The Commandment to Love our Neighbor

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Matt 22:39)

Being able to love one’s neighbor is the same as loving God (1 John 4:20, 21). The original word used in this statement by Jesus for ‘love’ is 'agape' or ‘divine love’, not ‘phileo’ which concerns affection. Divine love is the esteeming of others over ourselves (Phil 2:3); hence it is a commandment to demonstrate moral and ethical love not led by human emotions. It is one that seeks the best for others, not desiring reciprocation.

Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. (Luke 7:47)

From God’s perspective loving others is the demonstration of loving God. The reason why we can’t obey God’s commandment to love above our human affection could be because we haven’t experience the forgiveness of God. It is not that God’s forgiveness is not available, but we reject forgiveness for various reasons. If we view sin from our perspective, there is a sense of self righteousness. Viewing sin from God’s perspective will humble us to know how we have deliberately disobeyed and grieved Him. The heavenly message is that Jesus' objective in coming is to save us from our sins (Matt 1:21). Ask the Lord to reveal His divine love that we may show the same toward others, do not be surprised that it is the beginning of our humble dying to self pilgrimage of experiencing His full forgiveness to show the same toward others (Matt 18:35, Luke 10:37)).

Holy Spirit, the Evidence of Christ’s Lordship

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1Cor 6:19)

It would be incomplete to see the coming and in-filling of the Holy Spirit as just being Power that is endued from on high as the enablement for God’s people to prophecy, for divine healing, etc. We have to be reminded constantly that the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the God-head, not merely seeing Him as an authority or empowerment that we can summon according to our will. The Old Testament temple is a place that is most holy or separated from common practices and must be held as the place of great reverence. The difference now is that Jesus Christ went to be with the Father that His Spirit will tabernacle within His people. Holiness has not been downplayed and now the body has replaced the building to being an uncommon or holy dwelling of the Holy God.

But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: (John 15:26)

The Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence in earthen vessels demonstrates the Lordship of Jesus Christ in and through the wider body of Christ. Prophecy is to reveal that which God has hidden, likewise divine healing is to show God’s mercy and power over sickness and oppression, etc. The Spirit’s dwelling in us is that God will Lord over our will, mind and work out what He has worked in through our physical capabilities. We need not beg nor pray to be filled with the Spirit, Jesus has promised, we need to only believe.