Well, when it is when I stopped worrying about loving God as my goal that I actually realized I loved him, but without noticing or trying. In fact, the more I tried, the worse I got.
all of the LAW
Well, what are you going to do about this? "[Y]ou are not under the law, but under grace" (Rom. 6:14).
It is not wrong to teach that and call Christians to aspire to it...
According to Galatian 1:6-9 it is because it is not the Gospel of the Grace of Christ - it is "another gospel" - one that tells people they need to keep the law (self-effort, trying in the flesh, self-righteousness). It actually accursed according to Galatians and elsewhere.
The law STRENGTHENS sin (1 Cor. 15:56). The law NEVER cures you of sin, it actually makes sin worse in your life (Rom. Chapter 7).
There is only ONE cure for sin. GRACE. "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace" (Rom 6:14).
Why will sin not have dominion over me? Only one reason. I am under GRACE. In fact NOT being under the law FACILITATES sin not having dominion over me. This is the gospel of the New Covenant of Grace and it is my own personal experience. I.E. the Gospel of the Grace of Christ WORKS!!!
Was Paul being legalistic when He pronounced a curse on those who do not "Love the Lord Jesus?" If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. I For 16:22
Not every theological discussion is a polemic on legalism vs Grace... As for your criticism of my quoting Jesus - when He quoted Deuteronomy ,"...all of the LAW", as if I was giving you another gospel, what about Paul in Romans 12?
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:8-10
Was Paul preaching another gospel" Of course not, He knew (as I know) that we are not UNDER the Law, (of Moses), but he never denied the value of the Law.
I have not told anyone that self effort is what is needed to be saved, nor anything of the sort. Every one of the ten commandments is re-iterated in the New Testament except one. Do we Keep the law to be saved? of course not! But shouldn't we want to Love God supremely? (Not as a legalistic principle, but as a valid aspiration). I still stand by my article's premise that the best way to prepare for the trials ahead is to love and believe in God.
Bible fight. Who has the greatest love or the most grace. I don’t know but these two will duke it out to be the next contender on UBC (ultimate bible championship).
One upping, and nick picking like this turns more people away than simply saying - God loves you, through Christ alone by grace alone you are saved.