COMMANDMENTS OF THE
KINGDOM - 1
In the
Sermon on the Mount our Lord Jesus Christ made a profound statement concerning
His commandments in relationship to the
Our Lord
Jesus Christ clearly defined the meaning of "the
Law and the Prophets". "Therefore, whatever you want men to do
to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." (Mt. 7:12) It is the Golden Rule. Our Lord pointed
out the great commandment in the law. "Jesus
said to him, 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all
your soul, and with all your mind. This is the
first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love
your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and
the Prophets." (Mt. 22:37-40)
If you
look at the Ten Commandments you will find they are divided into two
parts. The first four commandments refer to the vertical relationship
between man and his Creator God. The remaining six commandments refer to
the horizontal relationship between man and his fellow human beings. The Law
and the Prophets that Jesus spoke refers to the Ten Commandments that must be
kept by everyone on earth. (Ecc. 12:13-14)
1. Love the
LORD our God
and worship Him
only
"Then one of the
scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had
answered them well, asked Him, 'Which is the first commandment of all?
Jesus answered him, 'The first of all the commandments
is: 'Hear, O
This is
called the "Shema" which is the basic and
fundamental tenet of our true religion.
"You are My witnesses, says the LORD, and My
servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand
that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed,
nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, and besides Me there is no savior." (Isa. 43:10-11) For the salvation of mankind God was manifested in the
flesh as the Lord Jesus Christ who declared, "I and My Father are one." (Jn. 10:30)
The Lord Jesus Christ is the One True God. The apostle Thomas cried out
to Jesus, "My Lord and My
God!" (Jn.
20:28) The disciples of Jesus worshiped Him (Mt.
28:16-17; Lk. 24:50-53).
2.
Love your neighbor
as yourself
Our Lord Jesus Christ said, "And the second,
like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' there is no other commandment greater than these.' So
the scribe said to Him, 'Well said,
Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no
other but He. 'And to love Him with all the heart, with all the
understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's
neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and
sacrifices.' So when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him,
'You are not far from the
Our Lord was referring to how Christians should treat one another. The
apostle John exhorts Christians, "Beloved,
let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of
God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is
love. . . . No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God
abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us." (1 Jn. 4:7-12)
(To be continued on the next page)
