Do Something Great!
great works that glorify God
Part 5 – Base Every Work on the Greatest Quality
“The greatest of these is charity [love].” —I Corinthians 13:13
Loving God is the first and greatest commandment. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind…. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:37, 39).
“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” —Romans 12:9–10
Doing great works is important, but if they are not motivated by genuine love, they will be as sounding brass and tinkling cymbals. (See I Corinthians 13:1.) Thus, we are to motivate one another not just to good works, but to “love and to good works” (Hebrews 10:24). “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing” (I Corinthians 13:3).
Loving others begins by loving God. He wants our love more than our good works. Therefore, He said to the church of Ephesus: “I know thy works, and thy labour… and for my name’s sake [thou] hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love” (Revelation 2:2–4).
How to Love God
Loving God is establishing a moment-by-moment relationship with Him through His Word and the instruction of the Holy Spirit. It is bringing all our needs and cares to Him. It is asking Him to fill us with His Holy Spirit and to give us the grace, faith, and wisdom to walk in His ways.
Our love for God and our desire to benefit His kingdom must be the motivation of all our good works. For this purpose, He has given us His commandments with this promise: “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (John 14:21).
