How Is The Greatest Commandment Kept?

[friend of]

As the astute denizens of this site have already pointed out, keeping His commandments is surely the most central way to follow the greatest commandment.

I will divulge how I have failed to keep this great commandment and we can contrast. Below are a list of ways I have failed--

1) Failing to trust God. To trust his plans and timing.
2) Feeling like His will isnt enough. Trying to have my way instead.
3) Breaking the commandment of loving thy neighbor as thyself. The second greatest commandment is related to the first.
4) Being fretful, anxious, fearful of the future. Indicating a lack of trust and peace.
5) Seeking alternative or worldly passions and joys instead of making God the source of all my joy and peace.
6) Being angry or irritated with God. Feeling like God owes me something.
7) Seeking out the world, the pride of life.
8) Failing to apply the teachings of his word in daily life. Being a forgetful hearer and giving in to my desires.

 

[friend of]

Sorry @Hidden In Him I didnt get your notification

 

[bbyrd009]

9) completely ignoring Jesus' sendings, and going to Luby's instead!

 

[Steve Owen]

You are trying to vainly suggest that James is contradicting Paul. But that is totally false. No part of Scripture contradicts other parts. So please get a proper understanding of James who has the SAME teachings as Christ, Paul, and the apostles.

I absolutely am not suggesting that James is contradicting Paul, or indeed the Lord Jesus. I can't imagine how you have come to that conclusion. James 2:10 and Romans 10:3-4 are in complete harmony with each other.

Try again.

 

[Steve Owen]

As the astute denizens of this site have already pointed out, keeping His commandments is surely the most central way to follow the greatest commandment.

I will divulge how I have failed to keep this great commandment and we can contrast. Below are a list of ways I have failed--

1) Failing to trust God. To trust his plans and timing.
2) Feeling like His will isnt enough. Trying to have my way instead.
3) Breaking the commandment of loving thy neighbor as thyself. The second greatest commandment is related to the first.
4) Being fretful, anxious, fearful of the future. Indicating a lack of trust and peace.
5) Seeking alternative or worldly passions and joys instead of making God the source of all my joy and peace.
6) Being angry or irritated with God. Feeling like God owes me something.
7) Seeking out the world, the pride of life.
8) Failing to apply the teachings of his word in daily life. Being a forgetful hearer and giving in to my desires.

:) Isn't it great that we have a Saviour?

 

[friend of]

Isn't it great that we have a Saviour?

The need of Jesus cannot be overstated.

 

[prism]

Jesus said the greatest commandment was to love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole mind, your whole soul and your whole strength. Seems to me that defining what that means in practical terms, and how the commandment is kept in one's daily affairs would be of primary importance.

This is primarily a theoretical question, so I am asking for responses about what you consider proper obedience to this commandment to look like, but if you wish to answer on a more personal level and describe how you best fulfill this commandment on a daily basis in your own personal life, that's good too.

Blessings in Christ to all who respond.
HiH

It's kept 'naturally', just as a branch naturally bears fruit by being part of the fruit tree.
A song by the legendary Daniel Amos group said it well...

No bribin', no conivin', no strivin' will do
They'll never make no change in you
You can hold your breath, stand on your head
Still the changes won't come, till the Spirit led
Abidin', that's when the changes come
Abide in Jesus, He's the best at gettin' it done (Chorus)

Now, a Christian brother who's name was Ben
Had a real bad problem, seemed without end
His impatience, at times, got the better of him
So he tried many methods like countin' to ten
Still, the harder he tried, the harder it got
Till his face would go red, and he cuss a lot
He'd confess his sin and forgiveness came
But then Ben would go out and do it again
What the ol' boy needed was delivery
And only God's Spirit could set him free
Ben began to abide like a branch to the Vine
Now deliverance is his every time

Now, sister Sue had a problem, too
Though not like Ben, she kept her cool
But when it came to gossip, man, that gal could rap!
She found it hard to say something kind
Wound up hurtin' someone every time
With a juicy story, she just couldn't shut her trap
But Sue found the secret of takin' God's rest
And instead of makin' promises and doin' her best
She lets the Lord take that tongue control
Now, instead of sowin' distrust and discord
She's so busy talkin' about the Lord
That she ain't got time to talk about so and so

source: Abidin' Lyrics by Daniel Amos - Lyrics On Demand

 

[Hidden In Him]

That's just it. There is no getting the human intellect involved. So you will never figure it out or formulate anything remotely close to an understanding of oneness with God... translation into God's presence is supernatural and happens all at once with NO effort at all.

