What does the law of God require?

Answer: that we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and love our neighbor as ourselves.

Matthew 22:37–40 KJV 1900

37 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. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Deuteronomy 6:5

Leviticus 19:18

God has a love requirement:

The kind of love of which Jesus is speaking is one where:

God is worshipped solely and sincerely (inner/outer).

God is uniquely honored through our lips.

God is uniquely trusted through our spiritual and physical rest.

We have a love problem:

(1) How do you know if you are actually keeping this command 100% versus 95%?

(2) What if on one day, I am fulfilling it 100% but on another day I am only fulfilling it at 50%?

(3) What if I feel that I am keeping this command perfectly, but I do break one of the other commands, like bearing false witness?

We find that obedience is not enough, but it must be purely motivated obedience — an obedience rooted in sincere love for God.

Jesus does not have a love problem:

Each of these considerations cause us to see more clearly why we need Jesus Christ. Matthew 5:17 - Jesus came to fulfill the Law.

Christians exercise love in Jesus:

Because through Jesus I have a new heart, I strive to worship God solely and sincerely.

Because through Jesus I have a new heart, I strive to honor God through my lips.

Because through Jesus I have a new heart, I strive to trust God by resting in Jesus and resting each night and week.