“If” vs “Because”

Hebrews 6:10-12

During almost all of my ministry, I have heard this statement: “If you love God, you will love people.“ At first glance, the phrase sounds correct, doesn’t it? However, the statement really can be the one of Satan‘s greatest tools. This passage even says that “God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love,“ but that is not the primary intent of the passage when read in its full context. The phrase “toward His name,“ changes to verse from being and “if” statement to a “because“ statement. Because of grace, because of mercy, because of salvation, we serve each other in His name. The writer of Hebrews said not ‘if’ you love God but ‘because’ we love God, we love people. Churches and followers of Christ miss this year after year. God remembers not only what we do, but the name in which we do it. We serve others because of His name.