Years ago, I was caught up in so many theological systems and debates. Studying and putting so much energy into things that I felt were so important; trying so hard to convince others of this or that persuasion.

About 8 or 9 years ago, I took notice of one man that would regularly post a comparatively simple message:

“Love God and stop sinning.”

This simple message changed my life. The simplicity and purity of it made me pause and consider. I knew in my heart that life was that simple, and that all good doctrine was about this theme. It couldn’t be more plain and obvious, just reading the Bible from one end to the other, that this was the main message: that God is good, and right, and worthy of love; that sin is bad, and evil, and against God, and we must not do it. Yet, amazingly, I never felt this message was emphasized in all my years of church-going. Usually the theme was something like:

• Praise God that he ignores my ongoing sins because of Jesus!
• Do you know that you know that you know that you know? (that you had the magical moment of “getting saved”)
• Do you have a perfect Bible? I do! You gotta have the REAL word of God in your hand - the King James Bible!
• Do you know what gospel we’re supposed to believe in THIS dispensation? It’s all about Paul, don’tcha know?
• Wow, look at all the cool stuff in the Bible! Let’s argue about who the “sons of God” were in Genesis 6, or what the symbolic meanings of “honey” and “butter” are!

~

Some people would tell me that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the main message of the Bible.

I would reply that Jesus Christ is the embodiment of this message, and his Spirit is the essence of it:

“Love God and stop sinning.”

This has been his Word to us since the beginning, which was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory.

~

I watch people constantly dance all around this topic without ever getting to it: that those who love God must genuinely and completely depart from evil. Learning more and more about the Bible, and theologies, and systems, and doctrines… and never receiving this simple truth; as Paul said, “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Tim 3:7)

The truth is after godliness (Titus 1:1). Jesus is “the truth”. (John 14:6) That doesn’t mean merely that he really exists; it means that in him is the true way of life: godliness. To abide in Christ, and for him to abide in you, we must deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, living soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world (Titus 2:12).

Jesus said: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. […] If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.” (John 15:4, 7-10)

Pay attention when Jesus says “IF”!!! To abide in him has conditions:

1) IF… my words abide in you

2) IF… ye keep my commandments

Love God and stop sinning.

“Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.” (Psalm 97:10)

”Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.“ (2 Tim. 2:19)

Love God. And stop sinning.

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By the way, I don’t mean for a second that we ought not teach or preach anything more than “Love God and stop sinning.” I mean that is the foundation and the baseline for God’s doctrine; and we must not diminish from it, lest we find ourselves teaching and preaching our own doctrine(s) instead of God’s.