Stop Trying to Love God! | Andrew Farley

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:00]All right, we're going to start out tonight. We'll talk with Philip in North Carolina. Hi Philip, what you got for us, sir?

[00:00:08]Hey Andrew, thanks for having me on.

[00:00:10]Yes.

[00:00:12]Uh I wanted to hear you explain. I've heard it before, but I really want to hear you um explain John chapter 13, uh verses 34 and 35. Um whenever Jesus is talking about a new commandment. Mhm. I know when I was growing up in church, I used to think anytime I seen him talking about a commandment, he he must be talking about the Old Testament law.

[00:00:32]Right.

[00:00:32]>> But I know it's something different. So, can you explain that for me?

[00:00:36]Yeah, there's a time when Jesus is talking about the law, but that's not it. Uh the time that he's talking about the law is when they come to him and they say, "Tell us what are the greatest commands in the law?" I mean, they're asking him about the law.

[00:00:52]And he says the greatest commands in the law are to love your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, uh and love your neighbor as yourself.

[00:01:03]Those are the two greatest in the law.

[00:01:08]And I think that's where people miss it all the time. I hear Christians saying, "Oh yeah, we got the new command written on our hearts now." And you say, "Well, what is it?" And they say, "Well, it's love your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and love your neighbor as yourself." No, no, no, that's not it.

[00:01:26]That's not it. Those were the two greatest commands in the law. And so, if you have ever heard a sermon about trying to love God more, you heard a law sermon. Now, they might not have meant it as a law sermon, but that's what it was. The law says, "Try your darndest.

[00:01:48]Try your hardest to love God as much as you possibly can with all your soul, all your heart, all your mind, all your strength. Come on, try your best. And by the way, love your neighbor, you know, the one across the street. Love your neighbor as much as you love you.

[00:02:08]So, those were the two greatest commands in the law. And you know what the law does? Well, plastered all over the New Testament, we see what the law does. The law kills. The law presents an impossible standard that nobody can keep. And that is certainly true when you get to the greatest commands in the law, it's even harder. It's even worse.

[00:02:30]Imagine every day trying to love God as much as you possibly can. Now, I get it.

[00:02:36]When somebody hears that, they think, "Well, that sounds noble. I mean, come on. What's wrong with loving God? Trying to love God to the uttermost? What's wrong with that? Come on."

[00:02:48]Well, uh there's nothing wrong with it except you got to understand what it is.

[00:02:52]It is the greatest command in the law.

[00:02:56]And Christians are not under the law.

[00:02:59]Instead, we have a beautiful truth concerning our love for God. Ephesians 6:24 says, "You have an undying love for God." Romans says he poured out his love in our hearts uh through the Holy Spirit. The whole new covenant message is, "I'll take out your heart of stone and I'll give you a new heart and a new spirit and I'll put my spirit inside of you."

[00:03:26]You know what the end result of that is?

[00:03:28]You do love God. You don't have to try.

[00:03:31]You don't have to muster up more love.

[00:03:34]You do love God. And you always will.

[00:03:38]You have an undying love for Jesus Christ. Ephesians 6:24. So, now we get to the passage that you're asking about, John 13. Well, in John 13, Jesus is saying, "A new command I give you to love others even as I have loved you."

[00:03:57]So, what's that going to take? Well, you're going to have to figure out how much he loves you.

[00:04:02]Because if you're going to pass that on, if you're going to love others even as he has loved you, then that's going to require reception and reflection.

[00:04:12]And that is exactly what it means to trust the Lord, to live in Christ, to walk by the Spirit, to walk by faith. We are receiving the love of God and we are transmitting the love of God.

[00:04:28]And so, you know what? This isn't try your hardest. This is be a receiver.

[00:04:34]There's a difference between being a producer and a receiver.

[00:04:38]There's a difference between trusting and trying.

[00:04:43]And that is what I'm getting at here.

[00:04:45]Uh you're not under the law, you're not under the greatest commands of the law, which say, "You better love God more."

[00:04:52]And instead, you are beautifully under God's grace, where he gave you a new heart that loves him. We love because he first loved us. So, have you noticed that you're not going to find in Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, you're not going to find this pepper alley that we keep hearing in religious circles, "You need to love God more.

[00:05:18]You don't love God enough. You need to prove your love for him." You don't find any of that. Nope, it's not in Hebrews, it's not in Galatians, it's not in Romans, it's not in Corinthians. You don't find it. Why not? Because trying to love God more is a law-based concept.

[00:05:37]In fact, it's the greatest command in the law.

[00:05:40]What is a grace concept? Well, the grace concept is, "I've given you a new heart.

[00:05:45]And in that new heart, I put my love.

[00:05:49]And because I poured out my love in your heart, guess what? You do love me. You have an undying love for me. So, how about you recognize what I've done to you, so you can enjoy what I want to do through you.

[00:06:03]So, Philip, I'll put you back on and see. Does that make sense, my friend?

[00:06:09]That is awesome, Andrew. You're so good.

[00:06:11]I appreciate you explaining that. Um my little girl wanted me to say hey to you.

[00:06:15]Her name is Emma. Say hey.

[00:06:16]>> Emma. All right. Well, hi, Emma.

[00:06:22]Hi. Hi.

[00:06:23]>> much, Andrew. We appreciate you. You guys have a terrific night.

[00:06:27]Well, thanks, Emma, for calling in. And thank you to Philip as well. So glad you guys are listening and reach out again anytime. We want to hear from you.