[553 words]
Once in a Bible class, I asked the question: “Why do you want to go to heaven?” One man answered, “It’s better than the alternative.” That is true, but wanting to go to heaven is much more than just keeping commands or choosing between two alternatives. Heaven is a heart choice. Just keeping commands doesn’t always involve the heart. Just keeping commands is a choice between alternatives. Our heart should be seeking heaven. Yes, commands are involved. But that is not all. Here are some heart choices I need to make that involve commands and alternatives, but the heart is what makes the decision.
First, I should love God. When Jesus was asked what the great commandment in the law was, He gave an answer that may have been unexpected. His response was, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Mt. 22:37 NKJV). Then He stated “This is the first and great commandment.” (Mt. 22:38) So, commandment keeping must be preceded by the proper love for God or commandment keeping is no good by itself. He clarifies it further by adding, “And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor a yourself” (Mt. 22:39). Then Jesus says all the commands relied on this love. He said, “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Mt. 22:40). John helps our understanding by adding later, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” (1 Jn. 5:3) We can keep God’s commandments without loving Him, but we can’t love Him without keeping His commandments. And that comes from the heart, not from the best of two alternatives.
Next, we should love Jesus. Again, Jesus ties commandments to our love for Him. Jesus said, “If you love Me keep My commandments.” (Jn. 14:15) So loving Jesus involves something special on my part. I must do what He says, I do so not just because it’s commanded, but because He loves me and I love Him.
Finally, but combined with the other two, I must love His commandments. Again, notice what John stated, “His commands are not burdensome” (1 Jn. 5:3). If all I am doing is keeping commandments, it may become a burden to me, or too much to handle, but not if I love them. God and Jesus give us commands because they love us, not because they want a bigger burden placed on us. The 119th Psalm is an amazing chapter and in all 175 verses there are statements about how I should love God’s commandments. Such statements include Ps. 119:97: “Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.” Also, in the chapter we read, “I hate the double-minded, But I love Your law.” (Psa. 119:113) Finally, notice Ps. 119: 163: “I hate and abhor lying, But I love your law.”
So, why do I want to go to heaven? Because of God’s love for me and my love for Him, His Son, and His commandments. May we be more than commandment keepers and alternative choosers. Let’s be God lovers. Let’s love and obey Christ. Let’s show our love by keeping His commandments.
Bill Brandstatter
Marion church of Christ
Marion, IL