State Street Church of Christ (Bristol, VA)

There are true principles and there are false principles. By principles we simply mean rules or fundamental laws of conduct. Jesus quoted two great principles in the Old Testament which are very fundamental in nature. We read in Matthew 22:35-40: "Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

The first principle deals with our love for God and for His will. The second principle deals with our love for our fellowman. Truly, these two great commandments serve as a summary of how the children of God are to conduct themselves. God wants us to love and serve Him with all of our heart or affection. God wants us to love and serve Him with our inner self or soul, and God wants us to love and serve Him with all of our intellectual ability. As Jesus said on an earlier occasion, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).

But God is also concerned about our fellowman. We need to have a genuine love and respect for souls. We need to be kind and humble in our dealings with our neighbors. If we mistreat our neighbors then we violate a true principle or rule of God.

Brethren, let us pray that God will strengthen us and help us to fulfill all of His will. Let us love Him with all of our heart and let us treat our fellowman with a love that would please the Almighty.