Did you know that there is nothing in the 10 Commandments that state "you shall

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   graceinusposted 11 years ago

   Did you know that there is nothing in the 10 Commandments that state "you shall love God".?
   
   The only mention of loving God with all your heart is mentiond in Deuteromony 6: 5 which is mentioned within His Covenant.

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   Rayne123posted 11 years ago

   I read bible stories all the time and I do read it quite often that you should love they God with all your heart.
   
   However if that is so, I think that it would be common sense to most of us. Those that are evildoers well they do not care about any of this to begin with.
   
   I think that goes without saying, but it is a good point of view to bring about.
   
   thank you
   Laurie

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Rayne123- I should have made it clear from the very start of the question that I am in no way implying or suggesting that one shouldn't not love God. It is most important that we do. I pray that we all will. God bless

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   PlanksandNailsposted 11 years ago

   The commandments were about works, which pertained to the Israelites. It was about discipline and obedience to the Lord; love for God was shown by following and being obedient to His commandments. In their obedience, God showed/revealed His love for His people in many miraculous ways. The Israelites were a beat down people who came out of slavery; they didn't need a God to force them into a "you shall love God" scenario like the other oppressive gods of the heathen nations, but a God who would show them that they were chosen and loved by Him. By following His commandments, He would divinely show them that He was their God who would promise them great things and separate them as His nation by their obedience to Him. When they didn't love Him through their works, they became slaves instead of free people.

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      PandN- I was just making a point that many teach that Loving God is the first of the 10 Commandments. They fail to mention that loving God is a requirment under the  Covenant, which is a Law. Many thanks.

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   humanitiesmentorposted 11 years ago

   I think both comments so far have hit critical points. Planks and Nails is right in stressing the fact that, for the ancient Israelites, love for God was expressed through obedience to the law, ritual purity and taking proper care of one another. It was implicit in keeping the Covenant forged at Sinai. In terms of a clear directive to love God, this is found stated more explicitly in the Christian Bible, where Jesus says that we are to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind" (Luke 10:27). Interestingly, this quote is found more or less the same in all the Gospels save that of John.
   
   Great question Gracinus!

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      If you will note "love God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your stenght" is Deuteromony 6: 5 as I have mentioned. But still it is not one of the 10 Commandments. Thanks so much for your answer.

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   ExpectGreatThingsposted 11 years ago

   You are right that it is not explicitly stated in the 10 commandments listed in Deut 5. However, when Jesus was asked "Which is the great commandment in the Law?" His answer was, "You shall love the Lord your God...This is the great and first commandment." Matthew 22:36-38 ESV

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Jesus was quoting Deuteromony 6: 5. Read it carefully and you'll see what I mean. And yes, it is law. Thank you.

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   whonunuwhoposted 11 years ago

   There does not have to be a commandment such as that because if one follows the ten commandments, they indeed do love their god.

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   celafoeposted 11 years ago

   THIS is certainly a moot, bit of information as we (Christians) we do not live under the law or the 10 commandments or any other part of the old testament.
   We have totally new and different covenant with God (Jesus).
   We have only two, but all encompassing commands from Jesus.
   Matt 22: 37 Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'  38 This is the first and great commandment.  39 And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'  40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
   Mark 12:29   Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.  30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.  31 And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
   There are only two laws that the God of the new testament gave us to live by. He says that all the commandments are included in these two, but instead of being part of the law with harsh punishment they are now a part of the perfect law of liberty and mercy brought by Jesus to set us free from the law. That is a big difference that any Christian should be able to understand and be thankful for. Now we can be forgiven if we break one, under the law (in the OT)there was NO forgiveness, there was death or another harsh punishment. And that makes it different as night and day.

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      cellafoe- In Matt 22:37 Jesus was quoting Deuteromony 6:5. Please look it up yourself. Mark 12:29-30 is also Jesus quoting Deuteromony 6: 5. These are Laws/Commandments. Thank you

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      celafoeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      GRACE  Yes  but in MT He said these are HIS two for us and that  ON THESE TWO COMMANDMENTS HANG ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS..   
      Just presenting the truth, you can believe what you want
      did you actually read all of it

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      celafoe- So that there is no misunderstanding I 100% agree with you. I was only stating where Jesus got His quote. Which is a Commandment from Deuteromony. That is all I am trying to say.

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      celafoeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      grace, thanks for clearing it up
      I thought you were disagreeing.   He did it this way of course because He was talking to jews and He wanted them to understand

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   Levertis Steeleposted 11 years ago

   There are many ways to say "Love me," and there are many ways to express love without using the word. To put God first or to "have no other God before me" is impossible to do without first loving Him. Commandment keeping requires a lot of love for God, self, and fellowman. You are right. There is no statement there that says we should love God, but there is much evidence that supports it. Anyone who wants to be first in our lives wants us to love Him. Anyone who wants us to obey moral laws for our own good loves us.

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Leverstis Steele- Please read Deuteromony 6: 4-5. There you will find in the bible that it is a command to love God. However it is not one of the 10 Commandments. Clearly we should all love God with all our hearts. Many thanks and blessing.

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      Levertis Steeleposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, there is a command in Deut. 6:4-5 to love God, but you said that it is not found in the 10 commandments. I only agreed and added that one must love God in order to put Him first. I did not mean to imply that the comm was not found in the Bible.

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      A misunderstanding on my part. Thank you.

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   Emmanuel Marosiposted 11 years ago

   the ten commandments when obeyed implies that you love god

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      celafoeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I would have to say if you are obeying the old testament commandments you are saying Jesus died for naught and  making yourself subject to the old testament consequences if you break one.   Jesus replaced them with two plus grace and mercy

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      Levertis Steeleposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      celafoe, do we disobey the 10, or do we obey all except the 4th like most Christians do?

