2 Greatest Commandments

[PJ76]

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul. Love your neighbor as yourself. There is a reason why these two are the greatest commandments and if you obey these commandments, the rest of the commands laid out by our Lord Jesus will be easy to obey. For Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." In other words, just saying "Lord, Lord" does not necessarily mean that person has a relationship with Jesus. Its one thing to claim to know Jesus, its another thing to actually have a relationship with Him. For Jesus says, "Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me...and I will love him and reveal Myself to him." Do you love Jesus? Do you have a relationship with Jesus? Are you keeping his commandments?

Pastor Johnny

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Most Christians these days do not believe it, but keeping the two greatest commandments is a part of inheriting eternal life.

25 "And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live." (Luke 10:25-18).

Matthew 19:17-19 is another one.

We have to pray for anyone who cannot see what these verses say plainly.
Most I have run into try to change what these verses say.

Side Note:

Yes, we are initially and ultimately saved by God's grace through faith in Christ's death and resurrection and seeking forgiveness with Him. But believers also have to do works of faith as a part of the salvation process (after they are saved by God's grace).

 

[PJ76]

Amen Jason. And thank you for sharing. In order to even inherit eternal life, the person needs to have a relationship with Jesus. And unfortunately a relationship with Jesus doesn't stop and end at "Lord, Lord." It goes beyond that. For Jesus even says, "Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?" If we truly love him, we will obey Him. And that is how our Lord Jesus will recognize who belongs to Him. I believe obeying the 2 greatest commandments is not only required, but also essential to keep the other commandments such as being honest, moral and humble.

 

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul. Love your neighbor as yourself. There is a reason why these two are the greatest commandments and if you obey these commandments, the rest of the commands laid out by our Lord Jesus will be easy to obey. For Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." In other words, just saying "Lord, Lord" does not necessarily mean that person has a relationship with Jesus. Its one thing to claim to know Jesus, its another thing to actually have a relationship with Him. For Jesus said, "Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me.....and I will love him and reveal Myself to him." Do you love Jesus? Do you have a relationship with Jesus? Are you keeping his commandments?

Pastor Johnny

He and His Father's Commandments are the same...both those came from The Torah... Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Amen Jason. And thank you for sharing. In order to even inherit eternal life, the person needs to have a relationship with Jesus. And unfortunately a relationship with Jesus doesn't stop and end at "Lord, Lord." It goes beyond that. For Jesus even says, "Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?" If we truly love him, we will obey Him. And that is how our Lord Jesus will recognize who belongs to Him. I believe obeying the 2 greatest commandments is not only required, but also essential to keep the other commandments such as being honest, moral and humble.

I agree.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I believe the Old Law (all 613 laws as a whole) (contractually speaking) is no longer in effect as a whole. Yes, the Moral Law (like do not murder, do not steal, etc.) have carried over, but we do not look to the Old Testament to obey God.

Verses Showing How The Old Law is No Longer In Effect: 2 Corinthians 3:7-11, 2 Corinthians 3:14, Romans 7:4, Romans 7:6, Colossians 2:14, Colossians 2:16-17, Colossians 2:20-23, Ephesians 2:15, Hebrews 7:18, Hebrews 8:13, Hebrews 9:9-10, Hebrews 9:15, Hebrews 9:16-17, Hebrews 10:8-9, Matthew 26:27-28, Matthew 27:50-51, Acts of the Apostles 15:1, Acts of the Apostles 15:5, Acts of the Apostles 15:24.

The ceremonial laws like the Saturday Sabbath, dietary laws, circumcision, animal sacrifices, etc. are no longer in effect for believers in the New Covenant.

Believers today are to follow the commands given to them by Jesus and His followers in the New Covenant (or New Testament). For the Law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

 

[PJ76]

I agree Jason. We do not look to the Old Testament to obey God. I also agree only the moral laws has carried over to the New Covenant. As a matter of fact, Jesus even mentions some of the moral laws such as do not murder, do not lie, do not steal.

 

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

I believe the Old Law (all 613 laws as a whole) (contractually speaking) is no longer in effect as a whole. Yes, the Moral Law (like do not murder, do not steal, etc.) have carried over, but we do not look to the Old Testament to obey God.

