The greatest commandment was declared by Jesus in Mark 12:30, “‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”
Let’s uncover how to truly obey this command.
1. Acknowledge That The LORD Our God, Is The One And Only True God.
Jesus begins by establishing a fundamental truth in Mark 12:29 which regards the LORD our God is the one and only true God. It is impossible to adhere to the greatest commandment if one believes in the existence of another deity because such a belief would prevent full commitment to God.
This concept aligns with Exodus 20, where God presents this foundational truth prior to giving the first commandment:
Exodus 20:2 NLT
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”
This declaration emphasizes that God is the LORD, demonstrating immense power and strength in liberating the people of Israel from bondage.
Here, Egypt symbolizes the kingdom of darkness, from which God has rescued us through the crucifixion of His Son, ushering us into His Kingdom where we find true freedom.
It also encapsulates the essence of salvation: recognizing that only God, through Jesus, has redeemed us from a life of sin to one of victory and freedom in Christ Jesus.
The term “Lord” signifies a master, one possessing authority, power, and sovereignty. In essence, it is through God’s authority, power, and sovereignty that we have been brought out of darkness and into His light—no one and nothing else can claim that role. For this reason, God is indeed our one true God.
Once this foundation is firmly established into our hearts, then we are able to achieve the greatest commandment.
2. How To Love The LORD
Just how does one love the LORD with all your heart, mind, soul and strength? This command may seem rather impossible to adhere to at face-value. However, through deeper connection and relationship with God, it really is a simple command to follow.
First we must understand that love is a divine element, for God is love (1 John 4:8). So to fulfill this divine commandment, we must have divine resources to fulfill it. And Romans 5:5 details how God has enabled us to love Him
Romans 5:5 NLT
And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.
We have received the Holy Spirit, which fills our hearts with God’s divine love. It is through the Holy Spirit that we are able to love the LORD.
2.1 Loving The LORD With All Your Heart
As believers, we have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives – who took our sin, nailed them on the cross, and gave us a new life through a spiritual rebirth. This spiritual rebirth leads to the Holy Spirit living in us.
In this process, Christ then resided in our hearts, spiritually. And it is through Christ in us that we can love the LORD with all our hearts. For Jesus Christ loved the Father, with all his heart, and he, being in our hearts means we’re able to love God through him.
Ephesians 3:16-17 NLT
I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong
Also remember, we are dead to the self and therefore we do not love God by our own emotions, intellect, or reasoning. But we are alive in and through Christ who gives us the ability to love God with all our hearts.
2.2 Loving The LORD With All Your Mind
Now just how do we love the LORD with all our minds? The answer lies in the truth that, as believers, we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).
And Jesus was God incarnate, and if God is love, therefore, Jesus was able to love God will all his mind.
This is why we should yield our minds to God, to transform the way we think (Romans 12:2), so that our thoughts will be of heavenly things.
Colossians 3:2-3 NLT
Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God
2.3 Loving The LORD With All Your Soul
Loving the LORD with all your soul stems from the profound truth that, as believers, we have relinquished our self-centered lives. We are vessels filled with the Holy Spirit and guided by His presence.
Moreover, Jesus Christ reigns over every facet of my existence, including my soul (Ephesians 1:23). When God gazes upon my soul, He sees Christ in me. Thus, it is through the presence of Christ in my soul that I am empowered to wholly love the LORD.
2.4 Loving The LORD With All Your Strength
Loving the LORD with all your strength refers to actions and doing work that align to the will of God. And to do the divine will of God, we need divine strength. Paul wrote:
Philippians 4:13 NLT
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
As believers, we no longer do things that our physical nature desires, but we do the will of God, capacitated by divine strength.
This divine strength comes from the Jesus Christ and the empowerment of Holy Spirit as written in Ephesians 3:16, “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.”
1 Timothy 1:12 NLT
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work.
3. Why Is This The Greatest Commandment
Loving the LORD your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength empowers us to follow all other commandments.
When we embrace our love for God, it becomes simpler to love our neighbors. We naturally avoid dishonoring our parents, committing adultery, stealing, or coveting (Exodus 20).
Jesus lived a sinless life because of his love for the Father, and his actions demonstrate this love by consistently doing His will.
John 6:38 NLT
For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.
In other words if we truly love God, no one would warn us as not to steal, or worship another deity, as per the 10 commandments in Exodus 20.
The character and nature of God becomes evident in our lives as we obey the greatest commandment. After all we have been made in His godly image.
Therefore, loving God leads to the manifestation godly attributes in our lives such as to kindness, patience, and justice (1 Corinthians 13:4). Additionally, this produces steadfast, endurance and strong faith (1 Corinthians 13:7).
4. Final Remarks On The Greatest Commandment
The greatest commandment is a foundational command that acknowledges God as the one and only true God. When we believed in His Son Jesus, He poured out the Holy Spirit in us which enables us to love Him with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strengths.
Christ also dwells in us, and we have adopted the mind of Christ, we do all things through the strength he has given us. Thus, we love God through Christ.
This greatest commandment allows believers, to fulfill all other the commandments declared by God. Loving God means we do not need to follow the law of Moses, but rather we are able to fulfill them by this greatest command. We are under a new covenant that is founded in love. The LORD spoke of this in the following passage:
Jeremiah 31:33
“But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the LORD. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
Paul wrote, that doing any godly actions with no love boils down to nothing. But everything be founded in love and love is the greatest (1 Corinthians 13:13).
Love underpins everything we do in our Christian experience. We are kind, generous, patient, and more, simply because we know the one true God; we believe and trust in Him, and we obey Him.
I’ve always wondered how to love God in this manner, this sheds so much great light. Thank you.