Topical Bible: Affections: should be Supremely Set Upon God

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In the Christian life, the affections of the heart are of paramount importance, as they reveal the true orientation of one's soul. The Bible consistently teaches that our affections should be supremely set upon God, reflecting a heart wholly devoted to Him above all else.

Biblical Foundation

The call to set our affections on God is rooted in the greatest commandment as articulated by Jesus in the Gospels. In Matthew 22:37 , Jesus declares, "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’" This commandment underscores the necessity of directing our entire being—our emotions, desires, and thoughts—toward God.

The Apostle Paul echoes this sentiment in Colossians 3:2 , where he instructs believers to "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." This exhortation emphasizes the need to prioritize heavenly, eternal matters over temporal, worldly concerns, ensuring that our affections are aligned with God's purposes.

The Nature of Godly Affections

Godly affections are characterized by a deep love and reverence for God, manifesting in a desire to please Him and to live according to His will. Psalm 42:1-2 beautifully captures this longing: "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God." Such affections are marked by an earnest seeking after God, akin to a thirst that only He can quench.

Moreover, godly affections are not merely emotional but are also demonstrated through obedience and commitment to God's commandments. In John 14:15 , Jesus states, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." This connection between love and obedience highlights that true affection for God is evidenced by a life that honors His Word.

Challenges to Setting Affections on God

Despite the clear biblical mandate, believers often face challenges in setting their affections supremely on God. The allure of worldly pleasures and the distractions of daily life can easily divert one's focus. In 1 John 2:15-17 , the apostle warns, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." This passage serves as a caution against allowing worldly desires to supplant our love for God.

Additionally, the human heart is naturally inclined toward idolatry, as seen in the tendency to elevate created things above the Creator. Ezekiel 14:3 speaks to this issue: "Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts." Believers must be vigilant in guarding their hearts against such idolatry, ensuring that their affections remain steadfastly fixed on God.

Cultivating Godly Affections

To cultivate affections that are supremely set upon God, believers are encouraged to engage in spiritual disciplines that foster intimacy with Him. Regular prayer, meditation on Scripture, and participation in communal worship are vital practices that nurture a heart devoted to God. Psalm 119:11 highlights the importance of Scripture: "I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You."

Furthermore, believers are called to examine their hearts regularly, seeking the Holy Spirit's guidance in identifying and uprooting any affections that compete with their love for God. In Psalm 139:23-24 , the psalmist prays, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

By setting their affections supremely on God, believers align themselves with His eternal purposes, experiencing the fullness of joy and peace that comes from a life centered on Him.

Nave's Topical Index

Deuteronomy 6:5
And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
Nave's Topical Index

Mark 12:30
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.
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Library

"Often I Wondered Why by the Great Foreseeing Wisdom of God the ...
... flesh and of all our inward affections which are ... they are not like their Creator,
supremely and unchangeably ... is to continue, that some good should remain to ...
/.../julian/revelations of divine love/chapter xxvii often i wondered.htm

Victory Over the World through Faith
... Hence our affections are gradually entwined around these ... and thus apprehended, they
will supremely interest that ... man on earth, so that he should apprehend them ...
/.../finney/sermons on gospel themes/xxii victory over the world.htm

Submit Yourselves Therefore to God. James 4:7.
... God and his kingdom rise in our affections just as ... a very different thing from seeking
supremely our own ... of God's express requirements that he should obey the ...
/.../finney/lectures to professing christians/submit yourselves therefore to god.htm

The Secret of Tranquillity
... the lawgiver-captain in the wilderness, it should stand still ... God's will concerning
us, if we supremely desire to ... Let the affections feed on Him, the will wait ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/the secret of tranquillity.htm

What are Evidences of Backsliding in Heart.
... If we love Him supremely, it is impossible that we ... to neglect them; or if your thoughts,
affections, and emotions ... What should we think of a child coming to its ...
/.../finney/the backslider in heart/iii what are evidences of.htm

Obedience to the Moral Law.
... preference should be of God"that God should be the ... If a man love God supremely, and
engage in any ... time being, neither his thoughts nor affections are upon God ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xi obedience to the.htm

Our Attitude Toward his Sovereignty
... Divine grace to control the strongest affections of the ... and deep thankfulness and
joy was supremely and perfectly ... left us an example that we should follow His ...
/.../pink/the sovereignty of god/chapter ten our attitude toward.htm

The Security of the Church
... The man effects to be so supremely wise, that he ... his heart, overthrow his faith,
alter his affections towards God ... If one saint should fall away and perish, God ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/the security of the church.htm

Directions to Sinners.
... him in everything." Very well, place your affections on God ... God asks of you is, that
you should love him supremely. ... them to believe on him who should come after ...
/.../finney/lectures on revivals of religion/lecture xviii directions to sinners.htm

The Backslider in Heart.
... If we love Him supremely, it is impossible that we ... to neglect them, if your thoughts,
affections and emotions ... What should we think of a child's coming to its ...
/.../finney/lectures on revivals of religion/lecture xxi the backslider in.htm