The Great and First Commandment

[elijah23]

I fear many people ignore, or aren’t even aware of, the great and first commandment:

[34] But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sad'ducees, they came together.
[35] And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him.
[36] "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"
[37] And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
[38] This is the great and first commandment.
[39] And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
[40] On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets." Matt 22:34-40 RSV

 

[Slider]

Seems to me that many people either lump the two together and say the Great Commandment is to love the Lord and your neighbor. Some may even bypass the first and say it's to love your neighbor.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

How do you love God?

The Bible tells us.

The way we love God is why the second is 'like' the first.

John says anyone who says they love God but doesn't love his neighbor is a liar. It's IMPOSSIBLE to love God but not your neighbor. To love God is to follow his commands. And his commands are to believe in Jesus and love others.

 

[Pard]

But loving God is more than that. Not to take from your post there, Jethro, but just to add. Living God means other things as well. Glorifying Him. Putting Him before EVERYTHING. Going to Him for the eternal water and not to another pool to fill our broken cisterns.