“Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people,
but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the LORD.”
(Leviticus 19:18)
The heart of Christianity is love, and not just for God but also for our fellowman. Countless biblical passages verify this truth. One primary example is found in Matthew 22:37-39. In this incident, a Pharisee quizzes the Lord as to the greatest commandment of all, and Christ responded immediately and definitively: “The first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. And the second is like unto it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
It is clear from this single reference alone that a sincere love for and devotion to God is the heart of Christianity. But love is also the hands and feet that bring that “love of God shed abroad in our hearts” to others – both lost and saved. In John 13:35 Christ said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” But He also told us to love our enemies, and to do good to those who hate us (Luke 6:37). Christ leaves no room for doubt, by both His words and His life, that demonstrating the love of God in our life is the heart of true Christianity, which He compares to the love we naturally have for ourselves (Matt. 22:39).
So how do we love our neighbor as we love ourselves? Firstly, we exhibit a genuine affection for them as taught and modeled by our Savior (Matt. 22:39, Luke 10:27, Mark 12:31, Lev. 19:18). And we treat others as we want to be treated, a principle for living highlighted in the Golden Rule (Matt. 7:12, Luke 6:31). As William Slatyer explains, “In general, to hurt no one by word nor deed, but to be true and just in all our dealings….”[1]
Such a love as this is not hypocritical, manipulative, or unpredictable because it is actually the outpouring of God’s love that springs up from within a Christian. In fact, the first “fruit of the Spirit” (who lives within the believer) mentioned in Galatians 5:22 is love. For this reason, only those believers who have experienced the depths of transformation that an encounter with divine love brings can truly love their neighbor. The Spirit of God is the guiding light of affection to one another by the Word of truth. And if one claims to love God but fails to love his neighbor, Scripture makes it clear that their claim is false (1 John 4:20).
Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength… and loving our neighbor as ourselves is not just a command of Christ to His followers. It is the path to a fulfilling and purposeful Christian life. It reflects our relationship with God and is a testament to the depth of our faith. As we navigate our lives, may we continually strive to love genuinely, deeply, and selflessly, honoring this divine command and reflecting God’s love in everything we do.
Contemplations:
- The Quality of Love: When I think of loving my neighbor, I realize it’s not about the magnitude but rather the sincerity of that love. It is measured by the quality of truth in that affection rather than by the volume. How can I ensure that my love for others is genuine and not just a facade?
- The Soul’s Image: Every soul is an image of God. When I love my neighbor, I’m not just loving a fellow human but also honoring the divine image within them. How often do I recognize the divine in others and treat them with the reverence that realization demands?
- The True Effect of Love: True love wishes no harm. If I genuinely love my neighbor as myself, I will never wish any harm upon them. This love, rooted in God’s love for us, becomes the foundation of all our interactions. How can I practice this kind of love in my daily interactions?
- The Golden Rule in Action: Treating others as I’d like to be treated is a principle I’ve heard countless times. But it’s one thing to know it and another to live it. In every interaction, am I considering how I would feel if I were in the other person’s shoes? How can I be more intentional about practicing the Golden Rule?
Further References for Lev. 19:18:
James 2:8; Gal. 5:14; Rom. 12:19; Prov. 20:22
[1] William Slatyer, The Complete Christian (London: Printed for the author, 1643), 466.
