One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:35-39 NIV
If we are to take the Ten Commandments, as spoken by God to Moses, as “benchmarks” of right living, did Jesus give us different commandments? The first four Commandnents (Words) are how we are to have a relationship with God and the last six Words are about how we are to have relationships with each other. Jesus summarized the Commandments just as the Commandments were a summary of The Torah.
Once you understand and “get” the inerrancy, infallibility, inspiration and authority of Scripture you know and understand how the Old Testament Bible stories led to the life of Christ. Matthew through Revelation gives us the story of why He came, what we are to do with this information and the promise of what we are to expect on His return. As sin laden mortals living in a broken world ‘*we are tempted to settle for a faith that knows or a faith that feels instead of a faith that believes’.
A quote from Oswald Chambers’ book, Disciples Indeed, says it well. It is perilously possible to make our conceptions of God like molten lead poured into a specially designed mould, and when it is cold and hard we fling it at the heads of the religious people who don’t agree with us. God gave us the gift of His inspired words, but it is by choice whether or not we believe His spoken words and the words spoken by His Son are to be taken seriously.
*from Ron Lyles, courtesy of Baptistway Press
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