The First and Greatest Commandment

 Matt 22:37-38 - Jesus said unto 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.


The title verse was Jesus’ response when one of the Pharisee’s asked Him which was the greatest commandment of the law. Not only that, Jesus went on to say that on that and the second commandment, to love thy neighbor as thyself, hang ALL of the law and the prophets. Everything is wrapped up in those two commandments and they, especially the first and greatest one, should be the Christian’s highest focus and pursuit, to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength.


Yet, with that clear call and exhortation before us, I can’t count how many times I’ve heard Christians talk, somewhat nonchalantly, about how badly they fail at it. It’s almost become a bragging right to proclaim how miserably we fail the first commandment, I guess to show how “humble” we are about it. It’s as if we think that God will look down from heaven and say “There, there my child, you’re not really doing that bad…but I do appreciate the humility!”


But is that the mentality we should have as Christians towards the FIRST and GREATEST commandment, the one in which everything else is hinged? Do we just dismiss it and stamp “Failed” over us hoping that that will somehow motivate us to diligently pursue it and grow in it? Does a person seeking to excel and master some particular craft mope around and proclaim how horrible and inept they are at it? Would you hire a specialist that told you they were a miserable failure in the primary quality of the thing you were hiring them to do?


No, we should take the first and foremost commandment seriously and determine that we are going to do our best to focus on it, obey it and to grow in it. Nothing else we do matters if that is not our highest aim and pursuit. We need to be determined that we are going to learn what it really means to love the Lord our God with ALL of our heart, soul, mind and strength and then pursue it diligently. 


How does a person order their lives if loving God is their highest priority and goal? Do they neglect their relationship with God by rarely praying and seeking His face? Do they periodically indulge their flesh and give in to the temporal pleasures of sin for a season? Do they treat others unkindly or uncaringly and focus on their own temporal self fulfillment instead? I think we know the answer…..


This is not to suggest that we will always walk perfectly in the first and greatest commandment, but we should not dismiss it as if it’s unattainable. If God has commanded it and called us to it, then He has certainly provided the wisdom to understand what it means and the grace and strength to walk in it. We should keep this before us always and engage in the things that nurture it and help us grow in it. Just as importantly, we need to steadfastly put away from our lives anything that damages our relationship with God, grieves the Holy Spirit and gives place to the devil. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you (Jam 4:7-8).


This passage in Colossians gives us a great summary of the things we should be pursuing as Christians, as ones who are focused and intent on the first and greatest commandment: Col 3:1-4 - If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

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