it. In complete humble submission, the foundation was laid for the son to become obedient and show his unconditional love for his father by fulfilling a request which he truly had no natural desire to fulfill. The first son held an unconditional commitment to love his father which overcame his natural desire to do only what he wanted. The second son had no such commitment. This is why an unconditional commitment to love God and others is critical as a believer. For it is only by this that we can “overcome the world” with its natural “desires” and love God as He desires that we love Him (1 Jn 2:15-17). Love overcomes all... and it is only by and through love that we can overcome. And those who “overcome,” will inherit all things (Rev 21:7) and these things are truly spectacular and beyond imagination! (Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 26-27, 3:5, 12, 21) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Qahal(ed) out ones... “Overcome!”
Now that we have looked at...
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how God defines love (Agape/Agapao),
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how God designed love to be given and received (Five Love Languages),
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how God created us with the capacity and desire to love others in unity (In His Likeness)
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And what is first required of us to love another perfectly (Willing, Humble Submission)
it is time to move on to understanding how we are to love God and express this love back to Him, for this is the greatest commandment in Scripture! (Mat 22:37; Mk 12:30) To love God, we must do so righteously, and we can only do this from a right or righteous foundation.
THE RIGHTEOUS FOUNDATION of LOVING GOD
When a person comes to believe in the one true eternal God and places their full faith, hope, and trust in Him, the natural human response is to ask, “What must I now do... what does my Creator want or expect from me?” The first thing He wants is a personal relationship with you. He wants you to meet with Him and get to know Him by walking with Him and learning from Him (Gen5:22, 24, 6:19; Hos 11:12; Lk 24:13-35). When we do this, we quickly come to understand the great love that He has personally for each of us (Jn 3:16). It is then that we find ourselves asking, “How do I express my love for God back to Him?” The answer is found in a single word which most do not associate with “love;” but, truly is at the very heart of loving anyone else. In fact, when we hear this word our first reaction is to push away from it. Generally speaking we do not like this word. It sounds very controlling. It has certainly been and can be used to take advantage of... or even abuse another person. The reason for this is because our only experience with it is on a human level. We have learned that not all people want the very best for us... and even among those who do want the very best for us... they can simply be wrong.
The first thing that we must recognize is this; none of these things apply with God. He is never wrong. He knows everything. He truly does want the best for us. He has no desire to harm us. He has no need to take advantage of us. And most of all, He has no desire to control us... or He never would have given us free will. Therefore, we must overcome any aversion we have to this word in our relationship with God. The word we are speaking of is... “Obey!”
As we just pointed out in the previous section, obedience to God is the very foundation upon which expressing our love back to Him must be founded. Without this, it is impossible to love God righteously... which is the only love He can accept... because He is righteous! The question then becomes, “Where in Scripture has God told us what we should do to express our love back to Him?” Many would answer this question by saying, we are to “love God with all our heart, mind and soul” and “to love others as we love ourselves.” However, these two things are wholly insufficient on their own. By themselves, this leaves it up to each person to decide what these things mean and how to accomplish them best. What we additionally need to know is, “Does God have a primary “Love Language and how do we discover what that is?” The simple truth is... God does tell us how He wants us to love Him. He defines this very simply for Himself... and He defines this for loving His children as well. As you will now see, the “Five Love Languages” not only perfectly fit “The Ten Commandments,” it is impossible to fulfill the Ten Commandments without using the Five Love Languages! The “Five Love Languages” therefore reveal and confirm what the original Ten Commandments are all about. When we humbly submit and obey these ten commands we love God righteously in the way that He desires, and we love others in this same way. As we look into these commandments and we get to know God... we will not only discover what God’s primary love language is, we will discover...
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how to “walk with God” every hour of every day (Gen 5:24)...
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how to truly “make disciples” of others (Mat 28:19)...
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how to “produce good fruit” in season and out of season (Mat 7:17-21; 2 Tim 4:2)
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how to “glorify God” in love each and every day for the rest of our lives (Jn 15:8-10)...
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and how to acquire a faith that will move mountains (Mat 21:21).
All of these things are accomplished in, by and through the actions of a single word... love! And, the great “Law” of love is “The Ten Commandments.”
