The First Commandment

Jesus answered a scribe who asked Him, what the first commandment was. Mark 12:28-30

Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:4-5 which states. “Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”

The love to God that was the most important commandment was to be shown by obedience to the statutes and judgments of God, an obedience that sprung from a heart that was totally devoted to God and that put God first. Deuteronomy 5:29 and 6:6. This is the essence of faith, a belief that obeys from the heart. A heart that only feels and does not obey, is not an active, living faith and does not love God totally. 

Remember the rich man in Mark 10:17-22. He asked Jesus an important question too. He asked “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus responded by saying to this man that he knew the commandments, keep them. The man thought that he had kept them all, not realizing that his heart was not totally devoted to God. Jesus wanted him to see that he had to love God with his whole heart, mind, soul and strength. He violated the most important commandment and had put another god before the true God. He loved money more and Jesus could see this. Jesus loved this man and wanted him to see his lack of love and obedience but he could not and went away sorrowful.

The same holds true for us today. God requires that we put Him first and not let our love for anything in this world prevent us from following Him and obeying Him. We are not even to let our love for mother, father, brothers or sisters to hold us back from following Jesus and being obedient to His Word. Luke 14:26

You might think that this type of obedience is impossible, but remember what Jesus told his disciples when they asked after Jesus told them how difficult is was for the rich to enter into the kingdom of God. “Who then can be saved?” Jesus replied, “With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”

Obedience shows love for God. Jesus Himself states this in John 15: 10-12. Jesus had to obey the Father and we have to obey too. 1 John 5:2 Hebrews 5:8-9

Just as in Old Testament times, God is a jealous God and we must not put other gods before Him. Exodus 20:3-6 ; 1 Corinthian 10:22

In the Old Testament, God promised blessings to the Israelites that obeyed Him, Deuteronomy 7:11-15 and warnings for those that disobeyed, Deuteronomy 8:18-20. It is the same today.

We must obey because of a deep and real love for God, one that places Him above all else. In order to obey God, we have to understand what He wants of us. This is why it is so important to listen to these lessons then go and study this for yourselves. See if this is what the Bible teaches. Remember that Jesus did not condone the teachings of men, Mark 7:1-7. The Pharisees did not understand God’s teachings because their hearts were far from God. They did not love God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength. They wanted to believe what they wanted.

Are you willing to lay down your life before Jesus and obey His instructions on how to be saved?

The Bible teaches that the Gospel has to be preached and obeyed, Romans 10: 8-18.

Call on the Lord today by repenting of your sins, confessing that Jesus is the Son of God and be baptized and your sins will be washed away just like Saul did when the christian Ananias said to him in Acts 22:16, “And why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”

Take the lessons that I have given you and go over them. Have good hearts like in the parable of the sower, Mark 4:3-20, that you might receive the Word of God and bear fruit, “some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.”