A Christian man told me his “light was getting dimmer.” I asked him about his lifestyle. What is important to him? Does he read his Bible? No. Does he pray? No. Does he go to church? No. Does he have any Christian friends who can encourage him and hold him accountable? No. Does he serve anyone besides himself? No. And, he added, “I struggle with loneliness.” I think I see a pattern. I think I know the problem.
Once you have accepted the substitutionary death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and have been born again as a new creation with life from above, what is next? What is the most important thing in the Christian life? Is it Bible study? Is it sacrifice? Let’s see what Jesus said…
And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. (Mark 12:28-34; Matthew 22:34-40; Deuteronomy 6:1-19)
The first important commandment
I hope and pray that you have answered the first commandment by believing the gospel and entering into God’s rest. I hope that your belief is more than a passive belief that merely hears God. I hope your belief is an active belief that causes you to do the things that please the Lord.
People who merely listen to laws from God don’t have God’s approval. Rather, people who do what those laws demand will have God’s approval. (Romans 2:13)
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22)
And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. (Luke 6:46-49; Matthew 7:24-27)
The second important commandment
Since we have answered the first important commandment, let’s turn our attention to the second important commandment.
This is his commandment: to believe in his Son, the one named Jesus Christ, and to love each other as he commanded us. Those who obey Christ’s commandments live in God, and God lives in them. We know that he lives in us because he has given us the Spirit. (1 John 3:23-24 GWT)
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. (James 2:8-13)
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. (1 John 4:7)
7–21. Love is the Mark of the Children of the God who is Love
For the third and last time in this Epistle the Apostle introduces the subject of brotherly love. First it was introduced as a consequence and sign of walking in the light (1 John 2:7-11). Next it was introduced as a special form of righteousness and mark of God’s children (1 John 3:10-18). Here it appears as a gift of the Spirit of God, a contrast to the antichristian spirit, and above all as an effluence from the very Being of God. –Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Keeping the second important commandment
Christian love for one another is more than a passive love that merely talks about love, it is an active love that proves it by actions. This love is a love that serves others.
And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'” (Acts 20:35 NLT)
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. (Ephesians 4:28 KJV)
(28) Let him that stole (properly, the stealer) steal no more. . . .—In this verse St. Paul treats dishonesty, virtually, although less distinctly, from the same point of view as before. For he is not content with forbidding it, or even with forbidding it as fatal to society; but he directs that it be superseded by the opposite spirit of self-sacrifice, working in order to give to others what is honestly our own, as the fruit of the labour of “our own hands.” In that direction there is a profound wisdom, in striking at the root of that exclusive selfishness which so often and so naturally exhibits itself in dishonesty. But we note in it also a peculiar harmony with the great doctrine of unity; for the sense of unity will always exhibit itself in working what is “good,” that is, gracious, for the sake of “him that needs.” –Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? (James 2:14-16)
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ (Matthew 25:34-40 ESV)
Breaking the second important commandment
If love your neighbor is the second important commandment, breaking the second important commandment by not loving your neighbor must be the second worst sin. Therefore, it’s important for us to know what that means.
You were indeed called to be free, brothers and sisters. Don’t turn this freedom into an excuse for your corrupt nature to express itself. Rather, serve each other through love. All of Moses’ Teachings are summarized in a single statement, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” But if you criticize and attack each other, be careful that you don’t destroy each other. (Galatians 5:13-15)
5:13-15 The gospel is a doctrine according to godliness, 1Ti 6:3, and is so far from giving the least countenance to sin, that it lays us under the strongest obligation to avoid and subdue it. The apostle urges that all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. If Christians, who should help one another, and rejoice one another, quarrel, what can be expected but that the God of love should deny his grace, that the Spirit of love should depart, and the evil spirit, who seeks their destruction, should prevail? Happy would it be, if Christians, instead of biting and devouring one another on account of different opinions, would set themselves against sin in themselves, and in the places where they live. –Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
We understand what love is when we realize that Christ gave his life for us. That means we must give our lives for other believers. Now, suppose a person has enough to live on and notices another believer in need. How can God’s love be in that person if he doesn’t bother to help the other believer? Dear children, we must show love through actions that are sincere, not through empty words. This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and how we will be reassured in his presence. Whenever our conscience condemns us, we will be reassured that God is greater than our conscience and knows everything. Dear friends, if our conscience doesn’t condemn us, we can boldly look to God and receive from him anything we ask. We receive it because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him. (1 John 3:16-22)
18. When the venerable John could no longer walk to the meetings of the Church but was borne thither by his disciples, he always uttered the same address to the Church; he reminded them of that one commandment which he had received from Christ Himself, as comprising all the rest, and forming the distinction of the new covenant, “My little children, love one another.” When the brethren present, wearied of hearing the same thing so often, asked why he always repeated the same thing, he replied, “Because it is the commandment of the Lord, and if this one thing be attained, it is enough” [Jerome]. –Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
If your light has grown dimmer and you want to brighten your Christian faith, the most important thing you can do is seek to serve others. There are thousands of opportunities to serve people. Ask your family, “What can I do to make your life easier today?” Ask your neighbors, “What can I do to help you?” Then do it. Volunteer at a hospital. Volunteer at a senior center. Volunteer at a homeless shelter. Volunteer at a teen center. Volunteer at school. Volunteer at church.
For deeper study
- Caregiver or Clergy – Love in action in the parable of “The Good Samaritan”
- The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart
- The Secret of Happiness by Billy Graham — We haven’t learned the secret Jesus taught in the Beatitudes – that true, lasting happiness simply isn’t to be found by seeking it directly. Happiness is a by-product, a bonus that comes when we seek what is really important. And the things that will bring us the satisfaction we long for are not necessarily what the world considers meaningful.