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Hi, im 17 years old and i just start my Christian journey at the beginning of this year. (It was my new years resolution) Ive went from reading a bible chapter once a week to a bible chapter everyday in March. Throughout my journey I’ve been watching alot of Christian videos and podcast and I’ve come to realize and accept that I dont truly love god. I love what he has to offer. What’s drilled in my mind is that “If i follow god I’ll have this and that.” I dont want to think like that, I want to learn the truly love him without wanting to be rewarded in return. I want to have a relationship with him. Any tips to help increase my love for god? To build a genuine relationship with him, not use him. Thank you in advance!
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God is love. The Word says that whoever abides in love abides in God. It also declares that the children of God do not commit sin and are set free from sin.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.(1 John 4 : 16)
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.(1 John 3 :6~10)
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.(Romans 6 : 17~23)
If you truly desire the love of God, then receive the power of God that supplies His love into your heart. Following words and theories with awakenings, resolutions, and determinations cannot break free from the habits that always repeat sin. Most Christians spend their entire lives sinning and repenting, then turning back to sin, and repenting again. This is because they have not been united with the love of Christ, which can make them an example and model like light and salt. Shepherds who teach, and believers who learn, that if you only believe in God then your blessings, happiness, and success will be accomplished—such people cannot help but repeat sin until death. For the lust of the eyes and the pride of life are measured by human standards as family peace, comfort, happiness, and success.
This is no different from the teaching and learning of all heresies and religions, and no different from the way secular people live. Family problems, business problems, workplace problems, relationship problems, children’s problems, and health problems are the desires and ideals of worldly people. From these desires arises greed, and from greed sin continually comes forth. Thus, the limitation of Christians is that as they repeat sin, they begin to take their sin lightly, then become bold about their sin, and finally grow so shameless and brazen that they no longer even feel the pangs of conscience. Only such shameless faiths remain. It is here that the disillusionment of many Christians arises. If sin is endlessly repeated, then true repentance has not taken place. Scripture declares that one must be born again, changed, and transformed. It is not that they sin because they do not know what sin is, but rather that even while knowing, sin is repeated through habit. Yet very few Christians truly wrestle with why these sinful habits arise in the first place.
Because they come to regard sin boldly and shamelessly, their faith only abide in depriviation, emptiness, and anxiety, leaving no trace of abundant liberality, overflowing gratitude, or humble joy. This is the lamentable reality of Christians today. Depending on whether one believes in order to pursue God’s will, or instead to pursue one’s own happiness, blessing, and success, Satan and demons disguised as God are at work. God is love. Only those who belong to love are children of God.
Scripture clearly states that those who continue in sin are slaves of sin and children of the devil.
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.(John 8 : 34)
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.(1 John 3 : 8)
Whether one becomes a child of God or a child of Satan is determined by this: will I live for the things of the world and the desires of the flesh, or will I follow the love of Christ, taking up the cross that requires even the sacrifice of my own life? According to this choice, either God and Christ will work, or Satan and the devil will work.
Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.(Exodus 20 : 7)
Just as it is written, “Do not call upon My name in vain, for I will not hold you guiltless,”, for those who pursue only vain desires, lusts, and greed, the gods of lust, greed, material wealth, the world, and the flesh present themselves as if they were God or Christ. There are far too many demons and evil spirits within Christianity. Teachings that follow the lusts of the teachers are never truly biblical; they are merely materialistic, intellectual, and emotional, with no faith grounded in the value of conscience. In other words, because they do not even know that conscience is spirit, the ignorant and unwise teach without understanding the value of the spirit, yet still cry out “spiritual, spiritual,” teaching their own opinions and falsehoods. This is the lamentable reality of Christianity today. If you truly wish to seek God, you must show love and mercy.