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    samsons1posted 11 years ago

    "Thou shalt have no other gods before me..."  The very first commandment may not STATE that 'graceinus' you are to love God if you want to.  The mere notion that the God of the universe while addressing His creation as well as speaking to me is enough to tell me that I need to listen to every little word He is saying.  That tells me to put God before houses and lands and any earthly possession for the mere fact, it all belongs to Him for He created it all...

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       graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       samsons1- So there is no misunderstanding, I am not saying, suggesting or implying that we should not love God. I am only stating that it is not one of the 10 Commandments as many churches teach or imply that it is. I agree with you. Thank you

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    lesliebyarsposted 11 years ago

    That is true. The Ten Commandments are laws and if you obeyed them then you are showing love for God.

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    vagabond mysticposted 11 years ago

    Did you know that the bible at it's very best is interpreted by many , many individuals and has been manipulated to express the views of whom ever approved the final accepted version ? With that thought in mind , how do you honestly know the original version did not include your question ? Whether it is or isn't written , what feels right to you ? Further more maybe it isn't stated in the "accepted" 10 commandments because God didn't give them to Moses or they fell to the Editors floor .                         
                                       
                                                     FOOD FOR THOUGHT ,                           
                                                     PEACE , LOVE and LIGHT TO ALL
                                                     NAMASTE and JOY to THE WORLD
       
                                                     Vagabond Mystic

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       graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       vagabond- I will and can only comment on what I can read in my hand, not what you might think is laying on some editors floor. Thanks

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       vagabond mysticposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Agreed , my bad .

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    Bibowenposted 11 years ago

    Your're right that it does not contain that command. But, the connection between the Great Commandment of Deut. 6:4-5 (The "Shema") and the 10 Commandments (found in Exodus 20) is in the New Testament passage Romans 13: 9-10 which states:
    
    "For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."
    
    This passage indicates that prohibitions, like those found in the 10 Commandments, are a "summary" of the Great Commandment that we are to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. This is also referred to in Matt. 22: 37-40
    
    "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
    
    This passage indicates that the "law and the prophets" "hang" or a dependent on the great commandment.
    
    So, we can see the Great Commandment as that which guides and directs the "law and the prophets," including the 10 Commandments.

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       graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Bibowen- You are 100% correct and I 100% agree Thank you so much for your answer. Many blessing.

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    HD Markhamposted 11 years ago

    Love God and love people: Jesus said that the Decalogue (really the entire OT imperative) hangs on those two pegs. If one truly loves God he will worship in Spirit and in truth. Fallen man has a stoney heart incapable of rendering this. Man needs a work of grace. Is this the point being made here in this thread? If so well done. I have a few hubs about conversion, being right with God and dealing with sin. I'd love some of you guys to read them with these thoughts in mind and send some feedback. SDG!

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    SPIRIT n TRUTHposted 11 years ago

    Thanks for your post. Yes and no. The explicit statement "love God" is not there, but it does say to have no other gods before the God, and to have no idols, necessitating loving Him by not having other gods or idols, as well as loving God by loving people by "not murdering, not stealing," etc. Also Jesus says that phrase of loving the Lord your God in Mark 10, Matthew 22 and Luke 10. Also 1John says a lot about loving God and loving your neighbor. What is your purpose of this question? Grace and Peace.

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    Ericdierkerposted 11 years ago

    I am truly amazed at the answers. Of course it is not a commandment. You do not command someone to Love someone. Jesus is talking about a rule to live by that will get you closer to God. He is not saying "God says you must". If Loving God was a commandment there would be no free will at all. And worse, everyone would fail.
    
    If you Love your God because He commands it of you, then certainly your children will love you because you told them to -- I think not.

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       graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Eric- Jesus said in Matt 22: 27-28: 27 You shall love the Lord you God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 28 This is the first and geart commandment. Note that Jesus quoted Deuteromony 6:5. Please read it. Thanks Eric.

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       Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Gracenius I think you have the wrong scripture from Mathew. I reread that area around Deuteromony 6:5 and it still has not changed in my 55 years. This is a specific command to the Jews going to Jordan. And in Mt 22:37 Christ repeats it to Pharisees.

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       graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Eric- I am only stating a fact that it is a commandment. You stated it is not. I also never said who it applies too or when. How one wish to apply that I have no control. Free will allows us to love God with or without a commandment.

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       SPIRIT n TRUTHposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I see what you're saying, it's not a manipulative/angry demand, but a loving/good thing. However, it is a command, Matt. 22/Mrk. 12 Jesus said the greatest "command" is to love God. Everyone, not just Jews, are to freely choose to obey this and love.

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       graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Spirit n Truth- Exactly my point. Thanks

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    ReneeDC1979posted 11 years ago

    There does not need to be - if you follow His commandments, then you love God.  Think about it - we obey our parents not just because they are our parents, but we respect them, and want them to be proud of us - we love them.  The same is with God.  You don't tell your parents you love them because it is written somewhere or they tell us to say it, we just love them.  The same with God!

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    C.V.Rajanposted 11 years ago

    "You shall love God" is a statement of compulsion. Love cannot blossom by compulsion. It should come naturally. Other dos and don'ts of religion/ spirituality may come as commands but not love.

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       graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Deuteromony 6: 5-6 States: 5 You Shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,with  all your soul, and with all your strenght. 6 And these words which I command you today will be in your heart.
       So it is a command to love God. Thank you C.V.Rayan

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