'If you Love Me, keep My Commandments' - (John 14:15)
A neighbor once asked me for a favor and i obliged him. But another neighbor living within the same premises as the first learnt of this assistance i was giving and tried to discourage me saying; 'Those people are not good people'
Dear friends, the two greatest Commandments that God has given to us is to Love God and to also Love our neighbors as well. These two Commandments are similar and
one is as important as the other for it has been written: Jesus answered him, 'The first Commandment is: Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first Commandment. And the second like it is this: You shall Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other Commandment greater than these' - (Mark 12: 29-31) see also (Mathew 22: 35-40).
Dear Brethren, no matter how many times we attend church services on Sundays, no matter how many times we read our bibles or are able to quote the scriptures, no matter how pious we may claim to be; if we do not show love to our neighbors through our thoughts, and acts, then we have failed to keep these Great Commandments of God for it was also written: 'For whoever shall keep the whole Law and yet stumble in one point is guilty of all' - (James 2:10). We cannot even claim to Love God in this Instance for it has also been written: 'If someone says I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he Love God whom he has not seen?' - ( 1 John 4:20)
The question we should then ask ourselves is; 'who is my neighbor?' Brothers and sisters our neighbor is that friend or relation of ours who needs one form of assistance from us or another. It may be our time, our money, words of encouragement or support. A neighbor is also the total stranger who may have or may have NOT solicited help from us but we know the stranger needs assistance and we are in that position to help. Remember the story of the good Samaritan. The victim was even too injured to open his mouth and ask for help. ( Luke 10:30-37)
It has been written that in the day of Judgment, 'Then the King will say to those on His right hand, come you blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer Him saying, Lord when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? when did we see You a stranger and and take You in or naked and clothed You? or when did we see You sick or in prison and come to You? And the King will answer and say to them, assuredly I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of My brethren, you did it to Me' - (Mathew 25:34 - 40)
So let us not speak harsh words against our neighbors nor mistreat them. Let us also desist from sowing hatred among brethren for ' we know that we have passed from death to Life because we Love the brethren. He who does not Love his brother abides in death. whoever hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer has Eternal Life abiding in him' - (1 John 3:14). 'beloved if God so Loved us we also ought to Love one another' - (1 John 4:11)
The challenge most Christians have ( myself inclusive) is in the doing. We know these things but do we do them? Jesus said in (John 14: 15) -' If you Love Me, keep My Commandments'. Notice that Jesus didn't say; If you Love Me, know my Commandments; as most of us already know. 'keep' in the context as used connotes action. And today we know the greatest two Commandments which are Love of God and neighbor. I am convinced in my spirit that on that day God is not going to ask folks how many times they went to Church or which religious denomination they belonged or how well we could quote scripture.Going to Church is good but i believe the Lord will ask us how we lived our lives in accordance to His Commandments especially the greatest two.
We all have a choice today; to choose peace over war, belief over doubt, Love over hatred and Life over death. Ultimately Brethren, let us prove our love for God by keeping His Commandments; and His Commandment is this; 'A new Commandment I give to you, that you Love one another; as I have Loved you, that you also Love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have Love for one another' - ( John13: 34 - 35).
No comments:
Post a Comment