And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Leviticus 19-20

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” Mark 12:28-33 (Matthew 22:34-40)

 

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing chapter seventeen - Holiness and Love - covering Leviticus 19-20, looking specifically at the fourth theme for the chapter - We Demonstrate Holiness in Our Relationships with People.  Here, as the theme explicitly states, the commentary encourages us to see how God wants us to demonstrate and express holiness through our relationships with others.  We are pointed to various verses in Leviticus 19-20 that provide us with scriptural basis to see this application:

• generosity v19:9-10
• honesty v19:11-12, 35-36
• sympathy v19:13-14
• equity (including do not slander) v19:15-16
• mercy v19:33-34
  
• purity v20:9, 10, 11-12, 14, 17-21, 13, 15-16 

The commentary urges us to see how such commands remain just as important for believers now as they were for the Israelites as they entered the promised land. We are referred to Mark 12:28-31 as one example of many that underscores this important takeaway.   

Finally, we are encouraged to see how it is God alone, through the Holy Spirit, that is working and moving in our hearts to bring about obedience to the commands God gives us to love Him and others - see Romans 5:5 where Paul writes about how "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who gives me the Holy Spirit!  Thank You Jesus for this power!  This is the same power that raised You from the dead - and I have access to it - thank You Jesus!  Yet I am undeserving of such a blessing! My sin of harshness towards others, worry, etc. continue.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.