This past Sunday evening I had the privilege of preaching from Deut. 10:12-13; one of the best passages from the OT.  It is probably the best summary of Deuteronomy’s message to the nation of Israel.  I spent the last half of my sermon listing four descriptions that help explain what exactly it means when we are commanded to “love God” (Deut. 4:37; 5:10; 6:4-5; 7:9, 12-13; 10:12-13, 15, 18; 23:5; 33:3).  I would like to share them here. 

A.   It is unique to the God of the Bible.  There is no other world, religion where you find this commandment.  It wasn’t true for the pagan idols in Israel’s time nor is it now.  Allah does not command Muslims to love him.  He commands them to fear and obey him but not love him.  So this commandment is unique because it reflects the covenantal relationship between God and his people.  Only God chose and redeemed his people in love; thus, it is not unexpected that they would love him in return.  After all what does the New Testament say but that “We love because he first loved us.”

B.    It encompasses a person’s entire being.  We see this partially in 10:13.  But we find it elsewhere that we are to love God with all of our “heart, soul, and might.” Every last ounce of our inner being, with all of our emotions and will are to be fixed upon God.  Furthermore, we love God with a rational love.  Our intellect is informed about God and directed toward him.  And, lastly, all of our physical capacities and functions should be expressed in such a way that shows we are concerned about God’s name being honored.  So we love God with our entire being.

C.   It is the summary and foundation of the entire law.  Jesus himself cites a similar command from Deut. 6:4-5 stating that the entire law is summarized and founded upon this covenantal love between God and his people.  God is not finally concerned about whether or not our religion is about following a list of dos and don’ts.  He is concerned about the heart.  He desires a heart that obeys out of love and faith.  He tells Israel to circumcise their hearts (10:17).  (Which leads to the last description.)

D. It is demonstrated in obedience.  This was true of Jesus who perfectly loved and obeyed God.  And it ought to be true of us.  We show that we love God when we obey him.  But no longer is God’s law in a wooden box but on our hearts.  So our hearts love to obey him.  And our obedience testifies to the truth of the gospel in our lives – that by faith we live a transformed life in obedience to God…that we have been saved to good works.  It is the identifying marker that we have come to know God and have been born of God.

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