The Bible says a lot about loving our neighbor. Jesus said that the most important commandment was: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great commandment. And the second is similar: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40). Paul said, “The commandment we have from him is, That he who loves God love his brother also” (1 John 4:21).
What is it to love your neighbor as yourself?
The commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves is one of the best known in the Bible, and for good reason. Jesus cited it as the second of the great commandments, right after the command to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37-40).
This commandment is a summary of all the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:40), and teaches us that love is the key to obey God. Love is what motivates all the other commandments. Love leads us not to lie, not steal, not commit adultery and not kill. Love is the essence of the Law of God.
Loving God and our neighbor will naturally lead us to fulfill all the other commandments. But what does it mean to love our neighbor as ourselves? How can we fulfill this commandment of love?
The answer lies in the very nature of love. Love is an act of the will. It means choosing to do what is best for the other person, even if it means sacrificing our own wants or needs.
Loving our neighbor as ourselves means putting the other person’s interests ahead of our own. It means being willing to give, rather than receive. It means being compassionate and merciful, even when the other person doesn’t deserve it.
Loving our neighbor as ourselves means doing everything possible to promote the welfare of the other person. It means being a positive force in the other person’s life, rather than a burden or threat.
Loving our neighbor as ourselves means wanting the best for the other person, even if it means we will never see that person again.
Fulfilling this commandment of love is not always easy. Sometimes people are hard to love. Sometimes love requires a great sacrifice from us. But when we truly love, we don’t see these things as a sacrifice, but as an opportunity to give the best of ourselves.
Where does it say in the bible to love your neighbor as yourself?
Leviticus 19:18 says, “You shall not take revenge or hold a grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.”
The commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves is based on the idea that all human beings are created in the image of God. Because of this, all human beings deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. The love of our neighbor is a commandment that is deeply rooted in the Jewish religion, and is one of the pillars of the Christian religion.
In Matthew 22:39, Jesus said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” In Mark 12:31, Jesus expanded on this commandment by saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Don’t do anything to anyone you don’t want them to do to yourself.”
Loving our neighbor is a commandment that is mentioned repeatedly in the Bible. It is one of the pillars of the Christian religion, and it is a teaching that goes back to the Jewish religion. Love for our neighbor is a commandment that calls us to treat others the same way we want to be treated ourselves. It is a commandment that teaches us to have compassion and mercy for others, and calls us to love all human beings unconditionally.
What does it say in Matthew 22 36
“Teacher, what is the great commandment of the law?” 36 Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” 37 This is the first and great commandment. 38 And the second is similar: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 39 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
What law commands to love your neighbor?
“Love is the fulfillment of the law. But if you love those who love you, what merit do you have? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good only to those who do you good, what merit do you have? The sinners also do the same thing. And if you give to others only what they give to you, what merit do you have? Also sinners do that. If you only do good when someone treats you well, what merit do you have? Even sinners do that. And if you only give when someone threatens you or demands that you do so, what merit do you have? Sinners also give in to coercion.
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God. Everyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. He who does not love has not known God, because God is love.”
1 John 4:7-8
“Love your neighbor as yourself” is one of the most important principles in the Bible. This principle teaches us that we should love everyone, regardless of who they are or what they have done. We must love them as ourselves, because we are all children of God.