I’ve already pointed out in a past article that from a Biblical perspective the word “love” is NOT a noun but a vigorous action verb.
Nowhere can the importance of this difference be seen than in the marriage relationship.
Whenever a marriage seems to be going downhill (which seems to increasingly common these days given the ridiculous 50% divorce rate), it’s usually because expectations aren’t being met in terms of how each partner wants to be “loved” by the other.
In fact when a married couple sensing disaster on the horizon go to get some counseling, one of the main questions the marriage counselor will ask both the husband and wife is “how exactly do you want to be shown love?“
Once that question is brought up, for what may be the first time in the history of the marriage, some real and honest-to-goodness heart-to-heart communication finally takes place.
The wife may say she would like her husband to verbalize how much he loves her every once in a while or she might appreciate a nice surprise gesture like bringing home some flowers one night or calling home from work and telling her to cancel cooking dinner because “we’re going out to a nice restaurant tonight“.
On the other hand, the husband may appreciate his wife cooking up one of his favorite meals, keeping the house nice and tidy, and raising the children according to the ideals and principles he believes in.
In Ephesians we’re told “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord” and “Husbands, love your wives, just as Messiah also loved the church and gave himself for her…“.
Obviously this is a generalization but it is the spirit of what’s being communicated in these verses that’s important here.
When a wife submits to her husband, the respect she shows in doing so is equal to “loving” her husband.
And when a husband puts his wife’s needs above his own including being willing to sacrifice his life for her sake if such a situation ever arose, this is equal to “loving” his wife.
See, the reason why problems arise in marriage is because each partner is not showing love to their partner in ways that the other can recognize and accept as genuine love.
And why?
Because clear communication concerning what each partner wants has not taken place between each other.
Now what does this all have to do with our Torah study here in the Book of Deuteronomy?
It has everything to do with it because God likens His relationship to His People as being like a marriage.
Here’s the thing, in His Torah, our God has clearly articulated to us exactly how He wants us to love Him.
There shouldn’t be a marriage problem between us believers and the God we worship.
Loving our God begins with obedience to His Laws and Commands.
And the converse is also true.
If we don’t obey God’s Laws and Commands (in other words, His Torah), we are NOT loving Him.
Now what does this have to say about an institution that says the Law has been abolished and that it’s even a sin to attempt to obey the Law?
I close with these verses from the Book of Ecclesiastes.
“Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind.”
-Ecclesiastes 12:13
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“The one who keeps God’s commands
lives in him,
and he in them.
And this is how we
know that he lives in us:
We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”
-1 John 3:24
“If you keep my commands,
you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my
Father’s commands
and remain in his love.”
-John 15:10
“What shall we say then?
Is the Law sin?
May it never be!
On the contrary,
I would not have come to know sin
except through the Law;
for I would not have known about coveting
if the Law had not said,
“YOU SHALL NOT COVET.”
-Romans 7:7
“So then,
the Law is holy,
and the commandment
is holy and righteous and good.”
-Romans 7:12
“This calls for patient endurance
on the part of the people of God
who keep his commands
and remain faithful to Yeshua.”
-Revelation 14:12
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