THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
One of my co-workers got a speeding ticket and was attending a defensive-driving course to have points erased from her license. The instructor, a poice officer, emphasized that being on time was crucial and that the classroom doors would be locked when each session began.
Just after one class started, someone knocked on the locked door. The officer opened it and asked, "Why are you late?"
The student replied, "I was trying not to get another ticket."
The officer let him in.
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________SCRIPTURE_____________________________________________________
Mark 12:28-31
28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
KJV
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_______THOUGHT_________________________________________________________
The scribe, or lawyer, had heard Jesus' statement to the Sadducees.
He obviously approved of what Jesus had said because the Scripture says he perceived "that He (Jesus) had answered them well..."
Jesus' answer came, directly from the law. He quoted Deuteronomy 6:4-5, and added "heart." Then, Jesus moved to Leviticus 19:18, and quoted it verbatum.
Three are three foundational principles here.
First, God is "One." Though God is presented to us in three separated entities (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), He is perfect in unison. One part of God does not act without the other parts of God.
Second, to "love" God with all that we are is the purpose of our being. We are created "in the image of God" (Genesis 1:27). We have a heart, mind, and body which comprise our soul.
ALL of what we are is to love and worship God!
Third, our love of God is exhibited in love of our "neighbor."
Let us love God enough that we tell our neighbor of salvation in Jesus!
Love ya,
Bruce