The Best Way to Love Thy Neighbor
What does it mean to love your neighbor?!
Have you ever wondered, what is the overall concept to love your neighbor as mentioned in St. Matthew 22:36-40?!
So have I.
Therefore, you’re in the right place. This article will do its best to explain how to apply in everyday living what this particular scripture is conveying to us.
I like to use prayer as the basis for gaining any information about the Word of God.
Then I can use bible commentary as a backup for any confirmations.
The Holy-Spirit has a way of speaking to us like no one on earth can.
Many people grow up with this message ingrained within their minds from a young child.
The message is the Golden Rule of humanity.
The improper expressions of how to love thy neighbor often reveal themselves in such a hostile environment in our adulthood.
Often, there is a disconnect from what we learn as children.
How our childhood lessons are to carry over into such a hostile environment in our adult lives is quite different.
Love for your neighbor is a simple principle with character advantages.
In the day and time that we currently live, people have a tendency to lack empathy for their fellowman.
Think of how different the world would be if we only lived our daily lives according to this message.
Most of the headline news stories would be less violent and destructive.
It is apparent that the majority of people feel as though they have the right to make others conform to the way they like certain things done.
Not even Jesus will force anyone to serve Him and HE’S the Lord of all.
Recognizing Who is our Neighbor.
All individuals have unique viewpoints for a reason.
This isn’t terrible because everyone knows something while no one knows everything.
Therefore, we shouldn’t feel apprehensive or discriminative when we speak of loving our neighbor.
The topic of conversation may not include the full agreement of all parties within a discussion.
Somebody can always learn something from anyone if their mind is open enough to listen.
The average person would consider themselves to be a Christian.
The basis of the Bible is unconditional love for all mankind. It is not love for their actions or behaviors that clearly violates biblical standards.
There’s a difference.
This is the reason why Jesus Christ could sacrifice His Life.
If we lack the compassion to go out of our way for someone else then the scriptures point us to re-examine our standard belief in Jesus Christ.
Allowing people to go through the motion of crucifying Him speaks volumes.
Clearly, Jesus didn’t enjoy the act of being crucified, especially without just cause.
Jesus did it out of pure unconditional love. His crucifixion was the cost for the salvation of the entire world regardless of who accepts it or not.
Salvation is available because of His love sacrifice.
The bigger picture had more value in the end that outweighed His moments of intense pain and discomfort.
Majority of the people today have very little respect and appreciation for human life.
This is the opposite of what Jesus represents. Neglecting mercy or compassion for anyone is reason enough why the scriptures point us to re-examine our belief in Jesus Christ.
These people are our neighbors, according to the Bible.
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How to adapt with our neighbor.
1 John 4:20
If a man say, I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother who he has seen, how can he love God who he has not seen?
My friends, we cannot dispute the Gospel no matter how we try to convince ourselves otherwise. The world that we live in is full of hate.
The wickedness is on massive scales in all arenas of professions and government levels.
This is not anything the Holy Scriptures hasn’t foretold us would happen.
As the day of Judgment approaches and Jesus Christ will return for His Church expect things to get worse.
We all have to realize that the Word of God is true, concise and extremely potent. It is the only book on earth that is overflowing with unlimited mysteries, revelations and prophecies.
The Bible’s message is the Will of God.
People have to receive the message just as it is without additions or omissions from human beings. (Rev. 22:18-21)
Neither the predictions nor preventions of mankind can restrict the Bible’s authority.
This job of sharing the gospel in any capacity is serious and honorable with all due respect.
How to respond to our neighbor
Authentic Men and Women ordained of God preach the Gospel of Truth most effectively.
It’s a pretty serious responsibility with souls at stake.
Imperatively, they must yield themselves completely to the authority of the Holy Spirit.
Ordinarily, they should be washed in the blood of the Lamb and fire baptized with the evidence of speaking in an unknown tongue.
This should go without saying that the believers in Christ shouldn’t hold grudges or have uncontrollable anger issues.
Neither should we be regularly associating within the company of those who are fussing, cussing or fighting at the drop of a hat with other people.
The only legitimate purpose for a Believer of Christ to surround themselves in that environment is for the reservation to lead those people to the Lord.
