Tag: Neighbor

How to Apply the Law

It is interesting that we look at the law as some restrictive thing. The real thing is that we are free under the Law of God and His law keeps us in line with the law of man. I know, we are to align ourselves with the Law of God and not concern ourselves too much with the law of man, but when we are following the Law of God, we will follow man’s law.

“13For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” – Galatians 5:13-14 (ESV)

And there it is, how we apply the law. We are to love our neighbors just as we love ourselves. We care for them and don’t take their stuff.

“37And 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. 38This is the great and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’” – Matthew 22:37-40 (ESV)

The second most important thing we can do to fulfill the Law of God is to love our neighbors and not take their stuff. This is not just actions that we take they are in fulfillment of the law, see Leviticus 19:9-18 where it is outlined what it is to “Love Your Neighbor as Yourself” (title of the passage in my ESV Bible). Here we see how we treat our neighbors and get along with them.

So, here it is. We are to apply the Law of God in our everyday lives by loving Him and those around us. In doing so, we fulfill the Law of God and by extension we are fulfilling the law of man at the same time. Our focus is on God and lifting Him up, not ourselves and lifting us up. As we devote to Him and our neighbors and we will be in position to fulfill the Law of God in all that we do.

How are you applying the law? Are you focused on yourself and staying right with man? What if you were to instead devote yourself to God and your neighbors to fulfill the Law of God?

Love the LORD and Your Neighbor

We are always told what not to do when it comes to the law and in rules to follow. Think about the commandments as examples; Don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t covet, don’t worship idols. All of these are obviously right actions and laws to follow, yet they are, as are most others, actions that we are to avoid as opposed to those we are to take.

Jesus was asked which of the commandment is the greatest and I find it amazing that His answer was not of those actions we are to not take, but those that we are to embrace and lead with.

“37And 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. 38This is the great and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’” – Matthew 22:37-40 (ESV)

Love the LORD and love your neighbor are the greatest and second greatest of the commandments. These actions are what we are to do and not to avoid. We are to love and go from there.

Lori has a former co-worker that had a rough incident and she and I met with him to offer our support. He had spent his whole life being pushed toward religion and resisted and continued to resist even today. We continued to present God’s love to him in our discussion and when we get together even now. But as a point of living the greatest commandments as stated by Jesus, we did not push him, we simply displayed love to him and did not shy away from showing him the love of God. His comment to us was that he loved and appreciated us right back thanks to our simple truth of loving him.

Where we landed with Lori’s coworker is the place where we should be landing every day. We are to love the LORD and love our neighbors. We are to display those actions daily and not shy away from them. We are to be truthful and demonstrate the love of God through our actions with others so that they can see that love, embrace it, and work to display it their own lives as they move forward. So here it is again as Jesus said:

“37And 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. 38This is the great and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’” – Mathew 22:37-40 (ESV)

Love the LORD and Love your Neighbor.

What is your view as to what actions to do? Are you always looking at what to avoid as the going and best approach? What if you listened to and took the action that Jesus says, love the LORD and Love your Neighbor?