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“The First and Great Commandment”

by Dewey Fox

 

 

Then one of them, a lawyer, asked, tempting Him and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the Law? Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. (Matthew 22:35-38 MKJV)

 

Notice what the lawyer said here in the Gospel of Matthew; which is the great commandment in the Law? Some say we are not under the law, but let us examine this question by the lawyer. Being a lawyer, naturally he would ask a question as it pertains to the law. Maybe he wanted to impress our Lord. We know that he was trying to tempt Him. But the Lord cannot be tempted. Jesus even quoted Deuteronomy 6:16 when the devil was tempting Him. Jesus said to him, It is written again, "You shall not tempt the Lord your God." (Matthew 4:7 MKJV) Y es, Jesus knew the Old Testament very well; Word for Word, I would say. After all Jesus knows the CORRECT answer to any question you may want to ask Him. Of course, the answer for any question is “Jesus.”

 

Well now, let’s get back to what the Lord replied to the lawyer’s question. Jesus said; “ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.” This is truly the first and great commandment. If we LOVE GOD with all our heart, soul and mind; we can do no wrong. Love will take care of all our decisions each and every day.

 

We will not:

  1. Have any other gods, but the True God.
  2. Make any idols.
  3. Take the name of the Lord in vain.
  4. Desecrate the Sabbath Day.
  5. Dishonor our parents.
  6. Murder.
  7. Commit adultery.
  8. Steal.
  9. Bear false witness.
  10. Covet our neighbor’s goods.

 

You know what? We have just listed the Ten Commandments as written in Exodus 20. You see, “Love covers a multitude of sins and commandments.” Yes, we are under the law; the law of Love. After all Jesus Himself said, “it is the first and great commandment.”

 

In America there is a law stating a woman must take care of her child. So, a man comes to a new mother’s home. He says “Are you taking care of your baby? The Law says you have to.” The woman tenderly holding her baby, said, “I don’t need a law to make me take care of my baby.” Why? Because she loves her baby! She feeds him, holds him, and changes him because she loves him. She is under the “law of love.” If you do not love, you have broken this first and great commandment of love. (Source Unknown)

 

Brother Dewey E. Fox – Blessed be the Name of Jesus