The New Kind of Love
THE NEW COMMANDMENT
The Bible is made up of the Old and New Testaments, which are two Covenants that explain God’s dealing with mankind.
In Deuteronomy 6: 5, it is written, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” The following verse, says, “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart” (vs 6)
Leviticus 19: 18 says, “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.”
When the Lord Jesus walked on the earth, He was approached by a lawyer, and asked, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” (Mathew 23:36)
The Lord answered him, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (vs 37-40)
The Lord Jesus in answering the lawyer, made reference to these two commandments written in the law. The Lord also made an important statement, which is that on those two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. So that even under the law, loving God and one’s neighbour as one’s self was primary – it was the intent of the law.