On page 37 of his book, The Power of Right Believing, Joseph Prince maintains that God knows that man is incapable of keeping the commandment to love Him with all his heart, mind, soul and strength. Therefore, the Lord does not ask us to focus our thoughts on whether we really love Him or not, because He's the only one who can have such love. This is how He could send His Son Jesus Christ to die for us. We need only turn to the scriptures to see that these statements sharply contradict God's Word.
The passages of Matthew 22:37-38 and Mark 12:29-30 are just some of the many that shatter these falsehoods Joseph Prince put forth in the book we're reviewing.
God's Word says, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment" Matthew 22:37-38.
Are we really supposed to believe it's okay to say there's no need to focus on the first and greatest commandment of God? Let's take a closer look at what the Bible says about the love we should have for the Lord. And let's ask ourselves if Joseph Prince's statements in, The Power of Right Believing, agree.
1. In Matthew 22:37-38 (the passage we just read), Jesus Himself says that to love the Lord our God is the greatest commandment. Joseph Prince says the opposite by advising us not to focus on loving the Lord. This is nothing short of saying that we need not worry about keeping the greatest commandment of God. It's not important. Incredible! Does such advise come from God? Absolutely not.
2. Joseph Prince says it's impossible to keep the first and greatest commandment. That translates to saying it's impossible to lead a holy life. Remember that Christ said that all the other commandments hinge on the keeping of the first commandment. If we brush aside loving God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength; we also brush aside our duty to allow God to perform the impossible in us. What's more is that the scriptures tell us that it is indeed possible to be righteous and walk in holiness in this present world. Titus 2:12 says "denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this PRESENT WORLD." It's clear that the words and doctrine of Joseph Prince do not agree with God's Word and doctrine.
3. Joseph Prince, in his book, The Power of Right Believing, seems to be ignorant of the biblical passages that tell us our relationship must not be one sided. They tell us it does not consist only of God loving us, whether we love Him back or not. Below are passages that destroy the lie that under the New Covenant it only matters that we know how much God loves us.
In St. John 21:15, "Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonah, LOVEST THOU ME?"
In St. John 21:16, "He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonah, LOVEST THOU ME?"
In St. John 21:17, "He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonah, LOVEST THOU ME?"
Has the Lord stopped asking us, "Do you love me?"
And what about the warning we find in Revelation of the need for Jesus to always be our first love? Just considering the consequences of not loving Him in this way it should be clear that loving God is not a suggestion from the Bible. It is a commandment. It is the first and greatest commandment. Big difference. The Lord said, "I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love... Repent, and do the first works, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent" (Revelation 2:4-9).
And what else did the Lord say about how important it is that we love Him?
"He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. And he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:37-38).
When Joseph Prince states that only God's love for us matters, not ours for Him, he does not describe the heart of true children of God who are so grateful that we cry, "We love Him, because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).