“You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly. You shall not go about as a slanderer among your people, and you are not to act against the life of your neighbor; I am the Lord. You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.” Leviticus 19:15-18 (NASB)

“And a lawyer stood up and put Him (Jesus) 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?’” Luke 10:25-29 

When I was in college taking courses for my Intercultural Studies degree, the question of “who is my neighbor?” would come up in discussion. Is it my actual neighbor who lives next door? Is it anyone who is poor and in need? Is it a tribe in another part of the world? Often the answer to this question is that our neighbor is one outside the church. However, Scripture teaches the exact opposite. In every context, the Lord is speaking about loving one’s neighbor whether he is a fellow Israelite or one who joined the Israelites (OT), or a fellow brother and sister in Christ once the church was established (NT). People use the parable of the Good Samaritan as an example of one who ministers to anyone in need. But let’s look at the context of that story which follows Jesus’ words to the lawyer who asks, ‘And who is my neighbor’? (Luke 10:29):

“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 10:30-37

The first noteworthy point is that Jesus is speaking to a lawyer, a Jew who understands the Law given by God to Moses. The part of the Law that cites loving your neighbor as yourself is in Leviticus (written above) and specifically addresses their own countryman, or fellow Israelites. This is what the lawyer would have understood. Jesus tells a parable of a man coming down from Jerusalem who is most likely a Jew who may have gone up to make a sacrifice or offering in the temple. On his way to Jericho, he is beaten up by robbers and left for dead. The first two people who see him are a priest and Levite, both well acquainted with the Law and should understand to love their neighbor as themselves. But they don’t. Rather, they walk on the opposite side, perhaps not wanting to be defiled by this man. However, the third man, a Samaritan, viewed as an enemy of the Jews, is the one who not only takes care of his immediate needs, but he even pays for the innkeeper to take care of him. The one who did not understand the Law did the deeds required by the Law (which is reminiscent of Paul’s words about the Gentiles in Romans 2:12-16) whereas the ones who claimed to follow it did not keep the Law. What Jesus is pointing out is that while the lawyer understands the right answer to his question about eternal life, he and others like him are not following the truth. They condemn themselves by being a hearer of the Law but not doers. 

Another important point is that the Samaritan wasn’t going out of his way to find someone in need. Rather, when the opportunity presented itself, he chose to act and help. Too often we go out of our way to help others because that is what seems right or what the world tells us to do, but yet, we miss the opportunities right in front of us. Do we take care of our earthly family if possible? Do we take care of the body of Christ? Throughout the entire New Testament (and as we just read the Old Testament too), each letter addresses how we ought to act towards one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Jesus is still under the Law during His earthly ministry, but He does not nullify the Law after resurrection; rather He fulfills it. The motive of the Law- loving God and loving our neighbor- is still front and center in a Christian life. In Romans 13, Paul addresses loving one’s neighbor to the church in Rome who is struggling between what being a Christian looks like for both Jews and Gentiles:

“Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” Romans 13:8-10

In Romans 14, Paul continues to address this idea of loving one’s neighbor by not being a stumbling block to a brother or sister in Christ. While one’s conscience is clear doing one thing, it may be a sin to someone else. Being a neighbor is being mindful of who you’re around and not intentionally doing something to cause someone else to stumble. Rather, Paul writes in vv. 16-19: 

“Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.”

In Galatians, Paul addresses the issue of circumcision which was an important issue in the early church because it divided the Jewish and Gentile Christians. While some were still trying to follow the letter of the Law and lead others to do so, Paul addressed that Gentiles were not required to be circumcised in order to be Christians. The motive of those teaching circumcision was out of a fleshly desire to keep following the Law (and not be persecuted by non-Christian Jews- Galatians 5:12) rather than be free in Christ. Therefore, Paul writes:

“For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” Galatians 5:13-16

James is even more to the point as he writes to Jewish Christians about how they are to act and treat one another within the body of Christ: “Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves” (James 1:21-22). He continues by telling them to show no partiality among believers, namely, giving the rich special attention and treating poor believers dishonorably.

