The Greatest Commandments

I love how Jesus Christ (in Matthew 22:37–40) simplifies all of the laws of God into two simple commandments.

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.

Loving God Almighty with my entire being will inspire me to:

• Be holy like God

Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy. (Leviticus 19:2)

• Seek out his will above my own

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

• Resist and escape from temptation

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

• Increase my faith in God’s abilities

Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? (Jeremiah 32:27)

• Be happy

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

The second commandment is almost as important and should never take priority over the first (lest I fall into the temptation of tolerating wickedness in not only my life, but those I love & care about).

Loving God first, then loving people second is how I should model my life within this universe.