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Re: Bulletin Board [message #12121 is a reply to message #12112]

Mon, 17 October 2016 17:37

james
Messages: 2137
Registered: April 2008
Location: Birmingham, AL

Senior Member

Who Is My Neighbor?

From childhood we're taught the Golden Rule, to treat others the way we want to be treated. As followers of Christ we're told the fulfillment of the Law is to love The Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength...and to love our neighbor as ourselves. A man once asked Jesus how he might inherit eternal life and when Jesus asked him what was written in the law, the man (lawyer) quoted this and Jesus told him it was the right answer and for him to go DO it. The man sought to justify himself by asking Jesus the above question, "who is my neighbor?"

This is when Jesus gave the parable/illustration of the man from Samaria who stopped to help the man going from Jerusalem to Jericho. The man was beaten and robbed and left for dead and a priest came by and passed by on the other side of the road, as did a Levite. But a man from Samaria stopped and showed compassion and helped him. This can all be found in Luke 10:25-37.

Jesus then asked the lawyer which of the three people mentioned was the neighbor to the injured man. He answered by saying the one who showed mercy. Jesus' reply was this, "Go, and do thou likewise."

Remember the question the lawyer asked was about eternal life (going to heaven), notice Jesus didn't say to believe upon The Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved; He didn't tell him to repent and be baptized, although we know both of these instructions are given for coming to salvation. He didn't talk about 'the other side' or heaven; Jesus told him to go live out salvation through actions. (I'm not speaking of works salvation)

How do we live out this command, "Go and do thou likewise."? From this parable as well as life's experiences as Christians we can see that loving our neighbor means loving everyone. Those of different races, religion, political viewpoints, gender, lifestyles, and plain out hard to love people. Loving others isn't selective or when it fits within our schedule. It almost always requires effort and sacrifice, hardly ever convenient, and always costs us something. Living out this command will certainly change our own lives as we learn to care about others. (we have to start caring before we can begin loving)

This is shared from someone who hasn't always obeyed this command nor have I 'arrived' there now, but I do seek to walk in this love for my neighbor through actions that reflect this love, both spiritual by sharing the good news of The Gospel and showing compassion and mercy to people needing it. Everyone, anywhere, anytime, whenever the opportunity presents itself.

“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,”

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