Ok, finally getting back. The question I'm proposing is what does oneness with God look like. You used the word "formulate," which brought to my mind a systematized approach to holiness and fulfilling the greatest commandment, and while I did not believe in some lifeless "program" not guided by the Holy Spirit, I do believe fulfillment of the "You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole mind, your whole soul and your whole strength" will manifest in certain behaviors and a certain lifestyle. More specifically, I think it will be characterized by a life of prayer, worship, study of the word, and service unto God.

Let me go into a little more detail. I fast quite often, or at least more than the average Christian I believe. Do I do so in a systematized manner? No. The Geek Orthodox fast twice a week, as did the Jews during NT times. I can't die that and don't feel led to. Instead, as the Spirit leads me, I will go on longer fasts. I was adding it up, and I fast close to 100 days out of the year now (it's sill below that, but approaching more now). Twice a week for 52 days in a systematized fashion would be 104 days a year. Do I think it should be systematized where everyone has to fast on the same days. NO, absolutely not. But do I believe fasting is yet another thing that should characterize the life of the believer? Yes (granted there are some who can't, so I didn't include it in my original list).

Do you not believe that prayer, worship, study of the word and service unto God would be common characteristics in the lifestyle of someone who was fulfilling the greatest commandment?

 

[Hidden In Him]

Scripture says;

“access by faith into the grace wherein we stand”

All things come from God through faith...Through the faith of the heart turned to Him.

Constantly moment by moment (as much as I can and find in me) I keep the desire of my heart turned towards God....prayer, meditation, listening/reading scripture and other books I find that feed me...Just do all I can to be constantly presenting myself before Him...Still growing, but as I mentioned as long as I am growing I’m on my course.

Be blessed as we grow up and into Him in all things, Not me

Edit;

ps, seeing Him in all things helps and knowing there is a righteous response to all things and that righteous response is His will.

Hope it helps, Not me

Excellent answer : )

I was also thinking, that I constantly ask myself walking into a store, dealing with any and all people; (as much as I can and hopefully in a constant growing state)

What is love, what is righteousness, what is being a peacemaker. I ask myself those three question, and I do my best to walk in the answer.

Be blessed as we work our salvation out, Not me

Also good. This fleshes out the response Brakelite had just a little. He said something similar, and I agree. I would classify this under service to God, in that we are seeking to minister His grace unto others.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Well personally, I thank God that I'm not like other people; you know - cheats, adulterers and so forth.
I regularly go without food and give multiple tithes away.

I'm quite sure that God is going to declare me righteous. ;)

I still get a good laugh out of this one . Some people might call that "being a smart ass," but we don't use language like that around here... <still laughing>

 

[Hidden In Him]

GINOLJC, to all.
First thanks for the invite, second, our Lord answer the question himself. listen,
Matthew 22:35-40 "Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying," 36 "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." 38 "This is the first and great commandment." 39 "And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." 40 "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

so the proper obedience to this command is the fulfilling the second one unto it, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself".
God, who is a Spirit, whom you cannot see or touch, said this. 1 John 4:11-14 "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." 12 "No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." 13 "Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit." 14 "And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world."

1 John 4:19 "We love him, because he first loved us." 20 "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" 21 "And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also."

so by observing the Second GREAT COMMAND we fulfills the First and Great command in real time.
PICJAG.

Blessings in Christ, 101G, and glad you responded. Now I hate to be disagreeing with you here, but I actually think they are two separate commandments. If not, He would have included them in one. The second is man-centered, whereas the first is God-centered, and I think John was appealing to his readers not to think they were fulfilling the first if they were blatantly disobeying the second. I do agree that fulfilling the second is ONE of the means of fulfilling the first, but there are also many others which have nothing to do with how we treat men. Prayer and worship and study of the word for instance are devotions of our mind heart and soul more exclusively to Him alone.

But you have a good thought in proving what others have said: That fulfilling the second is one of the ways we can fulfill the first.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Thus, then, the question of "how does that manifest itself in your/our daily life and affairs?" Perhaps a parable: The body of Christ should be as the body of a deer navigating a thicket. It is the Head that sets the course, and the body that follows with grace. What does that look like? It means making only those decisions that pertain to our part, and none of those that direct our course or direction--not even by the nose, for the nose does not actually lead, it sniffs...so the daily life duty is to sniff. Each of us has been put on a course that we cannot claim. Not really. If we don't do our part, yes, we can claim that; and yes, then our given part will (according to Christ) be given to another. And that is the daily charge, that we should heed His direction, follow, and do our part as if unto the Lord.

