In with the New, Out with the Old

 

Jesus answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27, New Living Translation)

I know that I have told you this before. I am no theologian, and you couldn't call me a Bible scholar. I know way less about the Bible than I do know. I've read through the entire book only two times, and even then, some of those Old Testament stories are still way over my head.

So, I want you to read the following with that in mind. This is just a thought I had; if I got it wrong, don't be afraid to let me know.

When most people read the Old Testament, they don't get a lot of warm, fuzzy feelings about God. He instituted a long list of rules and laws for the Israelites to follow. You've read the Ten Commandments? Easy-peasy to keep compared to what God lectures on in the book of Leviticus and repeats in Deuteronomy.

On top of that, God was always instructing the Israelite army to wipe out another city, country, or ethic group. He clearly did not want them associating with anyone who was not of the Jewish faith.

When you read all of that, it's easy to believe that God is not as loving as a lot of believers say He is. He always loved us and always will, but everything changed in the New Testament.

God came to live among us as a human, as Jesus Christ. He preached love for your friends and enemies. He cut down all of those laws in the Old Testament, not just down to those Ten Commandments, but to two rules.

Love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind. (Which was taken right out of that book of Deuteronomy, but is also in three books of the Gospel.) And, love your neighbor as yourself. (And when asked who our neighbor is, He answered that we need to love everyone – friend, foe, and foreigner alike.)

So what changed between the Old and New Testaments, or did anything change? I think the big thing is that God came here to offer us forgiveness from our sins. With all the weight of the world on Jesus' shoulders, that weight was lifted off of ours. We didn't have to fight anymore; all we needed to do was ask for forgiveness and spread the love.

Turn your life over to God. And love and accept everyone, treat them with kindness and compassion. You don't have to agree with them or condone their behavior, but you can still love them and pray for them. (Especially in our current political climate.)

"But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

        “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. (Luke 6:27-35, New International Version)