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS of THE TORAH
Many Christians teach that “The Torah” with all of its laws, statutes, ordinances, precepts, and judgments have passed away. They teach that we are under a “New Covenant” and Yahusha (Jesus) said, we are to first love Yahuah our God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind... and second, we are to love our fellow man as we love ourselves. They say this “sums up all the Law” and we are to do this. (Mat 22:37-40). While they are not wrong, they do not realize what they are actually saying. These are direct quotes from the Torah, which they say Yahusha fulfilled and no longer applies! (Deut 6:5; Lev 19:18). In this, they are teaching an absolute contradiction that relies upon people's ignorance of the Torah. People simply do not know that these “Two Commandments” are in the Torah! If the Torah has passed away, then these two commandments have likewise passed away, because they are in the Torah! What they further do not recognize is that these “Two Commandments” are in fact “summing up” what is contained in “The Ten Commandments” which are likewise in the Torah. The truly great error of this teaching becomes exposed once we understand what these ten commands are. They are God’s laws of love... and for them to “pass away,” love itself would have to pass away! The first four commandments are toward God and define how we are to love God. The last six commandments are toward man and define how we are to love others as we love ourselves.
These commandments can be read as the ten great “Do Not’s.” However, for every “Do Not” there is an equal and opposite “Do” and this is where love comes to life and lives! Love comes to life and lives in what we do... not in what we do not do. These are the four commandments toward God which tell us how to love God above all else.
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1 - God spoke all these words, saying: “I am Yahuah your Elohiy, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me. – Love God above all else, He is to be first! (Ex 20:1-3; Deut 5:7)
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2 - You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, Yahuah your Elohiy, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. – No false idols, nothing is to stands in Gods place, this includes the Law. (Ex 20:4; Deut 5:8-10)
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3 - You shall not take the name of Yahuah your Elohiy in vain, for Yahuah will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. – Reverence, fear and honor His Name... and by extension all things that God has placed His Name upon. (Ex 20:5; Deut 5:11)
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4 - Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of Yahuah your Elohiy. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days Yahuah made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore Yahuah blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. – Keep the appointed things of God “Holy.” This begins with His appointed, blessed and hallowed “Seventh Day of Rest” which has been from Creation and is the only commandment we are told to “Remember.” God knows all things. He knows what we will remember, and He knows what will become forgotten. (Ex 20:8-11; Deut 5:12-15)
The Seventh Day Sabbath command is highly unique among the first four commands in which God tells us how to express our love directly to Him. The first three commands are all negatively framed (you shall not...) in telling us what not to do. This command is the only positively framed (you shall...) command among the ten which tells us what to do. Additionally, it is the only command we are told to “remember,” and again this is being said from a positive perspective and not a negative; “do not forget,” point of view. This again sets it apart from all the others. In this, it is the only command that that mirrors and is in direct alignment with the “positive” summary of the first four commands to “love Yahuah your Elohim” (Deut 6:5, 11:1). Finally, it is the only command which when obeyed, marks the believer as one who belongs to the one true God. For it is the Seventh Day Sabbath... and the Seventh Day Sabbath alone which is the sign of the covenant which is “The Ten Commandments” (Deut 4:13). It is therefore impossible to love God in the way that He desires without keeping the Seventh Day as His appointed Sabbath.
These are the six commandments toward men which tell us... how to love others as we love ourselves.