Verses Showing How The Old Law is No Longer In Effect: 2 Corinthians 3:7-11, 2 Corinthians 3:14, Romans 7:4, Romans 7:6, Colossians 2:14, Colossians 2:16-17, Colossians 2:20-23, Ephesians 2:15, Hebrews 7:18, Hebrews 8:13, Hebrews 9:9-10, Hebrews 9:15, Hebrews 9:16-17, Hebrews 10:8-9, Matthew 26:27-28, Matthew 27:50-51, Acts of the Apostles 15:1, Acts of the Apostles 15:5, Acts of the Apostles 15:24.

The ceremonial laws like the Saturday Sabbath, dietary laws, circumcision, animal sacrifices, etc. are no longer in effect for believers in the New Covenant.

Believers today are to follow the commands given to them by Jesus and His followers in the New Covenant (or New Testament). For the Law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

My point was that those 2 came from the Torah...

 

[Bible Highlighter]

My point was that those 2 came from the Torah...

Right, the Moral Law has carried over. But none of the ceremonial laws have carried over.

 

[Selene03]

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul. Love your neighbor as yourself. There is a reason why these two are the greatest commandments and if you obey these commandments, the rest of the commands laid out by our Lord Jesus will be easy to obey. For Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." In other words, just saying "Lord, Lord" does not necessarily mean that person has a relationship with Jesus. Its one thing to claim to know Jesus, its another thing to actually have a relationship with Him. For Jesus says, "Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me...and I will love him and reveal Myself to him." Do you love Jesus? Do you have a relationship with Jesus? Are you keeping his commandments?

Pastor Johnny

Yes. All the law and prophets hang on those two commandments.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I agree Jason. We do not look to the Old Testament to obey God. I also agree only the moral laws has carried over to the New Covenant. As a matter of fact, Jesus even mentions some of the moral laws such as do not murder, do not lie, do not steal.

Those are the commandments "written in stone", the old covenant. The new covenant application is the moral imperative connected to them, or the antithesis of those laws.

Jesus rehearsed them to the young nobleman because the old covenant was still in effect, he had not yet 'mediated' the new covenant, and the Holy Spirit had not yet appeared.

 

[FireDragon76]

My point was that those 2 came from the Torah...

They are not explicitly religious in nature, but are understood by all human beings due to the capacity for reason.

 

[FireDragon76]

Most Christians these days do not believe it, but keeping the two greatest commandments is a part of inheriting eternal life.

25 "And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live." (Luke 10:25-18).

Matthew 19:17-19 is another one.

We have to pray for anyone who cannot see what these verses say plainly.
Most I have run into try to change what these verses say.

Side Note:

Yes, we are initially and ultimately saved by God's grace through faith in Christ's death and resurrection and seeking forgiveness with Him. But believers also have to do works of faith as a part of the salvation process (after they are saved by God's grace).

Salvation is not a process. Anyone who says it is, is not a Protestant.

Both Jesus and Luther pointed God's people to genuine good works we should do, and they are not explicitly religious. They are works of mercy and justice for the good of our neighbor. That is what is truly pleasing to God. Not how much you read the Bible or how often you pray. You will not be asked on the Day of Judgement about your prayer life.

 

[Shempster]

The ten commandments pointed to the two great laws. But those two great laws existed before the 10 commandments and even before the universe was created. Jesus said so.
They point directly to the meaning of life itself.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Salvation is not a process. Anyone who says it is, is not a Protestant.

I do not consider myself a Protestant. Most of them (not all) believe in OSAS or Belief Alone Salvationism (Which is contrary to what Scripture plainly teaches).

Both Jesus and Luther pointed God's people to genuine good works we should do, and they are not explicitly religious. They are works of mercy and justice for the good of our neighbor. That is what is truly pleasing to God. Not how much you read the Bible or how often you pray. You will not be asked on the Day of Judgement about your prayer life.

I believe prayer is key to being able to properly love God and others (like the poor, lost souls, etc.). For we are to love God with all our strength according to the greatest commandment. Yet, is it in our own power and might we have strength? Or does our strength come from the LORD our GOD?

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Psalms 46:1).

How do we get help from the Lord in time of trouble?

We ask of course.
We pray.

 

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

They are not explicitly religious in nature, but are understood by all human beings due to the capacity for reason.

huh??

 

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

Yes. All the law and prophets hang on those two commandments.

of course because those 2 were IN the Law