A few days later, I was getting ready to go out and was in a bit of a rush. There were two hair spray bottles sitting on the shelf. One I hadn't seen before but it looked a likely candidate for holding my naturally rebellious locks in place so I grabbed it up and gave the front of my hair a good blasting. I was impressed with how sweet the spray smelled. In fact, it was the best scented hair product I had ever used!

It wasn't until later when one of my daughters was wondering where her perfume was and noticed that I carried the sweet odor of it on my person that we realized what had happened. I had grabbed up the wrong bottle to use on my hair. You can bet we shared a good laugh at my expense. However, it wasn't entirely my fault! For my daughter had somehow managed to place her perfume into an empty hair spray container. What looked like hair spray wasn't hair spray at all! It was in a container that claimed to be hair spray. It smelled lovely, but it just didn't do what I expected it to do.

You know, life is like that sometimes. Titles are placed on things and sweet words pour forth, but unless the product does what it claims it's of little worth.

God tells us that works without faith is dead. (James 2:17) We can claim to know the Lord and give forth all sorts of sweet sounding beatitudes, but unless we put our Christianity to work it's like that misleading can. It just doesn't get the job done.

What sort of works are required of a Christian? We know that Jesus said, If you love me keep the commandments. Why? What does the keeping of the commandments have to do with loving God?

When asked what the greatest commandment was Jesus responded, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. Mk. 12:30

The first commandment is to love God. But notice what Jesus goes on to say in verse 31.

And the second, like it, is this: 'Your shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these.

The question now is, how do we show love toward God and love toward neighbor? The answer is found in God's own list of rules, the ten commandments. A quick study of them shows that the first four explain how to express our love toward God, the last six love toward neighbor.

Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry raised those commandments to a higher level. He revealed the spirit of the law. He showed us how to have a living faith. How to put the law to work in our lives. We obey now, not because we fear to disobey, but because we want to do those things that are pleasing in His sight. We know that good works produce good results. It's a cause and effect relationship. We aren't trying to 'earn' our salvation. But we are trying to live life the way God intended it to be lived.

How can we be sure we're getting the job done? John tells us, He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (I John 4:8,11)

Loving one another then becomes a key element. John goes on to warn, And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. (John 4:20)

Again, how do we put that love into action? John has the answer for that too. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. (John 5:2,3)

The keeping of God's commandments is not a burden. It shows us HOW to love God and how to love neighbor.

Many claim to carry the title Christian. They pour forth volumes of sweet words that often deceive others into believing they are truly trying to follow Christ. But, having the right label isn't enough, Unless they have the correct contents they fail to get the job done. They just aren't what they seem. As Paul tells us, For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. (II Cor. 11:13-15)

True Christians get the job done. They are the ones who show love toward God and love toward neighbor. And they go to God's word to learn how to express that love. As Jesus said, If you will enter into life, keep the commandments! (Mat. 19:17)

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