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5 - Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which Yahuah your Elohiy is giving you. – Honor your parents. This is the only command with a promise. (Ex 20:12; Deut 5:16)
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6 - You shall not murder. Do not lie-in-wait to kill... or hate your brother. Protect and preserve life. Pray for those who persecute you and others. (Ex 20:13; Deut 5:17; Mat 5:21-22)
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7 - You shall not commit adultery. Adultery produces a multitude of broken hearts. The love of the “things” of this world is adultery. We are to love one another! (Ex 20:14; Deut 5:18; Mat 5:27-28; Jas 4:1-4)
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8 - You shall not steal. – Do not take anything that is not yours. The size or value is irrelevant. Be content in all that God’s given you. (Ex 20:15; Deut 5:19; Heb 13:5)
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9 - You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. – Do not lie. Uphold the truth in love without partiality toward anyone, especially yourself. (Ex 20:16; Deut 5:20; Prov 25:18)
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10 - You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s. – Coveting (Craving) anything that God has given to another begins every sin and breaks all the commandments. Love God for what He has given you. Ask Him for what you lack and wait on His timing, it is perfect. (Exodus 20:17; Deut 5:21; Lk 12:15)
These are God’s standards of how we are to express our love to Him. These are the ten “Divine Commandments,” which God wrote in stone. They are “The Covenant” between Israel and God... which is why they alone were placed in “the Ark of the Covenant.” Remember, it was the Ark of the Covenant with the Ten Commandments inside it which went before Israel and defeated the enemies of God. This is what Moses recounted to the children of Israel before they could enter the Promised Land and take possession of it. This is where the very presence of God was manifested above the “Mercy Seat” of the Ark of the Covenant within the Holy of Holies in the temple of God. The temple of God contained the Holy of Holies and was holy, but the Holy of Holies did not make the temple holy. The Holy of Holies contained the Ark of the Covenant and was holy, but the Ark of the Covenant did not make the Holy of Holies holy. The Ark of the Covenant was covered by the Mercy Seat, and it was holy, but the Mercy Seat did not make the Ark of the Covenant holy. The Mercy Seat covered the Ten Commandments, and the Ten Commandments are holy! They are what makes the Mercy Seat, the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy of Holies and the temple itself... holy! The reason for this is that the Ten Commandments are how we are to love God and how we are to love others as we love ourselves. When we then humbly submit ourselves to obey the Ten Commandments out of our love for God, we then become Holy to God because these ten commands become written on our hearts and they live in us! (Jer 31:31-33) This is what “The New Covenant” or more accurately, “The Renewed Covenant” is all about. This is the covenant that Yahusha (Jesus) renewed at the last supper! (Mat 26:28). (Please see “A Statement of Faith, The Renewed Covenant).
This is confirmed privately by Yahusha to His disciples (talmidim) after He renewed the “Covenant” at the last supper.
A renewed commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another... This is My commandment that you love one another as I have loved you... These things I command you, that you love one another. (Jn 13:34, 15:12, 17) / (“love” = “agapao”)
This is confirmed by the Spirit through the apostle John...
Whoever believes that Yahusha is the Messiah is born of God (Elohim), and everyone who loves Him who begot... also loves him who is begotten of Him.
By this, we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments, for this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.
And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world... our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world? It is he who believes that Yahusha is the Son of Elohiy. (1 Jn 5:1–5)
We are to love the children of God. We are to love Yahusha. We are to love our Father in Heaven. We love the children of God, the Son of God and our Father in Heaven by keeping our Father's commandments.... for the world is overcome by love! The words of our belief in God are expressed in our faith which walks with God in obedience to His commandments out of our love for God.
There is only one place in all of Holy Scripture that God actually writes His own name. It is upon the Ten Commandments (Ex 20 1-17, 31:18). These, above all else upon the Earth, are literally signed by the Father. When we then arrive in the Book of Revelation in Chapter 14, Verse 1, we read the following... "Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads." Why is it that ONLY the one hundred and forty-four thousand of the twelve tribes of Israel have God's name written on them? Scripturally, we can only draw one conclusion. They are the living embodiment of the Ten Commandments! They have loved God as He has asked to be loved. They have kept the Covenant of Love made with all Israel and renewed in the Lamb's blood. This is the standard by which those who love God are known and by which they receive the Seal of God (His name) on their foreheads by the grace of God (Rev 7:2-4).
THE COVENANT of GRACE, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
What most people do not realize is that these Ten Commandments are the entire and complete covenant made by God with Israel... and this is clearly stated in Scripture.
"So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone." (Deut 4:13)
This was the covenant that Israel broke. This was the covenant made in the blood of animals. This was the covenant that Yahusha (Jesus) “renewed” in His blood, making it a “better covenant.” All of the other commands, ordinances, statutes, laws, and precepts in the Torah fall under one of the ten commands by category and then equally fall under one of the two main divisions of love... with everything we do in obedience expressing our love for God back to God.
Loving God and Loving Man, the Two Divisions
The Torah (Instruction)
The Ten Commandments
All of “The Law” is entirely about loving God and loving others according to the moral standards set by God. This is the primary purpose and function of the Torah. Its secondary purpose is to show all people that they are in a fallen condition and unable to rightly do that one thing which we all universally value and hold in high regard above all else... love. When we break any of the commandments, what we have truly failed at is love. This, is what all sin truly is and why God hates all sin! It is a failure to love according to the minimum moral standards of our Creator.
