If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.
1 John 4:15
Did you know that you don’t have to love God to go to heaven?
It’s true! The Bible doesn’t say you have to love God. Today’s verse doesn’t say, “If anyone loves Jesus and loves God, then God lives in him.” It says we need to acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God, but it says nothing about loving God.
We often get this idea backward. We think that we have to love God first and then be motivated to give our lives to Christ. But that’s not usually how it works. Just as in our relationships, true love at first sight is pretty impossible because you don’t even know the person yet. It takes time to grow love. You develop love for God as you continue to get into his Word and recognize the phenomenal love that he has for you.
If you place the focus on your love for God, you’ll feel like you’re falling short. You’ll wonder if you love him enough, which causes you to feel condemned. You might even start to fall for the lie that you have to love God more before he’ll do something for you. Meanwhile, his promises can’t be earned with expressions of love. They are already yours as a believer!
Focusing on how much God loves you is one very important key to the Christian life. Read about all he’s done for you in his Word. Study his characteristics. Talk to him. Get to know him. Look for all the good in your life and thank him for it. This is how your love for him will grow!