1 Corinthians 8:3 Commentary and Bible Study

This the third golden key: to love God. How do you love God? To love God who is invisible. How do you love him who is invisible? Yes, but he is seen in his works of creation, and in his works of salvation. He is seen also in our experience in the ongoing Christian life. So we can see his works and in them we see him. How do you love God who is untouchable? Yes, but he is touchable by the Spirit in prayer. Pray little, and you touch God so little. Pray much, and you touch him much. How do you love God, who is inaudible? You cannot hear his voice. Yes, but you can, in his word. Read much, and you hear him much. The great antidote to pride: to love his perfections; learn and love his attributes. His power never fails. We prove that in the Christian life. His glory is never dimmed. Don't allow it to be dimmed in your estimation. If you find a church and it has truth, but the worship is so casual and informal, and flippant, find another church. His glory is undimmed. Find one where the glorious God is worshipped, and there is a real sense of God. His kindness never varies. You can absolutely trust it in the Christian life. His mercy is never denied. However low we fall, we can come to him for mercy as his children. It is never denied. His attributes cannot fail; his faithfulness is never withdrawn; he never lets us down. Love him, appreciate him. Love his ways. I knew a man who specialised in collecting information on the unusual ways of God. It is a wonderful hobby. God has some very unusual ways, quite different from the world. The world rewards achievements. What does the Lord do? He lifts up the downcast. He draws to himself the poor and needy. He makes strength perfect in weakness. When we are low, he lifts us up. When we run out of self-confidence, he strengthens us. He works completely the other way round. We love him because of his unique ways, because of the wonders of his way of going about things. Love for the Lord: love his commandments, wonderful commandments. They are certainly not irksome, as Scripture tells us. Moreover by them is thy servant warned, and in keeping of them there is great reward. The commandments of God, bless me, liberate me, safeguard me, lead me to happiness and communion with himself. Love the Ten Commandments; love all the additional commandments that you find in the books of Moses explaining the Ten Commandments; love the ethics of the New Testament; love these things. They are profound; they are wonderful; they are the gates to depths and pleasures untold. The more we love God, the less we love ourselves; the more we love him, the more we serve him; the more we love him, the more we obey him; the more we love him, the more and the better we praise him, and look for his return. ‘If any man love God’ – here is a promise attached – ‘the same is known of him.’ In other words, God will acknowledge you; God will bless you; God will infuse love into you; God will do wonderful things. He will give you insight, wisdom, strength and instrumentality, but also great assurance. You will be acknowledged by God in all those ways.