Love Your Neighbor

Love others the way you would want care if roles flipped - second command, paired with loving God.

Key Concept

• Second command, paired with the first - love the person in front of you the way you would want care if roles flipped.

The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'Matthew 22:39 NASB1995

• Debate over who counts as neighbor misses the command.

• Jesus echoed Moses on the second command - no command ranks higher than loving God and neighbor.

The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these.”Mark 12:31 NASB1995

• The Samaritan acted as neighbor - go and do the same, do not debate who counts.

And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind;and your neighbor as yourself.” And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.' Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”Luke 10:25-37 NASB1995

• Mercy shows up in the body - bandage, ride, cost covered.
• Free Grace does not erase the command - it frees me to love without keeping score for salvation.
• Love others the way I would want care if our roles flipped.

Level 1 - Recognize

Love your neighbor is the second command - treat the person in front of you the way you would want care if roles flipped.

Level 2 - Explain

Like helping a kid who fell off a bike the way you would want help, the Samaritan bandaged, paid, and stayed.

Level 3 - Use

Before you decide who deserves help, ask what you would want if you were stranded - then act like that neighbor.

Level 4 - Connect

Love your neighbor is active, not abstract - the command stays after Free Grace lands because the gift frees you to love without keeping score for salvation.

Level 5 - Create

Extend neighbor-love into Mercy in the body - bandage, ride, cost covered - paired with loving God as the two commands Jesus ranked highest.

Examples

• The parent I would rather avoid sits on my side every game - glad I moved my chair over and asked how his kid's ankle was healing.
• The neighbor I would rather avoid lives two doors down and his trash bins are always in my way - Jesus asked whether I am acting like a neighbor, the way I would want if I were stuck.

Note Relationships