What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 6:5? And you – The verse opens by placing responsibility squarely on each listener. • This is personal; no one can delegate love for God (Joshua 24:15; James 4:8). • God’s call is not merely to a crowd but to every individual heart (John 3:16). shall love – Love here is commanded, not suggested. • Love is the proper response to God’s love first shown to us (1 John 4:19). • True love for God expresses itself in obedience (John 14:15; Deuteronomy 10:12). • Jesus affirmed this as the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37). the LORD your God – The object of our love is the covenant-keeping Lord. • “I am the LORD your God” frames the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2). • He is both sovereign (“the LORD”) and relational (“your God”)—a personal God who knows His people (Psalm 100:3). • In Christ we meet the same God, from whom and for whom are all things (1 Corinthians 8:6). with all your heart – Heart points to the seat of thoughts, desires, and affections. • Whole-hearted trust excludes divided loyalties (Proverbs 3:5; Matthew 6:21). • Seeking God with the whole heart leads to finding Him (Jeremiah 29:13; Psalm 119:10). and with all your soul – Soul refers to the very life or self. • David models worship that rises from the depths of the soul (Psalm 103:1). • Mary magnified the Lord “with my soul” (Luke 1:46-47). • Gaining the world is worthless if the soul is lost (Matthew 16:26); loving God guards the soul’s true worth. and with all your strength – Strength covers energy, abilities, possessions—everything at our disposal. • Whatever we do, we do “with all our might” for His glory (Ecclesiastes 9:10; Colossians 3:23). • Jesus repeats this clause, linking love for God to every practical exertion (Mark 12:30). • Loving God reaches into time, talents, and treasure, turning ordinary labor into worship. summary Deuteronomy 6:5 calls each believer to an all-encompassing love: personal (“And you”), commanded (“shall love”), covenant-focused (“the LORD your God”), and holistic—embracing heart, soul, and strength. God wants every affection, every identity marker, and every ounce of effort directed toward Him. This is the foundational command that shapes a life of obedience, worship, and joy. |
    |