![]() ![]() ![]() If one deals with mankind exclusively, it leaves God out of the picture, and that is not good either. They do not want to feel rejected because somebody refuses their act of love. Some do not want to deal with fellowman because mankind is so flawed that dealing with others guarantees disappointments, and they do not want to be disappointed. One of the practical things we must learn is that we cannot devote all our attention to life in obeying one of these two commandments while neglecting the other. This flawless character is what we are being drawn toward by being created in the image of Jesus Christ. It is truly without flaw or irregularity. A vivid contrast by God's character is that it is perfectly blended in that it is faultlessly balanced throughout every aspect of life. Man's character is fractured by strengths and weaknesses strong in one area, weak in another.Īny given person may resolve to never lie, but on the other hand he will steal anything that is not welded down. The idea is this: The commandments of God in their fullness give us an overview of God's character. But even here the Greek word translated into the English word "like" could be translated as "equivalent to," thus drawing the two parts closer to one. He then referred to the Leviticus 19:18 command as "the second is like" or similar to the first. The word is capable of being translated either way. In addition, Jesus' reply referred to the Deuteronomy 6 command as being the first or foremost. Leviticus 19:18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the L ORD. The one is given in Deuteronomy 6:4-5, and the other is given in Leviticus 19:18.ĭeuteronomy 6:4-5 "Hear, O Israel: The L ORD our God, the L ORD is one! You shall love the L ORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. The reality is, of course, that when Jesus answered the lawyer's questions in Matthew 22, He answered with the truth that they are two distinct commandments, at least in terms of appearing separately in God's Word. The shift would be facilitated by considering that they might really be only one commandment with two parts. In the previous sermon in this series it was given as a premise that maybe we should begin rethinking the two great commandments of the law by shifting our perspective somewhat. Next in line would be our spiritual brethren who carry a higher priority than blood relations and the community at large, but our obligation to love, help, and to serve extends (at various levels) to all humanity. ![]() Our closeness with God transcends the other human relationships. He who loves God must love his brother, including spouse, children, kin, countryman, friend, ally in a business covenant, neighbor, acquaintance, and fellow human being. We express our love for God when we serve His creation. All the law is fulfilled by loving our neighbor (as we love the Heavenly Father with all our being). Jesus brother James warns that we cannot simultaneously praise God and curse mankind. ![]() Only when we can blend these two emphases are we able to develop character. We need to devote ourselves to both devotion to God and devotion to our fellow man. The two great commandments are actually a seamless whole - one commandment with two different parts. ![]()
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