We love the Commandments of Jesus!
When Christ was here, He said:
“IF YOU LOVE ME… ‘KEEP’ My commandments.” John 14:15
We LOVE Christ! And WE LOVE His teachings and commandments!
And therefore, just as we love the Father and keep His commandments to the best of our abilities- so we do with Christ and His Commandments.
One of Christ’s most epic Commandments was in regards to His Father’s Law. But, before we explore it, let’s get some context:
Mat 22:36 – “Teacher, which is THE MOST IMPORTANT commandment IN THE LAW…?”
Mat 22:37 – Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’
Mat 22:38 – This is the first and greatest commandment.
Mat 22:39 – A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Mat 22:40 – The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (NLT)
Christ said these two were the “MOST IMPORTANT” – “NOT THE ONLY”- Commandments IN THE LAW.
And that the Law was based ON LOVE for God and LOVE for Neighbor.
These two Commandments OF LOVE, can be traced all the way back to the Old Testament, and have ALWAYS BEEN part of the Law:
Deut 6:5 – Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your strength.
Lev 19:18 – …Love your neighbor as yourself.
Christ, NOWHERE teaches that “LOVE”, or these two Love commandments from the Law, REPLACE THE “ACTUAL PRACTICE” of “THE OTHER” commandments of the Law.
Here is the EXPLICIT evidence! Here is one of Christ’s most EPIC Teachings and Commandments OF ALL TIME!
Mat 5:17 – DO NOT THINK I HAVE COME TO GET RID OF WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE LAW or in the Prophets. I HAVE NOT COME TO DO THAT.
Mat 5:18 – What I’m about to tell you IS TRUE. Heaven and earth will disappear BEFORE THE SMALLEST LETTER DISAPPEARS FROM THE LAW. Not even the smallest stroke of a pen will disappear from the Law until everything is completed.
Mat 5:19 – DO NOT BREAK “EVEN ONE” of the “LEAST IMPORTANT” commandments. AND DO NOT TEACH OTHERS TO BREAK THEM. If you do, you will be called the least important person in the kingdom of heaven. Instead, “PRACTICE AND TEACH” THESE COMMANDS. Then you will be called important in the kingdom of heaven. (NIrV)
Are you PRACTICING AND TEACHING “the rest” of God’s commandments, including the “least important” ones of God’s Law- as The Commandments of Jesus teach that we do?
So, if you’re not physically “practicing” them, then YOUR Love “ISN’T” fulfilling The Law as it is designed to do.
And finally, perhaps THE MOST PARAMOUNT teaching EVER, of the Commandments of Jesus:
Mat 19:16 – A man came to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing MUST I DO to have eternal life?”
Mat 19:17 – If you want to have eternal life, YOU MUST OBEY “HIS” (God’s) COMMANDMENTS.” CEV
So EXPLICITLY stated!
These, are the teachings and the Commandments of Jesus!
Christ taught, that despite the two most important Commandments IN THE LAW, the least important ones MUST ALSO be kept, PRACTICED, and taught, the way they’ve always been. Especially, if you want to have Eternal Life and be considered important in the Kingdom of Heaven!
So, do you PRACTICE God’s Law as Christ COMMANDED- or, do you PRACTICE a form of Lawlessness, elicited by the Spirit of Disobedience?