The “Ten Commandments” are divine as they are unlike anything which Humanity has ever received. Whenever one of these ten commands are broken, the command which is always broken first... every single time... is the tenth commandment! All violations of the Torah (Law) are sins, and every sin is against God and God alone. (Ps 51:4)
All sin is first and foremost against God. All sin begins with the commandment to “Not Covet” having been violated. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record Yahusha (Jesus) teaching us this very thing. When Yahusha responds to the wealthy ruler as to “what he must do to inherit eternal life” (Lk 18:18-20), Yahusha recites the 7th Commandment (Adultery), the 6th Commandment (Murder), the 9th Commandment (False Witness), the 8th Commandment (Theft), the 5th Commandment (Honoring Parents), and He leaves out the 10th Commandment (Lk 18:21). The reason He does this is that He is speaking to one who knows all the commandments... and the 10th Commandment is the one commandment which when broken... violates and breaks all ten commandments at the same time. This is why these are “Divine” commandments. We never break just “one” of the commandments. We always break all ten of the commandments with any single violation of the ten... and we always begin every single violation of this divine law by first breaking the final 10th Commandment not to covet. When Yahusha left this commandment out... He was pointing out to the wealthy ruler that he was a sinner who was filled and overflowing with sin. He was teaching the man (and us) that there was nothing he could “DO” to save himself and inherit eternal life. In fact, to make sure he understood this when the wealthy ruler told Yahusha that he had kept all God's commands “from his youth,” Yahusha drove the point home. He told the ruler there was one thing he lacked to inherit eternal life and He revealed the 10th Commandment to him. He told the man to go and sell all he had, give the money to the poor and follow Him (Lk 18:22). With his sin exposed, the man went away grieved because he had great wealth. Our hearts can be deceptively wicked above all else (Jer 17:9).
The ruler had come to “covet” the “things of this world,” which God had given to him. In this, he broke the first commandment by placing the things that God had given him in God’s place. His possessions had become his god, and he was bowing down to them. This breaks the second commandment. His “possessions” (gold, silver, etc.) were a false idol. Here, the third commandment is broken, as the possessions given to him became elevated above the name of the One who gave them to him. As to the fourth commandment and keeping the things of God “Holy.” The Word of God is to be upheld even above the name of God (Ps 138:2) and this man “coveted” possessions above the commandment in the Word of God... treating it as “common” and not keeping it “Holy.” In all these things, he was certainly not honoring his father or mother who taught him to obey the commands of God “from his youth” which breaks the fifth commandment. Now, you might think he is safe on the sixth commandment as he “murdered” no one. However; Yahusha (who came to “Pleroo” explain the law more fully – Mat 5:17) said, “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer” (Jn 3:15) and this man loved his possessions more than his poor brothers which is also spiritual “adultery” (Jas 4:1-4) breaking both the sixth and seventh commandments. The man has now stolen eternal life from himself by lying to himself in the false belief that he had kept all the commandments. This breaks the eighth and ninth commandments. As to the tenth commandment not to covet... this is how the ruler began the process which broke all ten of the commandments at the same time.
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed (coveting). Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death... For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. (Jas 1:14–15, 2:10)
Therefore it is also true; whoever shall keep just one point of law... and stumble in it, he is also guilty of all. So, if we determine to love (for this sums up the Law)... and we stumble in this... we, therefore, stand guilty before a righteous and holy God of perfect love. There is simply no escaping the Law! There is simply no escape from death in the Law!
The Law was never meant to provide salvation to fallen man! These ten “Divine” commands were designed by our Creator to reveal our hopeless sin condition from the fall, the great depth of every person’s sin... and our desperate need of “A Savior” to save us. The penalty of any single sin is death, and it has been this way from the beginning. It began with Satan creating the desire in Woman to “be like God” (Gen 3:4-6). This is coveting! Remember we said “coveting” begins every sin. And, Woman’s desire gave birth to sin... and sin produced death. Adam and Eve only broke one commandment, and their penalty was death. Remember, God does not change (Amos 3:6). What was true in the Garden is still true today.
Here is where we will now put this all together. We have done our best not just to tell you what “the Torah” or “the Law” really is, but to give you some visual examples so that you can see the truth of what we are saying. When someone tells you that all you need to “DO” is love others as you love yourself and to love God with all your heart, mind and soul... they have told you to keep the entire Torah! That is what makes this whole thing absolutely crazy! However, because they do not know the Torah, nor do they understand what the Torah truly is, they have no idea what they are telling people to do. When they are then asked a question like, “Do we need to keep the Sabbath?” They then say, “No!” and several reasons are usually given. They are reasons like, “The Sabbath is a “Ceremonial Law” and we need only focus on the “Moral Laws.” Or, “The Sabbath was changed and is no longer mandatory.” Or, “We are to keep every day as a Sabbath and Holy to God.” Or, “The Sabbath is a heart attitude, and we will be judged on what is in our hearts.” Or our favorite, “Jesus (Yahusha) fulfilled all the Law, so we don’t have to!”
