Spirit-minded believers are to be ekhad — one — with each other and with God. Believers must agape love each other, in other words, to esteem others the way Yeshua did us — selflessly. Apostle Paul advised believers to avoid division and strife in the “body” of Christ. Those who cause divisions are “worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.”
The friends of God are those who trust the promises and testimony of God and want to communicate with God face to face, despite knowing how disastrous that could be for one’s casual observance of God. We can know God as one speaks to a friend, but once God calls you to be His friend, you life will never be the same.
True communication with God involves attentive listening, confirming receipt of His messages, and resisting distractions. Key lessons discussed include the importance of focused prayer, as exemplified by Hannah, who prayed quietly to avoid distractions. The Shema highlights the need to love God wholeheartedly through prayer, fasting, and charity. Persistence in prayer, contrasted with vain repetition, showcases the importance of trust in God. Ultimately, communication with God fosters community, guiding believers toward His will without leading them into temptation or sin.
“What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” “Who is my neighbor?” At first these questions seem contradictory. Some even accuse the questioners of attempting to entrap Yeshua. However, honest seekers of truth regularly challenged rabbis with tough questions, as did Abraham, Moses and others.
We are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. That love is to be an agape, selfless love, not a selfish “feeling” kind of love.
Those who “follow their hearts” against God’s Torah are running headlong into stubbornness and rebellion and will reap a curse.