“If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.” James 2:8-10

In my life, the book of James has been one that constantly convicts me, especially as James continues to give an example of how to treat our neighbors:

“What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.” James 2:14-17

We like to say nice and encouraging things to one another as Christians. We know the right verses to say and the right tone. But what are we actually doing for one another? Do we know the needs of our brothers and sisters around us? Do we ask? Do we observe? Do we work out our salvation with fear and trembling knowing that the Lord will judge us according to how we judge? Do we think about what we say before we say it? Are our words edifying? Do our actions line up with what we speak?

“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” James 3:13-18

James does not mince words. The wisdom of the world consists of jealousy and self ambition, and as James puts it, is demonic. This type of wisdom creates “disorder and every evil thing.” In other words, it is not loving one’s neighbor which requires humility and putting others before ourselves. Look at the adjectives describing godly wisdom: pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, merciful, fruitful, unwavering, without hypocrisy–everything loving one’s neighbor should be. When we struggle with this, we should ask ourselves some questions. Would I want to receive mercy? Do I want to be spoken to with gentleness? Do I want someone to be hypocritical towards me? Do I want peaceful or wrathful discussion? Just by typing these questions I’m already convicted about my own behavior. Too often I act before I think things through, causing problems that could have been avoided. Once they’re out, words can’t be taken back even when people forgive. How often has an angry word split a church or caused strife among the body of Christ? James talks about this too because even in the early church many divisions and arguments arose. Let’s use this as an opportunity to avoid these issues or fix them if they’re already going on:

“What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” James 4:1-4

When we fight among ourselves in the church, we are acting as the world does. And if we are befriending the world and its wisdom, we make ourselves enemies of God. Simple and to the point. We commit adultery against God because as His bride we are choosing to be betrothed to the world instead of Him when we act like this. Why doesn’t this move us to make change? Why don’t we have fear of the Lord and His judgment? And yes, I mean fear, not simply respect. The One who judges our very soul is telling us to love one another, but what does the world see about Christians? Do they see what Jesus prayed for His disciples (both the Twelve and future disciples) in John 17:22-23?

“The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.”

Our love for one another as brothers and sisters in Christ is supposed to be our testimony to the world. Not how big or small one’s church is. Not charismatic preachers. Not the best worship bands. Not catchy Bible verses used out of context. Not how many mission trips we go on. Not how many services we attend each week. Not how much money we give. If true Christians, united in the essentials of what Christianity should be, actually come together, take care of one another, and live peaceably together, there is no telling how powerful of a testimony that would be to the rest of the world. John writes constantly about loving one another, thus also following Jesus’ words and the motive of the Law:

“The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” 1 John 2:9-11

Again, the context here is about a brother (or sister) in Christ. He continues in vv. 14-17:

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”

Scripture is black and white. We either love God or the world. If we love God, our actions (not just words) will show it. If we love the world, our fruit will be obvious, as Paul writes in Galatians 5:19-26:

“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.”

Loving our neighbor as ourselves begins in the church. If we can’t get the house of God in order, how do we expect the world, which is Satan’s domain, to come to know the Lord? To be as blunt as Jesus, Paul, James and John, as the church we have committed adultery against the Lord God just like ancient Israel did. But it isn’t too late. The grace and mercy of God allows us to approach His throne in repentance and ask for help:

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16

Change begins with our repentance: “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). We have the Word of God. We’ve heard it, read it, and confessed it; therefore, we are all accountable for its truth. We have no excuse. Will we love one another as the Lord God has instructed since creation? We will be the light we are called to be?

~~~

Father, forgive me for acting with worldly wisdom rather than Your wisdom. Help me to love my neighbor as You commanded, building up Your body in love and truth, meeting needs where You present opportunity. Help us as the church to be a light to this world by the love we show one another. Convict our hearts and remind us that fearing You and You alone is the beginning of wisdom. Thank you for the mercy and grace You show us each day and that we can approach You for forgiveness and help. May we desire to follow Your will and crucify our flesh from what it desires. May You be glorified above all things. Amen.

© Lauren Demuth