All of these answers contain partial truths but are errors based on the traditions and teachings of men being mixed in with the truth. Not one of them is (or can be) fully supported in Scripture without altering, adding to or taking away from the original Word of God. And Yahusha (Jesus) spoke directly to this practice.
For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do... All too well you reject the commandment of God that you may keep your tradition. (Mk 7:8-9)
Rather than respond to each error, we believe you should look at the Ten Divine Laws of Love, and the Five Love Languages used to fulfill them and judge for yourself.
When anyone says the Law (Torah) has “passed away”... even in part... what they are truly saying is that love has “passed away.” They are saying, “Love is dead” without knowing it. For the Law is God's standard of loving Him and loving others. This is why Yahusha (Jesus) taught...
Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 5:19)
The greatest in the kingdom of heaven will be those who loved the greatest based on God’s standards of love. Those who will be least in the kingdom of heaven will be those who most greatly failed to love according to God’s standards. And remember, we teach others more in what we do than by what we say.
FULFILLING THE LAWS OF LOVE
The “Five Love Languages” clearly represent the five basic ways in which God designed Humanity to give and receive love. No one who looks into this can deny these truths. We also know that we were (and are) created in the very “likeness and image” of God. By this, we can know that God likewise receives love in the same manner. It, therefore, follows that if the Ten Commandments are truly and ultimately about loving God, then only through these five languages will we find the paths to fulfilling all ten of these divine laws. It is now time to put this to the test and see if it is true.
First, for the Five Love Languages to be effective over a lifetime, they all must rest on a foundation of unconditional love which chooses to love others no matter what takes place. This is a selfless love which submits and is obedient to the needs of another without partiality... placing their needs above our own. This same thing is equally true in fulfilling the Ten Commandments. In this, the Five Love Languages and the Ten Commandments require and share the same foundation.
Second, each of the Ten Commandments can only be fulfilled beginning with our “Words of Affirmation” which declares each of these commands as truth. However, there is not one commandment that relies upon spoken words alone for their fulfillment. Additional acts of love must take place, which then verifies the truth of our “Words of Affirmation.”
#1 You Shall Have No Other God.
#2 No Graven Images, False Idols.
#3 Do not take God’s Name in Vain.
For the first three commandments, our words which affirm each of these truths must then become coupled to selfless “Acts of Service” which are pure expressions of our true belief in the one true God and our love for Him.
#4 Remember to Keep the Seventh Day as a Holy Sabbath.
Our words which affirm the fourth commandment as “a truth,” and must then become joined with selflessly remembering to set aside this “Quality Time” which God appointed at Creation, remains unchanged by Him, by Yahusha (Jesus) and the apostles! The Seventh Day Sabbath is the “Sign of the Covenant” which is eternal and “forever.” (Ex 31:13, Eze 20:12). Within this “Quality Time” on the Seventh Day, we then affirm His Word as truth by “Giving Gifts” to Him in all our offerings and in the performance selfless “Acts of Service” born out of our love for Him. These are pure expressions of our true belief in the one true God who appointed, sanctified and blessed the Seventh Day apart from all other days. This “Day of Rest” is likewise an act of love from God given to us as well... if we are willing to receive it by keeping it. What is true for the Seventh Day Sabbath is equally true of all God’s appointed Sabbaths and Feasts. Every single one of them (including the Seventh Day Sabbath) is a prophetic rehearsal for the outpouring of God’s divine love and judgments in miraculous supernatural ways.
#5 Honor Your Father and Mother.
Our words which affirm the fifth commandment as “a truth” must then be coupled with selflessly using all five of the love languages as our parents may require them.
#6 Do Not Murder and Do Not Hate Others.
Our words which affirm the sixth commandment as “a truth” must then must be coupled with selflessly using all five of the love languages as others may require them... for we are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. We are to be peacemakers who seek to preserve and protect all human life for Mankind is the “image-bearer” of God having been created in His likeness and image. If we cannot love those whom we have seen... how will we love God whom we have yet to see? We are to be lovers of all! (Mat 5:43-48)
#7 Do Not Commit Adultery.
