IF YOU LOVE HIM, you will...

"Love All People As Yourself"

Jesus was asked directly to say what the most important commandment was. His answer came in two parts: Love God more than anything else; love your neighbor as yourself. [Mark 12:28-34]

On another occasion, Jesus was asked what was needed to obtain eternal life. His answer here is the very same thing: Love God more than anything else; love your neighbor as yourself. [Luke 10:25-28]

Then, following up, the lawyer asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus responded by giving the parable of the Good Samaritan, which shows that everyone is your neighbor. The Samaritans and the Jews did not like each other very much. They lived apart and did not consider themselves to be neighbors. So by using this parable as His example, Jesus teaches us that everyone is our neighbor. Therefore, "Love your neighbor as yourself" means "Love all people as yourself," since everyone is our neighbor. Nobody is excluded.

And what is the best way to express our love for God?

Is it by worshiping Him continuously?

Or by praying constantly?

Or by acts of fasting and self-sacrifice?

Or by following every rule He ever set forth in the Bible, every Commandment?

NO! The best way to express our love for God is by loving other people. This is what He really wants from us. This is what He means when he says, "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice." (Matthew 9:13, 12:7)

The Bible says that God accepts our love for others as if it were love for Himself. This is shown in the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, below, where God says, "As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." [MATTHEW 25:31-46] - The Sheep And The Goats

Before someone can say he loves God, he must first love his fellow man.

If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 1 John 4:20

Paul affirms that love for others is a complete fulfillment of God's Law for us.

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Galatians 5:14

And how do we demonstrate our love for others? How do we put this love into action? - By always treating others as we would like to be treated. This is the Golden Rule, taken from Matthew 7:12.

TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED
"So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets." Matthew 7:12

IF YOU LOVE HIM, you will...
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments" John 14:15

I encourage every reader to hold on to the Precious Perls in The Living Word of God! Amen