This is a similar response to what Episkopos posted, Scott. So I think here I would direct you to the question I asked him in Post #48 (if you wish to answer it).

 

[Hidden In Him]

James 2:10. 'For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.'
Romans 10:3-4. 'For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one who believes.'

Ok, a serious one this time. Same response here as what I was driving at with Episkopos. How then would you answer Post #48? Would you refer to the practices I mention there as "the righteousness of God," yes or no?

God verses, btw.

 

[Hidden In Him]

It took me a long time to find an answer for this. God is such a mystery. What do I know about Him? I know what I read in the Bible, and I've had private revelations; but I knew God was a lot bigger than I could grasp. How could I love what I couldn't grasp?

Then finally I noticed the lines after that:

Matthew 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

How was the second commandment "like unto" the first? Then I realized that everyone is made in the image and likeness of God. Perhaps they don't express that fully -- but then neither do I -- but I could still see the good in most people I meet. I also realized that every person was unique. How is that possible? How can so many people that are so different all be in the image and likeness of God? Then I remembered that God must love diversity -- look at the life on this planet with its many forms of life. Each person is intended to be a unique son of God -- to be a unique Temple for the Holy Spirit. Each person is like a clue about God's purposes.

Then I remembered what John wrote:

1 John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

These two commandments really seemed like each other to me then. The more I can learn how to love other people in all their diversity, the more I am learning how to God who created them all.

I like this answer, Giuliano, and you put it even more eloquently maybe than some of the others who presented a similar viewpoint. But how would you answer Post #51, then?

 

[Hidden In Him]

@Hidden In Him its about loving those folk without expecting any reciprocal response. The homeless. The hungry. Even in one's own family they're is a need to love those despite their indifference. And love is not a feeling or emotion. Love is an action word.

I like the last line especially. Scripture teaches the same thing. Certainly some can be comforted by emotional love, and need it desperately. But in many other instances talk can be cheap, as in saying "Go. Be warmed and filled," yet they don't do anything for the body.

So what would be your response to Post #51?

 

[101G]

Blessings in Christ, 101G, and glad you responded. Now I hate to be disagreeing with you here, but I actually think they are two separate commandments. If not, He would have included them in one. The second is man-centered, whereas the first is God-centered, and I think John was appealing to his readers not to think they were fulfilling the first if they were blatantly disobeying the second. I do agree that fulfilling the second is ONE of the means of fulfilling the first, but there are also many others which have nothing to do with how we treat men. Prayer and worship and study of the word for instance are devotions of our mind heart and soul more exclusively to Him alone.

But you have a good thought in proving what others have said: That fulfilling the second is one of the ways we can fulfill the first.

GINOLJC, to all
First we must dfiasgree with you. for God is manifested in all men, when one Love one another they are Loving God. supportive scripture,Matthew 25:32-40 "And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:" 33 "And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left." 34 "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:" 35 "For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:" 36 "Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me." 37 "Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?" 38 "When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?" 39 "Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?" 40 "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

the second is like unto the first because it's the same command, "TO LOVE YE ONE ANOTHER", for God is LOVE.

but thanks for the invite. good day.
PICJAG.

 

[Hidden In Him]

To love God is to obey Him and to worship Him in Spirit and truth. And to obey Him is to obey Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ said that if you love me you will keep my commandments. And one of His commandments is to follow Him. Another of His commandments is to love one another as Christ loved us (which would extend to sacrificing oneself for others). And one could add many others to this.

So if we wish to understand the meaning of loving God we must see how the Son of God -- while on earth -- obeyed and did the Father's will, and did the Father's *business*. Jesus summed up this business in Luke 4:18,19, and this is the business of every Christian:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he hath anointed me
(1) to preach the Gospel to the poor;
(2) he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
(3) to preach deliverance to the captives,
(4) and recovering of sight to the blind,
(5) to set at liberty them that are bruised,
(6) To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

These would all fall under the heading of what I call service unto God, i.e. ministry, which I do believe is a vital part of keeping the greatest commandment.