Our words which affirm the seventh command as “a truth” must then be joined with selflessly using all five of the love languages as others may require them, for we are to love our husband or wife first among those whom we share a physical relationship. If we cannot remain faithful to our spouse, how can we stay faithful to God? Married men and women who love God and receive the love they need through the five love languages from their partner are secure in the knowledge that they are loved and easily reject temptation when it comes (Eph 5:33; 1 Pet 3:1). Adultery is a selfish unloving act which creates a multitude of broken hearts among every family member, every time. We must further recognize that we are not to “love” the things of this world above God. God is a “husband” to us all (Isa 54:5). He is our provider and protector. If we begin to believe the things of this world can either provide for us or protect us we are moving in adultery away from God. (Jas 4:1-4)
#8 Do Not Take Anything that Does Not Belong to You.
The eighth commandment can only be fulfilled beginning with our Words of Affirmation which declares this as a truth. Our words which affirm this truth must then become joined with selflessly using all five of the love languages as others may require them. In this, we become selfless givers and not takers which is the heart of the eighth command. One who learns to give; even in their poverty, is one who never steals anything. (Lk 21:2-3)
#9 Do Not Bear False Witness Against Others.
The ninth commandment can only be fulfilled beginning with our Words of Affirmation which declares this truth along the truth of the other nine commandments. Our words which affirm this truth must then become joined with selflessly using all five of the love languages as others may require them in upholding the truth in righteousness. (Josh 2:1-24, 6:17)
#10 Do Not Covet Anything that Belongs to Another (Including God).
The tenth commandment can only be fulfilled beginning with our Words of Affirmation which declares this truth. Our words which affirm this truth must then become coupled with selflessly setting aside the “Quality Time” of the Sabbath which God appointed at Creation for all Humanity. This day does not belong to us exclusively (Ex 20:10). Within this “Quality Time” we then “Affirm His Word” as truth by performing selfless “Acts of Service” as pure expressions of our true belief in this and our love for the one true God. Whether we are in a time of plenty or in a time of need we should celebrate this time praising and thanking God for all He has provided. In doing this we are reminded each week not to covet anything.
The tenth commandment is the most important command of all. All “sin” begins here with a “failure to love unconditionally." This is where every believer also begins in answering the call to “cease from sin” or “sin no more” (Mat 5:48; 1 Pet 4:1; 2 Pet 2:12-15). When we cease to "Covet" we cease to sin! It is here that a person also begins to “harden their heart” toward God in coveting the things they already have or the things that they do not yet have. Here lies the great test of all tests which God places before us... “Do we truly see everything as belonging to God and on loan to us as overseers and caretakers or do we view it as belonging to us... to do with as we will and for our purposes?” (Job 41:11; Deut 10:14) The person who truly believes everything belongs to God will never selfishly covet anything.
These are the ten laws of righteous love. This was God’s Covenant with Israel, and it remains the Covenant with all who will believe. While Israel broke this Covenant made with blood of animals, Yahusha renewed this Covenant in His blood.
So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone. (Deut 4:13)
And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.” (Ex 24:8)
For this is My blood of the renewed covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Mat 26:28)
The Covenant is fully intact and is unaltered in its words and requirements of love. It is not difficult to understand, no interpretation is necessary, and it is not burdensome.
For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it. “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply...” (Deut 30:11–16)
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. His commandments are not burdensome. (1 Jn 5:3)
What we are to do in loving God and in loving others is clearly seen in the Ten Commandments, and it can be no coincidence that the Ten Commandments can only become fulfilled with the Five Love Languages, for the Ten Commandments are all about love!
GODS PRIMARY LOVE LANGUAGE
What is God’s primary love language?
My tongue will speak of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness. (Psalm 119:172)
This, above all else, touches the heart of God! Examining the Ten Commandments in the light of the Five Love Languages makes this absolutely clear. There is nothing which says, “I love you!” to God quite like “Words of Affirmation” in affirming His Word! This is what the word “Aman” or Amen” is all about! Is it any wonder then, that God Himself upholds His Word even above His own name?