We may think it’s ok to say whatever we want to say to others.
We think, as long as we use scripture to support our personal opinions it’s fine.
That is Not the case at all for a true servant of Jesus Christ.
The Lord has standards for those He has chosen to share the Gospel correctly.
Love for our neighbor includes us restraining ourselves from all manner of temptations.
We are not to show ourselves to be arrogant, proud boastful individuals to make ourselves look important or more intelligent than others.
It is a true servant of Jesus Christ that loves their neighbor.
We’re to love them enough to tactfully reveal the light of the gospel to them even if it means telling them what they may not agree with hearing.
We all have imperfections and so we must be sensitive to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes.
This will help safeguard us from handling the Word of God unskillfully. This too is a form of showing love for our neighbor.
The Skilled Vs. the Unskilled
Keeping in mind, a mature Minister of the Lord with any level of training will not seek to be intentionally brutal or destructive.
They will have tact in their delivery of the gospel even during a rebuke when the Holy-Spirit is truly present.
The Spirit of the Lord is so powerful and gentle simultaneously. He knows when and how to use Godly authority.
The Spirit of Jesus is aware of the best way a particular message needs to come across to an audience.
The Holy-Ghost knows how a powerful message should be delivered so the gospel still brings salvation and grace to the ears of the hearers.
The simple message behind the love for our neighbors is knowing how to remain in order with the Lord.
This is where we’re in submission to allow God to reign instead of us.
We have to know our place and be present in it at all times.
This way we’re allowing the Lord to be God in people’s lives.
Submission to Christ is crucial.
The greatest strength any human being can display is to surrender to Jesus completely.
It’s attractive to follow Christ’s example.
This includes the relinquishments of all self-revenge over to the Lord as well.
It takes strength and the spirit of God’s peace to let Him take care of all things and people in His own time.
Being a follower of Christ doesn’t require us to become a docile individual for others to trample on us verbally or emotionally at will.
Yet, it’s also important to choose your battles wisely. Some situations don’t even deserve a response.
Yes, The Lord Jesus Christ does still protect and vindicate His people from every form of abuse and injustice.
The virtue needed is patience. So, I want to encourage you to have faith to relax and let God do it.
Resist the temptation to take care of things your way.
No, it will not be easy at first but it’s possible to do it with prayer as your baseline.
On the contrary, it would be wise not to disrespect the servants of the Lord.
In the event that it does still happen, there is a dignified way to conduct ourselves in that situation too.
Leviticus 19:18
“Thou shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the Lord.”
When we have certain principles to abide within like this verse of scripture, it is imperative to trust in the Lord completely.
HE has written these commandments for us to have confidence in His capabilities to bring them to pass.
Often people become impatient with the Holy-Spirit because He doesn’t seem to be moving fast enough.
Truthfully, The Lord never said that we will agree with His timing or manner of our vindication.
We think like humans. God is a Spirit. He thinks and operates in eternity.
He will give mankind every opportunity to repent of their wrong doings before He releases judgment on anyone.
You may ask, but why?! Well let’s refer back to the Word of God for the answer.
The Lord’s Personality
2 Peter 3:8-10
“Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”
There’s so much to unpack in this passage. However, the key point that we will focus on here is that the Lord is longsuffering towards us.
Because the grace and mercy of the Heavenly Father is not a toy, respect is not an option.
It does have an unknown expiration period attached.
The patience of God will run out for those who take HIM for granted.
The second point we want to bring out, is that the Lord is not willing that ANY should perish BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE.
Doesn’t this sound like a supreme being that is all powerful enough to destroy human existence in a moment’s notice?!
That’s the truth precisely.
On the contrary, we also can see the strength of His compassion for us.
HE would much rather see us willingly decide to correct the error of our ways through sincere confession and repentance.
We repent to the Lord with the intention to never return back to the wrong motives and acts committed.
The Lord knows, this is impossible for anyone to do without His Spirit.
This is why everyone is required to only receive salvation through Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.
There is no other recourse.
We also repent to the Lord for taking revenge in our own hands for any injustice we may have encountered.
My friends, on both accounts this is a direct violation of God’s Word which is sin.
