ACH Study Groups
Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders
7659 Gingerblossom Drive
Citrus Heights, CA 95621
916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com
www.ACHStudyGroups.com
July 30, 2013
This is a letter to our friends –
More – Reasoning together
Christ was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?”
He replied, “Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and all thy mind.”
He added – The second greatest commandment, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”
He said everything else hangs upon these two commandments – Love God / Love others.
[MT 22:35-40; MK 12:18-31; LK 10:25-28]
I define “love” = Wanting the very best for the loved one. [John 3:16]
All the rest of the rules for life are wrapped up in these two simple commandments. Each of us, in our own special ways, has managed to make it seem a lot more complicated!
God created three human organizations to help us understand these rules of life: family, church and state. Example: Aaron was the high priest during the exodus. Moses was the civil leader. The society was organized upon families. (family, church, state). I find no other form of human organization, created and ordained by the God of the Bible.
Everything God creates has a purpose. His primary goal is to teach each of us how to love Him and to love one another. That is not an easy task (evidently!!). It took 1620 years to make a Pilgrim! Then it took another century and a half to build the Constitution!
Each of us has a free will. Each of us have different experiences and relate to the same things differently! Did you ever try to herd cats?
All that to say this – God is big enough and loving enough to deal with each of us as an individual. He will certainly use family, church and even state to help us learn – BUT – His primary goal for you is to help you learn to love Him and others.
When I was young, I thought I was right with God because I was American and went to church every week. That hardly qualifies for, “all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and all thy mind!”
God ordained family, church and state and works through them – but – reason tells me that membership in these groups, though useful, is not a substitute for an individual, personal, loving, relationship with Him.
I can joyously testify that such a living relationship is life changing!