THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT

Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses? Jesus replied, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind." This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: " Love your neighbor as yourself." All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.
Matthew 22: 36-40 NLT

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should lover each other.
John 13:34
NLT


Commentary

Down through the ages of history, man has attempted to define and understand the true meaning of LOVE. The scriptures tell us that above all and first of all, we must love the Lord our God. Our Lord Jesus came to earth to show us the Father. He was LOVE incarnate. A personal commitment to and relationship with him is the first step to coming to love the Father. Jesus told us that no one comes to the Father but through him. Our purpose, then, is to come to the Father, the method is through Jesus Christ, the power is by the Holy Spirit. As we come to know the Lord Jesus, our love for the Father will grow stronger and stronger. The power to do this comes through the Holy Spirit. This love is prerequisite to our loving one another. We cannot give love unless we first receive it..and all love comes from God. He would not command us to love one another without giving us the means to do so.

Now all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, may come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
Ephesians 2:18
NLT

A beautiful love note from God. As we are brought nearer to the Father through the sacrificial love of Jesus, we are brought near to each other, also. Jesus lives in our hearts through the Holy Spirit (by invitation only). If we are to fulfill the GREATEST COMMANDMENT, we first must accept that invitation.