Christians: God or Loved Ones?

Question

I honestly wonder how this works, I can't even begin to understand it. I hope you can help me clear this up.

From what I know, Christians should love God more than anybody else. Even more than their loved ones, their family, spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, children, etc.

My girlfriend is a Christian, and even she doesn't understand this concept. She believes in a God, but never will she put God before her family, me, or her friends. That's probably why her and me (Atheist) get along so well.

But I'm really trying to understand the concept. How can you love a God more than the people close to you? And how do your loved ones feel about that?

Answer 1

I think where we run into problems with this concept is when we look at God as if he is just a really powerful person or a big man in the sky. God does not have an ego. He does not get envious despite how the biblical interpretations tend to portray him. Loving God is different than loving your spouse. In my opinion (which does not seem to be commonly shared by Christians) loving other people is part of loving God. There should not be ranking involved. We love different people and different things in different ways. And besides, if you believe, as I do, that God is in and a part of everyone and everything, than loving other people must be loving God too. This ranking and prioritizing is a merely human thing that in my opinion must be beyond God.

Answer 2

God offers us something that no fellow human being can: stability. Every human is capable of hurting another regardless of how much they love the other person. God isn't selfishly motivated like most humans are, therefore God will never choose himself over you. He is our Father in Heaven and he provides us with the most pure parental love there is.

I'm a Christian, as are all of my loved ones, and not a single one of us is threatened or hurt by the fact that we put God first in our lives. No relationship can ever truly be healthy unless God is the center of that relationship.

Being a Christian gives you a solid foundation in life: a relationship with God and the commandments. Once you begin to follow the commandments you start to transform into an entirely different human being. All of the commandments come down to one thing: love. Therefore, if you are following the commandments, you are loving others (and yourself) the best way you can.

Answer 3

Particularly in matters of religion, when were discussing that which we cannot ever understand fully because G-d is incomparable and we have no vocabulary adequate for the subject, that people who think they have all the answers really don't understand the question. As Saint Paul said, "we see now as through a glass darkly." In such a situation, searching humbly is much more likely to lead to a degree of understanding than pridefully proclaiming that you have some divine roadmap leading to the Promised Land. Too often, in the past, those roadmaps have led to deadends. Grace be unto you and peace.

Answer 4

Loveing God is different than loveing your fellow man. One should never get in the way of the other. I can't even think of a situation were you would put your friends or family second to anything. Not even Love of God.

Answer 5

Father God loves us unconditionally. He wishes for us to love Him first above all else. We must be willing to put His will for our lives above all else. We (all humanity) were created first to live with Father God in Paradise. We decided to do otherwise. Father God made a way thru Jesus that we could change our mind. Those who do will live with God and Jesus in Paradise (heaven, the new Jerusalem, the Holy City some of the names) We should really get a handle on why we were created in the first place. Our creation has nothing to do with this short life on earth. As to how I can love Father God more than people. Well, He has never lied to me, never broken a promise, never hated me, never said anything to undermine my self-confidence and never left me.He has fed me, clothed me, dried my tears, and always been there. What's not to love?

Answer 6

God or family means; Many people want you to be mean to other people, even family members teach hate and force each other to join cults and crap, so choose God, be a good person and don't let people steer you in the wrong direction.

Answer 7

Well, it can be a difficult concept. My belief is you believe in what you are willing to die for. If you truly have a relationship with Christ, not just believe in God, because even Satan believes in God, it will come naturally. As far as loved ones, it just depends on their beliefs. I hope that helped, if not, sorry, I tried.

Answer 8

Putting things before God, makes them higher then God, which nothing is. You family, spouses, your girlfriend wont be here forever, whether its from death or just because they want to leave. God promises that he will never leave us nor forsake us. In the Bible it warns us about having idols, having things higher than God makes you have a greater chance of making it an idol.

Answer 9

It is possible that you could love God with your whole mind, body, and strength because He actually COMMANDED that of you, especially provided that you are a real Christian, and then if you can actually succeed in doing that, then you are worthy of Him since it is wise to keep 'first things first' anyway.

Answer 10

Many people profess to be Christian. But ,as Jesus said in John 3:3 , I assure you , unless you are born again, you will not see the Kingdom of Heaven' . If your g/f is a true bornagain Christian, she would put God above everyone.