Loving God Only
The sermon emphasizes the importance of loving God with every power of our entire being, and how this love should be exclusive and not accompanied by other priorities.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes that the first and greatest commandment is to love God with our entire being, leaving no room for divided affections. He critiques the notion that God exists to help individuals achieve worldly success, arguing that true love for God excludes any secondary motives. Tozer warns that those who seek God merely as a means to personal gain will ultimately miss the true essence of God. He asserts that God's mercy and grace are boundless, but He will not support selfish ambitions. Genuine love for God should preclude any desire for other treasures beyond Him.
Text
The first and greatest commandment is to love God with every power of our entire being. Where love like that exists, there can be no place for a second object. Yet popular Christianity has as one of its most effective talking points the idea that God exists to help people to get ahead in this world! The God of the poor has become the God of an affluent society. We hear that Christ no longer refuses to be a judge or a divider between money-hungry brothers. He can now be persuaded to assist the brother that has accepted Him to get the better of the brother who has not! Whoever seeks God as a means toward desired ends will not find God.
God will not be one of many treasures.
His mercy and grace are infinite and His patient understanding is beyond measure, but He will not aid men in selfish striving after personal gain. If we love God as much as we should, surely we cannot dream of a loved object beyond Him which He might help us to obtain!
Sermon Outline
- The First and Greatest Commandment
- The Misconception of God's Purpose
- The Consequence of Loving God
- To love God with every power of our entire being
- The exclusivity of loving God
- God is not a means to an end
- God's mercy and grace are not for selfish gain
- No room for a second object in our hearts
Key Quotes
“Where love like that exists, there can be no place for a second object.” — A.W. Tozer
“Whoever seeks God as a means toward desired ends will not find God.” — A.W. Tozer
“If we love God as much as we should, surely we cannot dream of a loved object beyond Him which He might help us to obtain!” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We should prioritize loving God above all else, and not use Him as a means to achieve our own desires.
- Loving God with our entire being requires us to let go of selfish gain and prioritize His will above our own.
- God's mercy and grace are not for us to manipulate, but rather to be received with humility and gratitude.