Responding to God's Love with Wholehearted Surrender
Responding to God's love with wholehearted surrender involves a deep commitment to love God and others, expressed through obedience and self-sacrifice. The Bible commands believers to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, and mind [3, 7]. This comprehensive love is considered the first and greatest commandment [3, 7].
This love for God is not merely an emotion but an active principle that leads to obedience [3, 6]. As 1 John 2:3-6 indicates, obedience is a clear sign of knowing Christ and belonging to Him; a lack of obedience suggests a lack of love for Him [6]. This obedience is a form of faithfulness and loyalty to God [13]. The love of God is also perfected in obedience [3].
Wholehearted surrender also extends to loving one's neighbor as oneself, which is the second great commandment [5, 8]. This love for humanity is taught by God and commanded by Christ, following His example [5]. It is a fruit of the Spirit and an active principle that works through faith [5]. Real love, as exemplified by Christ, involves self-sacrifice and a concern for the needs of others, including giving time, effort, and possessions [11]. Ephesians 5:2 encourages believers to "walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God" [2]. This self-effacement is a means of gaining the fullness of life provided by Jesus' sacrifice [10].
Such surrender is also expressed through acts of worship and service. Sacrificing to God involves confession and fulfilling vows [1]. Prayer is a commanded act of worship, to be offered to God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit [4]. Beyond prayer, "doing good and to communicate" are considered continual sacrifices that God requires, stemming from a sense of God's love in Christ Jesus [9]. These acts of kindness to others, along with praise and thanksgiving to God, are the sacrifices expected from a genuine follower of Christ [9]. The Christian life is founded on the personal experience and knowledge of God's grace and love in Jesus Christ [12].
Sources
- Psalms “Psalms 50:14 (YLT) — Sacrifice to God confession, And complete to the Most High thy vows.”
- Ephesians “Ephesians 5:2 (BSB) — and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love to God — Commanded -- De 11:1; Jos 22:5. The first great commandment -- Mt 22:38. With all the heart -- De 6:5; Mt 22:37. Better than all sacrifices -- Mr 12:33. Produced by The Holy Spirit. -- Ga 5:22; 2Th 3:5. The love of God to us. -- 1Jo 4:19. Answers to prayer. -- Ps 116:1. Exhibited by Christ -- Joh 14:31. A characteristic of saints -- Ps 5:11. Should produce Joy. -- Ps 5:11. Love to saints. -- 1Jo 5:1. Hatred of sin. -- Ps 97:10. Obedience to God. -- De 30:20; 1Jo 5:3. Perfected in obedience -- 1Jo 2:5. Perfected, gives boldness -- 1Jo 4:17,18. God, faith”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer — Commanded -- Isa 55:6; Mt 7:7; Php 4:6. To be offered To God. -- Ps 5:2; Mt 4:10. To Christ. -- Lu 23:42; Ac 7:59. To the Holy Spirit. -- 2Th 3:5. Through Christ. -- Eph 2:18; Heb 10:19. God hears -- Ps 10:17; 65:2. God answers -- Ps 99:6; Isa 58:9. Is described as Bowing the knees. -- Eph 3:14. Looking up. -- Ps 5:3. Lifting up the soul. -- Ps 25:1. Lifting up the heart. -- La 3:41. Pouring out the heart. -- Ps 62:8. Pouring out the soul. -- 1Sa 1:15. Calling upon the name of the Lord. -- Ge 12:8; Ps 116:4; Ac 22:16. Crying to God. -- Ps 27:7; 34:6. Drawing”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love to Man — Is of God -- 1Jo 4:7. Commanded by God -- 1Jo 4:21. Commanded by Christ -- Joh 13:34; 15:12; 1Jo 3:23. After the example of Christ -- Joh 13:34; 15:12; Eph 5:2. Taught by God -- 1Th 4:9. Faith works by -- Ga 5:6. A fruit of the Spirit -- Ga 5:22; Col 1:8. Purity of heart leads to -- 1Pe 1:22. Explained -- 1Co 13:4-7. Is an active principle -- 1Th 1:3; Heb 6:10. Is an abiding principle -- 1Co 13:8,13. Is the second great commandment -- Mt 22:37-39. Is the end of the commandment -- 1Ti 1:5. Supernatural gifts are nothing without -- 1Co 13:1,2. The greates”
- 1 John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 John 2:3: 2:3-6 Obedience is one clear indication that we know Christ and belong to him. If we do not obey Christ, it is obvious that we do not belong to him or love him. • As we obey Christ and his commandments, our love for God and our knowledge of him will grow toward completeness and maturity. We will live . . . as Jesus did, in union with God and showing love for others.”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 22:34: Jesus said unto him,.... Directly, without taking time to think of it; and though he knew with what design it was put to him, yet, as an answer to it might be useful and instructive to the people, as well as silence and confound his adversaries, he thought fit to give one; and is as follows, being what is expressed in Deu 6:5. thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind; that is, with all the powers and faculties of the soul, the will, the understanding, and the affections; in the most sincere, upright, and per”
- Mark (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Mark 12:31: And to love him with all the heart,.... That is, the one God, with a sincere hearty love and affection; and with all the understanding; of his being, perfections, and works, which will serve to draw the affections to him: this clause answers to that, "with all thy mind", in Mar 12:30; and with all the soul; with all the powers and faculties of it; and with all the strength; a man has, or is given him; with all the vehemency and fervency of soul he is master of: and to love his neighbour as himself; which are the two great commandments of the law: is more than”
- Hebrews (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Hebrews 13:16: But to do good and to communicate - These are continual sacrifices which God requires, and which will spring from a sense of God's love in Christ Jesus. Praise to God for his unspeakable gift, and acts of kindness to men for God's sake. No reliance, even on the infinitely meritorious sacrifice of Christ, can be acceptable in the sight of God if a man have not love and charity towards his neighbor. Praise, prayer, and thanksgiving to God, with works of charity and mercy to man, are the sacrifices which every genuine follower of Christ must offer: and they are the p”
- John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 12:25: 12:25 For disciples, sacrifice and self-effacement are means of gaining the fullness of life provided by Jesus’ sacrifice. Those who renounce the world will join Jesus in eternity and be honored by God just as Jesus is.”
- 1 John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 John 3:16: 3:16-18 Christ’s example shows that real love involves self-sacrifice. We do this by becoming truly concerned about the needs of others and by unselfishly giving time, effort, prayer, possessions, and even our lives to supply those needs.”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 3:19: 3:19 May you experience (literally know) the love of Christ: The whole Christian life is based on the experience and personal knowledge of God’s grace and love in Jesus Christ (see Rom 12:1). • it is too great to understand fully: Christ’s love is much greater than ordinary human love (see Rom 5:6-8). • The believer’s life is made complete when it is filled with all the fullness of life and power by the presence of Christ within (see Eph 1:23; Gal 2:20; Col 1:27). The believer then is conformed to his image and reflects God (see Eph 4:14, 24; 5:1-2; Rom 8:29; 2”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 103:18: 103:18 To obey God means to be faithful and loyal to him.”