See, in this regard The Lord has all rightful grounds to punish us as He sees fit.
Please don’t misunderstand me, The Lord is indeed a God of love, but wrath also.
However, in many instances the Lord will extend mercy to the unmerciful.
Simply because He is not like us.
God will make certain provisions for those who may not have known their transgressions.
We all still have a personal responsibility to obey our God given conscience of what’s right and wrong even in this respect.
The Lord may also send a preacher or someone that will bring the gospel to us, much like how you are being given the truth by reading this blog.
Is love Your Neighbor in the 10 commandments?
The answer to this question is yes indirectly.
The first four commandments tell us how to honor the relationship with our Heavenly Father.
The last six tell us how we should treat everyone here on earth.
The breakdown was given to help mankind to simplify how we should please the Lord.
There were over 600 Hebraic laws for mankind to follow originally.
The purpose of the 10 commandments is for us to realize that we all need a Savior.
The 10 Commandments is absolute perfection, which the Lord knows is unattainable for humans to ever achieve on their own.
The Bible also teaches that we cannot live an acceptable life apart from the Spirit of Christ and the baptism of the Holy-Ghost.
Thankfully, today we have salvation through Jesus as our saving grace.
HE alone through HIS death, burial and resurrection, we all now have the access to live Holy unto the Lord.
We can be washed and cleansed from iniquity and sin.
How to love thy neighbor according to the Gospel of Mark?
Mark 12:29-31
Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
The overall message of how we should love our neighbor doesn’t change in either of the books where it can be found.
However, we can often have various biblical scenarios within the gospels to bring home a different aspect of the same concept.
I find the bible is the best source to explain itself perfectly when it’s cross referenced properly.
For instance, in this case the primary message to sum up how the Lord expects us to love our neighbor is written in the book of Ephesians.
Using tact with others.
Ephesians 4:29-32 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,
but that which is good to the use edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
God knows, humans have an innate tendency to overlap things that are not always within their confines.
The Lord has personally selected representatives here on earth to administer His business.
Supernatural Expertise.
Loving our neighbor often requires advanced knowledge in Ministry skills.
There are 5 Ministry Gifts orchestrated by the Lord that I am specifically referring to here.
The work must be done God’s way because He is the supreme heavenly authority.
The Ministry Gifts within the body of Christ consist of the Apostles, Pastors, Evangelist, Prophets and Teachers better known as the 5 Fold Ministry Gifts.
These are the highest offices ordained by God that are responsible for the perfecting and edification of the church.
The assignment can only be carried out properly by those who operate in the divine connection with His Spirit.
This is a special gift in itself known as the anointing of God.
While in other cases, the Lord may choose to handle some things directly without using any human assistance at all.
This explains why scripture commands us not to kill or take revenge.
It’s God’s business and not ours regardless of what laws may be permissible for individuals to exercise the right to bare arms.
Those who violate Heavenly principles and do these things will still face the judgment of the Lord for their actions.
Their cavalier spirit will not go unpunished. In addition, they will be judged with the same merit of judgment that was used on their victims. (St. Matt. 7:1-2)
HE is Lord of Lords.
This means, the supernatural divine intervention can accomplish whatever action is necessary.
Only The Lord Jesus can determine what is best for us.
Conclusion
As ministers of the gospel, we must remember that people’s moral imperfections do not have the power to dictate our actions.
We are positive trend setters for the world to see and admire.
The Light of the Lord is the mystery that causes us not to react outside of our boundaries.
Our loyalty for the truth of God’s Word to prevail depends upon our full personal obedience to it.
So, this is not contingent upon how people treat us.
It’s our commitment to self- control and discipline to God.
The life we live for Christ reflects from the inside out.
Therefore, if we conduct a sloppy private life, it will eventually reveal itself on our public stage.
Knowing this is what causes us to remain composed while using our Godly authority.
This is well within our heavenly jurisdiction, even when people around us are behaving out of an imperfect state of mind.
This is the primary reason why only we (The Church) have such an exclusive calling.
People without Christ’s power can’t effectively do what The Church of God can do gracefully while under the influence of His Spirit…
Love thy Neighbor.
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