What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation (Galatians 6:15; NLT).
Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfils the requirements of God’s law (Romans 13:10; NLT).
Introduction
Recently my website, my writing, and my faith were viciously attacked by a man who presented himself as a Christian theologian.
Since then, I have thought a great deal about what being a Christian is all about. This has meant reflecting on what it means to follow Jesus by living according to his teaching and example. I have even launched a new website as a quiet space to share these meditations: theheartofthegospel.org.
Today’s blog brings together everything I have learned so far.
The heart of the gospel
I believe Jesus came to teach us that the heart of the gospel is love. Here is a summary of his teaching about love:
- Despite our lack of faith, and our appalling behaviour towards others, God loves us all unfailingly (Psalm 117:2; NLT).
- God longs to be gracious to us, but must wait for us to make our own free choice about committing to the Christian way of life (Isaiah 30:18; NLT).
- Our lives change for the better when we love God, and love others as ourselves (Mark 12:29-31; NLT).
Let’s look at this teaching in greater detail, using a parable to help us.
Jesus and the expert in religious law
One day an expert in Jewish religious law tested Jesus by asking him perhaps the most significant question ever raised: Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life? (Luke 10:25; NLT).
Jesus replied that the way to inherit eternal life is to: Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength (Mark 12:29-30; NLT).
He then explained that it is equally important to: Love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31; NLT).
Finally, he stated: No other commandment is greater than these (Mark 12:31; NLT).
Having listened to Jesus’ answer, the religious expert felt the need to justify both himself and his own way of life, so he asked a further, absolutely crucial question: Who is my neighbour? (Luke 10:29; NLT).
Christ replied by telling him the parable of the Good Samaritan. In this story, a religious priest and a Temple assistant pass by without helping a fellow-citizen, who has been brutally attacked by thieves. The only person who approaches and takes care of the injured man is a Samaritan. People from Samaria were despised by Jews. At the end of the story, even the religious expert has to admit that the Samaritan, alone, was a neighbour to the stranger left half-dead by the roadside (Luke 10:30-37; NLT).
Who is my neighbour?
In the light of this parable, when we, too, ask Who is my neighbour? it’s easy to see that our neighbours include:
- Everyone we live near, know, speak to, or recognise in our local area
- All those, both near and far, with whom we have any kind of contact
- All strangers
- All foreigners
- People we hear about from others
- Everyone we read about in the news, hear about on the radio, see on television, or come across online, and in social media
- Everyone we disagree with
- Everyone we consider to be our enemy
- All humanity throughout the world
How does the gospel ask to relate to others?
Our task is to respond to God’s love by loving and serving God, Jesus, and their Holy Spirit in everyone: Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me… Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me (Matthew 25:40,45; NLT).
Why is love so important?
No matter what else we do in life, if we do not love God and other people our lives can have no eternal value or purpose. As St.Paul says: If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing (1 Corinthians 13:3; NLT).
What is love?
Christ’s words, behaviour, life and death show us the answer to this question, whilst St. Paul spells it out in words. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance (1 Corinthians 13:4-7; NLT).
His conclusion is that: Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13; NLT).
An impossible task?
Paul’s description of generous, self-giving love may sound like an impossible task. However, God’s Holy Sprit, who lives within us all, constantly longs to help: The LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion (Isaiah 30:18; NLT).
So all we need to do is to ask the Spirit to help us change and grow. The fruit of our developing oneness with God, Christ, and their Holy Spirit will then gradually be seen in our thoughts, words, behaviour and actions: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22; NLT). As these qualities grow within us, loving others becomes habitual, natural, genuine and spontaneous. This is a deeply joyful way of life, even amidst our own trials and sorrows.
Following Jesus
The first step on this journey of personal spiritual growth is believing that Christ has been sent by God. Remarkably, this is the only work God wants from us (John 6:29; NLT).
Wherever he went, Jesus made his message absolutely simple and direct: If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it (Luke 9:23-4; NLT).
So, once we put our trust in Jesus, we follow him by loving him in others, no matter what circumstances we ourselves must face. As Christ said after washing his disciples’ feet at the Lat Supper: I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you (John 13:15; CSB).
Jesus always practiced what he preached, even praying for those who crucified him, then saving the repentant sufferer on the cross next to his (Luke 23:34,43; NLT). Indeed, Christ loved others so radically that it was his revolutionary faith in the centrality of love which ultimately cost him his life. As he himself said: There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13; NLT).
Conclusion
Jesus made it abundantly clear that it’s not what we say we believe, or what we teach others to believe that counts – it’s how we love God, and how we love others.
The heart of the gospel is that God loves us all, and that we can find complete fulfilment through loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and in loving others as ourselves, just as Christ did. By doing this, we become one with God forever. This is salvation, and there can be no better Good News than this!
References
God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16; NLT).
The most important commandment is this: “Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” The second is equally important: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” No other commandment is greater than these (Mark 12:29-31; NLT).
There is…one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:5-6; NLT).
Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).
Your immortal spirit is in every one of them (Wisdom of Solomon 12:1; GNTA).
May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you (1 Thessalonians 3:12; NIV).
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbour as yourself (Leviticus 19:18; NLT).
Love the stranger (Deuteronomy 10:19; NKJV).
Show love to foreigners (Deuteronomy 10:19; NLT).
Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44; NLT).
Love cares more for others than for self (1 Corinthians 13:3-7; TM).
Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent” (John 6:29; NLT).
Why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ When you don’t do what I say? (Luke 6:46; NLT).
The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden (Matthew 23:2-4; NLT).