The two great commandments: We should live like Jesus
Last week, our celebration of Easter brought with it an understanding of how Jesus fulfilled the law and made a way for all who would trust Him to be heirs of His promises–
Galatians 3:29 | And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.
What is that promise?
1st John 2:25 (NASB) | This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.
If you’ve put your faith in Jesus as the fulfiller of the law and your way of rescue, your eternity in Heaven is sealed and certain. But what should you do until eternity arrives? How do we live each and every day God gives us here on Earth?
After the giving and fulfilling of the law, many people wrongly think that since their eternity is settled and their salvation can’t be lost, they can live however they want. After all, their sin is paid for and Jesus kept the commands for us, right?. This isn’t a new way of thinking. Paul corrected it long ago saying–
Romans 6:14-15 | Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!
Instead, as we await eternity as followers of Jesus, our thinking should shift away from the burdens of the 10 commandments and what NOT to do, to a love for what is right, or what we SHOULD do–
Romans 6:16-18 | Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are free to live as slaves to righteousness instead of to sin (like unbelievers) or the law (like distracted believers). Jesus explained that living as slaves to righteousness, instead of slaves to the law, actually also helps us keep the law. In other words, if we focus on what we SHOULD do instead of what NOT to do, we won’t have a problem not doing the things we SHOULDN’T do! Jesus said–
Matthew 22:37-40 | Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
Jesus is saying that if we focus on Loving God and Loving People, keeping the 10 commandments will follow.
Love God
Love Others
Command 1: Don’t have other Gods
Command 5: Honor your parents
Command 2: Don’t have idols
Command 6: Don’t murder
Command 3: Don’t misuse God’s name
Command 7: Don’t commit adultery
Command 4: Remember the Sabbath
Command 8: Don’t steal
Command 9: Don’t lie
Command 10: Don’t covet
The truth is, when we love others, who are made in God’s image, and who we are commanded to love, we are also loving God. So we could also look at the commandments through this format:
Love God
Command 1: Don’t have other Gods
Command 2: Don’t have idols
Command 3: Don’t misuse God’s name
Command 4: Remember the Sabbath
Love God by loving others
Command 5: Honor your parents
Command 6: Don’t murder
Command 7: Don’t commit adultery
Command 8: Don’t steal
Command 9: Don’t lie
Command 10: Don’t covet
Ultimately, rather than being consumed with not doing the wrong thing, Jesus’ sacrifice should compel us to become slaves to righteous living, or doing the right thing.
1st Peter 2:24a | He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.
Rather than an endless list of all the right things to do, Jesus gives us two simple guidelines– love God and love others. If we always do those two things, we will always be doing the right thing! Jesus also lived His life by these standards, giving us His perfect example as the one we should follow–
John 13:15 | For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.
Romans 8:29a | For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son
2nd Corinthians 3:18b | And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
When Jesus called the disciples – those who put their faith in Him, He said – “Come follow me” [Mark 1:17]. He called them to walk where He walked and do what He did. If you’ve chosen to be God’s follower by accepting Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you too should FOLLOW Him. That’s our Timeless Truth today: We should live like Jesus. Over the next few weeks, we’ll look to Jesus’ example of how to live by the two Great Commands– to love God and to love people. His example will show us exactly how to live like Jesus.
What is something that stood out to you about the two great commandments?
How did Jesus shift the focus of God’s people from what not to do (the 10 commandments), to what we should do (the 2 commandments)?
Why was Jesus trying to change our thinking and where we focus?
How can looking to Jesus’ example guide how we live? How did Jesus love God? How did Jesus love others?