#313 LOVE THAT LEARNS TO OBEY 10-21-26

Leviticus 11 may seem like an unusual place to study love for God. The chapter distinguishes between clean and unclean animals, giving Israel specific instructions about what they could eat. Beneath these dietary laws, however, lies a deeper lesson: love for God expresses itself in how we respond to His will.

1. Love Respects God’s Authority. God told Israel what they could eat, even when they might not have understood every reason behind His commands. Love does not make personal preference the highest authority. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

2. Love Practices Daily Discernment. Israel had to distinguish between clean and unclean animals. Their daily meals became reminders that they belonged to God. Likewise, Christians must learn to distinguish between what pleases God and what merely pleases themselves (Philippians 1:10).

3. Love Reflects God’s Holiness. The chapter concludes, “You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:45). God wanted His people to remember whose they were. Their lives were to reflect His character. Peter carries this principle forward, calling believers to be holy in all their conduct (1 Peter 1:15-16).

Love is more than a song we sing or a feeling we experience. It is a heart surrendered to God, a mind trained by His truth, and a life shaped by His character.

BDD