And the Second Is Like It...

And the second greatest commandment is like the first, “Love your neighbor as yourself”, Jesus says (Mt 22:39; Mk 12:31) (And this love for self is also shown in the context of a marriage union in Eph 5:28-30, where the love for a spouse is equal -on some level- as love for self, since the two have become one.).  Jesus tells us, “love one another as I have loved you…” (Jn 13:34).  (He said this was a new commandment, but it was actually an old one [Lev 19:18].  It was new in the sense that it was a mark of the disciple’s bond created by Christ’s love for them [NIV note on Jn 13:34].)  We love because God first loved us (1 Jn 4:19).  Love ultimately comes from God himself. If anyone says, ‘I love God’, but hates his brother is a liar; because anyone who doesn’t love his brother, who he has seen, cannot love God, who he hasn’t seen.  So God has given us this command:  Whoever loves God must also love his brother (1 Jn 4:20-21).  Here, the term ‘brother’ is intended to mean mankind, not simply our siblings in Christ. But those who are followers of Christ should especially care for our brothers and sisters in Christ (Jn 21:15-17; Gal 6:10).       

The parable of ‘the Good Samaritan’ illustrates this love well, and shows us who we are to regard as our neighbor.  In the presence of so-called lovers of God, Jesus commends a Samaritan –a people who Jews were openly hostile against and considered both spiritual and physical half-breeds- over a religious leader (priest) and another lay person (Levite) to show that love has no national, religious, racial, etc. boundaries (Mt 10:5; Jn 4:20,22; Lk 9:52; NIV note on Lk 10:31-33).  It was this despised Samaritan who cared for a foreigner -who would’ve probably cursed him, if he had the strength (v. 33-35).  It was him who Jesus told his fellow Jews to imitate (v. 36-37).  So, my definition of a neighbor, given the context, is anyone who isn’t you!

And again, this is a commandment from God.  To show love towards men, who were made in His spiritual image, is one way of showing love for him (which remember, is second only to directly showing love to God).  This is true, just as failing to love our brothers is to show contempt for Him.  If you follow the first and greatest commandment, the second -which is like it- will fall into place.  Love for God and love for man are inseparable.        

  

Racism

It is so necessary to approach God’s word with a spirit of sincerity, desiring the truth, and to pray for spiritual discernment in this, because it blows my mind how much people distort biblical scripture in order to fit their own prideful and selfish ideas (Jn 4:24).  Racist Christians –a contradiction in terms- is a practice that has been accepted for far too long.   We need to be careful not to align ourselves with others (e.g. the Ku Klux Klan) who preach the hatred of racism based on a perversion of God’s word.  Racism is defined as a belief that race (a class or kind of people unified by shared interests, habits, or characteristics; a category of humankind that shares certain distinctive physical traits) is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent  superiority of a particular race; and is also defined as racial prejudice or discrimination. 

So, what appeared to be what we know as racism today, in the Old Testament was no more than God demanding absolute spiritual devotion from his people.  Before God’s word was preached to the Gentile people, everything associated with them (their shared interests, habits, characteristics) was, in fact, sinful and spiritually unclean because they didn’t recognize God (1 Sam 17:26).  Their beliefs were at issue, not physical characteristics.  This is why interfaith marriage, then and now,  is considered detestable to God.  We’re told to not be joined together with unbelievers because righteousness and wickedness have nothing in common (2 Co 6:14).  There is no fellowship.  There is no harmony (v.14-15).  Again, the issue here is belief.  When the Canaanite, Hittite, Perizzite, etc. races (meaning nations or peoples) are spoken about negatively, it is because of their detestable practices (Ezra 9:1).  The people of Israel -God’s people- were identified as ‘the holy race’ because they were believers of God’s word (v.2).  It was their belief that justified them as a people, not their nationality, skin tone, native tongue, or any other superficial characteristic.  Again, God’s concern was that their mingling with foreign people eventually would lead them into unfaithfulness, and it did (v.2; Neh 13:27).        

A strict adherence to Mosaic Law, and cultural practices associated with it laid the foundation of the faith that would later be clarified -not abolished- by Jesus Christ’s teaching of grace in the Gospel (Mt 5:17).  God does not show favoritism, but accepts people from anywhere  that revere him and do what’s right (Ac 10:34-35; Ro 2:9-11; 10:9-13).  And since we’re to be like God, we’re told not to show favoritism as well (1 Pe 1:16; Jas 2:1-13).  If we do, we sin (Jas 2:9).  Don’t be like one of the experts of the Law who wanted to justify his own racist views (Lk 10:29).  Like the good Samaritan, we’re to treat our others as ourselves (Lk 10:25-37).  This is our charge:  to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything Jesus Christ has commanded us, according to God’s word, which is the Holy Bible (Mt 28:19-20; Jn 1:1-2, 14).