Love God, love people

Matthew 22:36-39 (NIV)"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"  Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

The Pharisees were attempting to trap Jesus with a clever question. They presented him with the entire law and asked him to pick a greatest command. Although their intent was to confound our Lord, they defined the boundaries of our faith and unity.

Part of our Restoration Movement distinction is the pursuit of orthodox Bible doctrine. In every area of life we look to God’s word and expect to find an answer. Sometimes we find direct commands. Sometimes we see patterns of what early Christians did. Sometimes we have general principles handed to us from the scriptures. Each command, pattern and principle shapes us and helps us to be more like Jesus and please God.

One of the traps of pursuing Bible orthodoxy is weighing everything equally. Matthew 22:36-39 gives us a framework in which we can couch our interactions. Whether it is debate, discussion or disagreement, Matthew 22 is valid and paramount. Our unity depends on weighing “Love God, love people” heavily in how we treat our brothers and sisters (not to mention the lost). The Greatest Commandment is a filter through which our heart, tongue, and thoughts must go.

Satan desires to capture our conversations. He tells us that a harsh tone is OK if it is for a good cause (utilitarianism – the ends justify the means). It is all right to demean someone if gets them to see the right way to do or think about things. Gossip is fine if it gets the news out about some individual’s shortcomings and protects the church from their influence. These lies are effective if we do not filter them through “Love God, love people”.

When we are challenged with the temptation for retaliation, harsh words, gossip, anonymous character assassination or demeaning others, let us first ask a couple questions.

What is the most important commandment?
Is this (action, thought, attitude, motive) loving God? Does it make Him happy?
Is this (action, thought, attitude, motive) loving people? Will it help them to be more like Jesus?