If I do more for God, will he love me more?

Romans 5:6-8When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

1 John 4:9-10God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

God’s love for us is not determined by how much we love him or by our good works. We can never do anything to make God love us more—or less.

Romans 8:38-39I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians 3:18May you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

The number of abilities we have and how we use them are not related to the degree of love God has for us. Long before we were born, God already loved us enough to send his Son to die for us. Rather, using our gifts shows our degree of love for God! The more we love him, the more we will delight in serving him to the best of our ability.

Romans 8:29God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Ephesians 2:10We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Ephesians 5:1-2Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

Philippians 3:8Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.

1 Peter 2:21God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.

An earthly father desires to spend time with his children, teach them, and watch them grow. Our heavenly Father desires the same. He wants us to spend time with him, seek to know him more, and grow to become like him. This is not a condition for his love, but a result of it. God receives great joy to see his beloved children growing into all we were created to be.