The Do and Do Nots...

Scripture:
Galatians 5:13-14 (NASB)

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Devotional:

I remember listening to a comedian one time talking about doing the dos and not doing the don’ts of the Bible.  Churches have a way of focusing on all the don’ts in the Bible.  You cannot do this or you cannot do that.  The list goes on and on.  His point in his routine was that we need to focus on doing the do this and do that.  If we do then we will not have time to even think about all to don’ts in life.

In Galatians 5:13-14 Paul states that the entire law is fulfilled in one statement. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was.  His reply is in Matthew 22:36-40 (NASB) he states:

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Everything else hinges upon these two commandments, love God and then love everyone else.  If we can focus on them then everything else will fall into place.  So the next time you ponder the law, or God’s commandments, remember where to start and let the rest take care of themselves.  What is love, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NASB):

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.