Matthew 22: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Many people on college campuses and many politicians today emphasize, or more likely overemphasize, the second commandment above. They totally ignore the first commandment while they demand Christians follow the second command. A California governor said that following the second commandment allows for and even encourages abortion on demand. Nothing in the Bible supports that view, but his statements point out a great heresy. That is the heresy of ignoring the greatest commandment and focusing only on the lesser, but still important, second commandment.
The first and greatest commandment is more important because it gives power to the second commandment. In other words, to a Christian, totally loving God is a requirement before you can truly love others. Many non-Christians and half-baked Christians want to bypass the greatest commandment and go straight to the second. Ignoring God to focus on others is not what Jesus died on the cross for. Even if you are doing good things for many people, that is still your secondary calling, according to this scripture.
One problem I have with people who hyperfocus on helping others is that they use culture to guide their love of others. Culture is fickle, rarely loving, and often it is dangerous to the people you want to help. For example, should you give money to people who beg at intersections while you (or someone you are driving with) is waiting for a light to change? I don’t give money to any beggar. Almost half are drug addicts. I don’t give money to addicts so that they can buy drugs. Others buy cigarettes or alcohol. All have access to governmental resources and can survive.
In Houston, Texas, the liberal mayor once told drivers to stop giving money to beggars. He pointed out that there are many government agencies and church ministries that can help them. City leaders know that beggars misuse the money willingly handed over from drivers.
Helping beggars may make you feel good, but it does not facilitate their success in life. Culture demands the most obvious and quick fix. God wants us to help move people to the next level in life, if possible. To do so may take more than handing over a few dollars.
What does this mean for the first and second commandment? The first commandment would want us to help people to get on their feet and take responsibility for themselves. Paul was clear about this when he found out some Christians were leeching on the church.
2 Thessalonians 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” (see verses 6-10)
If your friends or professors trot out the second commandment and confront Christians about not doing enough for other people reply with this. “Christians cannot effectively implement the second commandment until they have committed themselves 100% to the greatest commandment, to ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’” Once Christians do this, then they are empowered to implement the second commandment on God’s terms, not the terms of a people and culture who do not honor Him.
Challenge your friends or professors to commit themselves to the first commandment and allow it to guide them to help others. If they shy away from your challenge, ask what gives them the right to invoke the second commandment if they are not willing to devote themselves to the first and greatest one. But say it in a kind way.
Fun fact: “The data show that if two people — one religious and the other secular — are identical in every other way, the secular person is 23 percentage points less likely to give than the religious person and 26 points less likely to volunteer.”* (emphasis added)
Blessings
Tom
2024
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