There are some people who promote the idea of "do-nothing" Christians, but the life of Christ on earth shows the fallacy of that nonsense. And James tells us that "do-nothing" Christians are sham Christians.

I totally agree.

But going even further than this, to love God is to do all that we are told to do in the New Testament. And it begins with obedience to the commandment to be baptized by immersion in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

This is more in line with what I was getting to. How would you respond to Post #48?

 

[Hidden In Him]

Simply Put! Treat others as You would like to be Treated! We all want to be Loved, well most of us!
Beginning with Gods Love, through Us!

Thanks for the response, Truth. As I've been asking others, what then would be your response to Post #51?

 

[Hidden In Him]

How do we do it? We really don't except that we have somewhere hopefully decided to surrender to Him completely and kept on and keep on surrendering until all of the work is finished in us as it was with Jesus. Lots of people have probably at least started on this, but then...

"Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away." Matt 13:5-6

How does one see to it that his "earth" is rich and fertile so as to bring forth rather a hundred fold or sixty fold or thirty fold?
First perhaps taking up those stones so that it is not such a "stony place"...

"Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people." Isaiah 62:10

And then...

"For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns." Jerem 4:3

I was always, beginning shortly after my marriage in 1972, a 'would be' gardener. In the Santa Clara Valley [San Jose] of California with its rich soil, with just a little of that stone removal task and the breaking up of the ground with a spade and planting the seed... and it almost sprung up by itself. Then in 1985 I moved with my job to Wyoming...

That first spring after arriving and finding a place to live I went out at first with shovel and then had to resort to a pick. The ground was too rocky to dig it with the spade alone. The ground was rocky like I'd never seen rocky. It seemed like there was more rock than simple dirt, but I worked on it. When I finally after long hours with the pick and the shovel I had a small plot prepared. I thought well in this barren place I will certainly need some fertilizer. In the local paper free horse manure was offered. I borrowed a pickup and got load of it to mix into my garden plot.

I worked harder that spring on my garden than on any garden I had ever planted. The yield reminded me of seven thin ears of corn in Pharaoh's dream. Yes, I had a crop, but they were by far the worst vegetables I had ever grown in spite of having worked harder and longer on it than on any other garden in my life. Even with the rocks removed, that alkaline soil was worthless to a farmer. I was remember, only a 'would be' gardener/farmer'.
Wyoming may be an excellent place for cattle ranches and coal mines, but where I was there was no fallow ground there to break up to obtain a 30, 60 or 100 fold crop.

Can a rocky, alkaline soil of a Wyoming be made as rich and fertile as a California soil?

After 2 years I moved to Oklahoma... not so rich perhaps as the Santa Clara valley, but certainly no semi-arid wasteland like Wyoming. I had gardens every year until last year when I could no longer break up the ground and keep it clear of weeds. My new man is OK, but the old man is effectively dead when it comes to gardening. Hey I'll be 76 next month.

So what shall we do to make our soil rich enough to have good yield, 30, 60, or 100 fold? What shall we do to keep those two greatest of commandments according to Jesus? We cannot make Wyoming soil into California soil, but do we not serve a God who can do anything? What saith our Lord?

"And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible." Mark 10:27

And then...

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt 6:33

How do I personally work on this? I start each morning with God. Always, no matter what else is happening or is necessary for that day, in my time spent with God in His written book and immersed in His Holy Spirit lies the answer to the questions of the OP for me. Get rid of the rocks. Break up the soil... and yes, when and where necessary make that parched dead alkaline soil into rich black and fertile soil by surrendering continuously to Him as we eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus daily. How much Life is needed to give the proper answer to the questions? How much do we want? Is there a limit with God? Any limit is in the man...
Give God the glory!

To do this post justice would require more time than I have, atm. It breathes scripture.

I'll try to get you a response later on, Amadeus, and thanks so much for responding : )

 

[Hidden In Him]

GINOLJC, to all
First we must dfiasgree with you. for God is manifested in all men, when one Love one another they are Loving God. supportive scripture,Matthew 25:32-40 "And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:" 33 "And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left." 34 "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:" 35 "For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:" 36 "Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me." 37 "Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?" 38 "When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?" 39 "Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?" 40 "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

the second is like unto the first because it's the same command, "TO LOVE YE ONE ANOTHER", for God is LOVE.

but thanks for the invite. good day.
PICJAG.

You yourself, and thanks for participating. Have a blessed one!