COMMANDMENTS

“Honor your father and mother” – which is the first commandment with a promise.

Ephesians 6:2

Jesus said, “Love the Lord our God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.” This is the most important [of God’s commands], the first on any list.

The Bible, Matthew 22:37–38 the message

But there is a second [command of God] to set alongside it: “Love others as well as you love yourself.”

The Bible, Matthew 22:39 the message

One of the scribes came and heard them arguing and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost [or ‘first’] of all?” Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL; THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; [Deuteronomy 6:4] AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ [Deuteronomy 6:5] The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ [Leviticus 19:18] There is no other commandment greater than these.”

The Bible, Mark 12:28–31 nasb

The world invents its own good works and persuades itself that they are good. But Paul declares that good and right according to the world are to be judged by the commandments of God.

John Calvin