Who is my neighbor?
(Matthew 22:37-40; Luke 10:25-37; Romans 3:19-23; 1 John 4:20-21) Blog Nov. 12-18, 2023
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: God calls every believer in Jesus to invite others to come and see the love of God expressed for them. What God did for us in Jesus is their message. They prepare for mission by praying, counseling together, organizing, & agreeing on a Bible-based plan. God works with them to fill his church with disciples who fellowship together and continually desire to learn more about God.
A Serious Question
1. When a lawyer asked Jesus what he should do to inherit eternal life, how did Jesus respond? Jesus pointed the lawyer to what was written in the law (Luke 10:25-26).
2. What does the law have to do with eternal life? God gives eternal life to those who obey him (Gen. 2:17; Lev. 18:5; Eze. 20:11; Luke 10:28; Rom. 10:5; Gal. 3:12).
3. Was the lawyer correct when he said that love to God and to one’s neighbor is what God requires in order to inherit eternal life? Yes, Jesus commended him for giving the right answer, for love is the fulfilling of the law (Luke 10:28; Rom. 13:10; Gal. 5:14; 2 John 6).
4. How much love does God require in order that we might obtain eternal life? Moses, David, Micah, Jesus, & Paul all agree that God requires perfect obedience in order to inherit eternal life: to become children of God (Deut. 28:9; Psa. 15:1-2; Mic. 6:8; Matt. 5:48; Rom. 2:13).
5. Who then can be saved if we all fall short of perfect obedience? Eternal life is a gift from God for in Jesus he has given humanity a perfect human obedience, even perfect love ((Matt. 5:17; Luke 18:18-27; Rom. 3:19-23; 1 John 5:11-12).
A Serious Command
6. If believers in Jesus have perfect obedience to the law in Jesus their Substitute, should they care about showing love to their neighbors? They most assuredly should, for since they have salvation in Jesus they are now free to occupy themselves in saving others (John 14:15; Gal. 3:25-26).
7. What attitude do believers in Jesus have towards the law of God? Believers love God’s law & meditate on it continually because they love God who first loved them (Psa. 119:97; Rom. 7:12; 1 John 4:10-11).
8. If believers love God and his law, what will this motivate them to do? Those who love God & his law will put forth diligent effort to obey his commands & demonstrate his love to God & to others (Luke 10:27; 1 John 4:11, 20-21).
9. In Luke 10, how did Jesus show who our neighbor is? With the story of the good Samaritan Jesus shows us that anyone we meet with a need is our neighbor (Luke 10:30-37).
A Serious Response
10. When someone asks a question that may seem like an attack, how should we respond? We should use every question, whether sincere or not, as an opportunity to reach a soul for Jesus. We should point to Scripture for the answer, so God’s Spirit has access to the heart of the questioner (Luke 10:26; 2 Tim.3:16; 1 Pet. 3:15).
11. From the story of the good Samaritan, what should we learn about relating to others in need? We should learn to overcome our prejudices. The ethnicity of the person, the seriousness of the need, or their social distance from us may make us think that it is not our duty to help (Luke 10:30-37).