I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your name for Your loving-kindness and Your truth; for You have magnified above even Your name, Your Word. (Ps 138:2)
And yet, this is where countless numbers of believers are stumbling today as they repeat the words first spoken by Satan, “Did God really say...” (Gen 3:3). It is not wrong to question what God has actually said. In fact, it is of critical importance to know exactly what God has said in the original texts. And now, I am going to tell you the secret to this. You do not need to understand or comprehend what God has said in His Word. It may have you completely and utterly baffled. It may make no sense to you what-so-ever. It may even seem contrary to love and on the surface even seem unloving! Children often experience these very same thoughts and feelings with their parents. It is often only later in life as we become parents ourselves that we come to recognize that what they said and did... they only said and did out of love for us. Parents quite simply have a perspective on life that a child does not have. A parent can see a possible negative outcome that a child cannot see. God is our Father. We are His children. He knows when something is going to have a bad outcome for us... and what will produce the very best outcome. Above all else, you can know that He loves you personally beyond anything you can ever imagine... and this love is His personal motive in all that He says and does. Believe in this. Trust in this. Place all of your hope in this. Walk, in unwavering faith in this.
God knows everything and has a perspective of this world that we will never have. He knew every possible final outcome of every possible freewill word spoken and every freewill action taken by every man, woman, and child that would ever live. In this, He also knew every freewill prayer that would ever be prayed to Him. He likewise knew the outcome of every possible divine intervention He could make to reach His final goal. And, His final goal is this... to restore as many of His children to Himself as possible at any cost. Every action or inaction that God takes is being done with this goal ever-present in the mind of God (Eze 33:11; 2 Pet 3:10). This is why He sent His beloved Son to the Earth as a man. This is why He did not intervene in the horrific death suffered by His Son (Lk 22:42). it was because He loved us unconditionally... and this would restore as many as was possible back to Him (Mk 10:45). And this, above all else, is why we can place our full trust in everything that He has said and done... no matter how it may appear to us. Everything He has said and done is born out of His unconditional love for us... and He proved it in His Son (Jn 3:16-17). This is why you do not need to understand everything in His Word before you can affirm it as truth. This is why it does not matter what it looks like on the surface. Think of what Yahusha (Jesus) must have looked like as He was dying? Who was there looking on and seeing His great love? Only God could see it! This is why you can absolutely “Affirm the "Word of God” with your “Words of Affirmation” every single time and without doubt or reservation. And this is the secret... always begin with God in genuine “Words of Affirmation” and choose to believe what He has said!
Yahusha (Jesus) did this very thing. He began with “Our Father in heaven, Holy is Your Name...” (Mat 6:9) There it is... “Words of Affirmation!” When we read God’s word, this can also be as simple as saying something like, “Father, I do not understand this, but I know it is true because You have said it... so I believe it. Father, if it is Your will, would you help me to understand this or show me how this works?” Then, be patient, wait, watch and listen believing He will answer. It may come in an instant, or there may be some other things He wants you to see, know or show you first. Also remember the following, God is not dependent on your righteousness to answer you. If He was, He could never speak to anyone. God wants to speak to you... so be honest with Him. He already knows your thoughts and heart anyway. Finally, it does not matter who you are or where you are. He loves you unconditionally, and He will meet you there. So, ask Him!
All of the “Law” is entirely about loving God and loving others according to the moral standards set by God. This is the primary purpose and function of the Torah. Its secondary purpose is to show all people that they are in a fallen condition and unable to rightly do that one thing which we all universally value and hold in high regard above all else... love. When we break any of the commandments, what we have truly failed at... is love. This, is what all sin truly is. It is a failure to love. What is the penalty for failing to love? Death! Why does God desire to forgive us for our sins? Love! Why did God send His only Son to pay our penalty? Love! Yahusha (Jesus) was sinless because He kept the Torah perfectly. In this, He is the only man who has ever loved everyone, including God... perfectly. The perfection of the Father's love in Him for us is what drove Him to “The Tree” where He willingly gave His life as a ransom for many. What drove Him? Love! What truly died on the Tree that day? Love! Why did God raise Him from the dead? Love! What did God truly raise from the dead? Love! Why does God desire that all believe in His Son, repent, turn from their sin and turn back to Him? Love! What is the great mystery of every mystery in Scripture? Love! Is there anything you do not understand in Scripture? We promise you this... based on all that we have seen and come to understand in Scripture... the final answer to every question will simply be... Love!
Now by this, we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (1 Jn 2:3-6)
How did Yahusha (Jesus) walk? He kept God’s Law of Love; the Ten Commandments, perfectly!
By this, we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. (1 Jn 5:2-5)
Therefore, Overcome the World by Loving God!
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Amen, Amen, and... Aman!
Shalom and Blessings to all...
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