God’s Love and Justice (Lesson 12) Love and Justice: The Two Greatest Commandments

REAL LOVE: NOT WHAT YOU SAY BUT…

Love is not what you say, but what you do. Love is more than a feeling. Love is action. Saying I love you means nothing.  Real Love is what we do. How do we stop talking love, and start doing love.

Welcome back to our series on:  God’s Love and Justice.

God is love, and how we understand it affects and how do we respond to him and others.

Misunderstandings of God’s love leads to negative thoughts and feelings that can harm our relationships with Him and others.

God’s love promises to go far beyond any human expectations.

We look at how we can go beyond merely saying I love you to love in action.

Before we begin, Let’s Pray.

God Almighty, help us demonstrate our love by our actions. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God’s Love and Justice

(Lesson 12)

Love and Justice: The Two Greatest Commandments

Part 1 Introduction

Love is not just what we say, it’s what we do. It’s not just a feeling; it’s a choice to act.

When we truly love God, that love is seen in how we treat others.

Real love moves, reaches out, and makes a difference in the lives of others.

The Bible is clear in 1 John 4:20 “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (1 John 4:20).

That’s hard, but it’s real. If we say we love God but have hatred in our hearts for our brothers and sisters, we are lying to ourselves, God and others.

Love is not just words; love is action. If we can’t love the people standing in front of us, how can we love a God we’ve never even seen?

Yes, there is evil in the world. And yes, there are things God allows because of the battle between good and evil.

But that doesn’t mean we just sit and do nothing. We are called to fight against suffering, to stand up against evil, to be a light in the darkness.

Love and fairness go hand in hand. God loves justice. That means He wants us to be fair and treat others right. If we truly love God, we won’t just say it—we will show it.

Real love sees a need and responds. If someone is hungry, love feeds them.

If someone is hurting, love comforts them.

If someone is struggling, love reaches out and helps.

Love is more than feelings or emotions it’s a way of life.

How is love illustrated in the Bible? Read Matthew 22:34-40 and Matthew 19:16-23. Share your thoughts. Then continue to Part 2: The Two Greatest Commandments

God’s Love and Justice

(Lesson 12)

Love and Justice: The Two Greatest Commandments

Part 4: God Loves Justice

 Jesus made it clear love is more than mere words.  Real love involves how we live, how we treat others, and where we place our affections.

If we want to bring God’s love and justice into the world, we must start with what He has commanded us to do.

Notice Jesus response to a young man in Matthew 22: 34-40 when asked which is the greatest commandment.

Matthew 22:37-39

³⁷ Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 

³⁸ This is the first and great commandment. 

³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:37–39, ).(Pauer)

This young lawyer was trying to Test Jesus.  In response, Jesus    did not choose just one commandment. He gave him two.

We are commanded first to love God with all that we are and right alongside with it we are to love others as we love ourselves.

These two commandments cannot be separated; they go hand in hand.

In fact, they are the central theme of the Bible. Jesus points out in Matthew 22:40

40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:40)

So, the entire Bible support supports this. Everything the prophets taught rests on these two commandments.

But what does this kind of love look like in action? To understand this better, we view another instance in Jesus’ ministry in Matthew 19:16-23.

Here, a rich young ruler came to Jesus, asking what he must do to have eternal life. Jesus tells him to keep the commandments. The man, confident in his obedience, replied that he had done so since his youth. But Jesus sees his heart.

Thus, He says in Matthew 19:21-22

²¹ Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 

²² But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 

²³ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 19:21–22).

The young man was rich and well respected. He seemed to have been doing everything right.

But there was one thing holding him back. He loved his wealth.

He wanted eternal life, but he wasn’t willing to give up his will for God’s will.

Therefore, he walked away from Jesus with a heavy heart.

What matters most to you? Wealth, position, status or eternal life?

In response to this, the book, The Desire of Ages says:

“Christ made the only terms which could place the ruler where he would perfect a Christian character. His words were words of wisdom, though they appeared severe and exacting. In accepting and obeying them was the ruler’s only hope of salvation. His exalted position and his possessions were exerting a subtle influence for evil upon his character. If cherished, they would supplant God in his affections.” —The Desire of Ages, p. 520.

Jesus was offering this man freedom. But he loved things and possessions more than he loved God and others.

Pause and reflect.

What am I holding on to that is keeping me from fully surrendering to Jesus?

Is there something in my life that is competing for my love and devotion?

Do I truly love God with all my heart and others as I love my self or do other things take first place in my life?

Jesus may not ask all of us to sell everything we own, but He does ask us to surrender whatever is keeping us from Him.

It could be money, pride, relationships, or even our own plans for the future.

Anything that takes God’s place in our hearts is dangerous to our souls.

Love for God and love for people go hand in hand.

We cannot truly follow Jesus without surrendering our hearts completely to Him.

Testimonies to the Church makes this point say:

This love is not restricted so as merely to include “me and mine,” but is as broad as the world and as high as heaven, and is in harmony with that of the angel workers. This love cherished in the soul sweetens the entire life and sheds a refining influence on all around.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 223.

Think about it! Selfishness, mere self-focus on me, myself and I hurt everyone. It is the reason for all the evils that exist in our world today.

If the two greatest commands are to love God and love others. Then what are the two greatest sins?

Read: Psalm 135:13–19 and Zechariah 7:9–12. Share  your thoughts in the comment section.

Then, View the next segment of this video, Part 3:The Two Greatest Sins

God’s Love and Justice

(Lesson 12)

Love and Justice: The Two Greatest Commandments

Part 3: The Two Greatest Sins

Love is the foundation of everything God asks of us.

Jesus said the greatest commandments are to love God and to love others.

But love is not just mere words, it’s action.

Real love costs something.

It calls for self-sacrifice, for stepping outside of ourselves, for putting others first. (pauser)

This is what following in the footsteps of Jesus really means.

Jesus gave all. He gave His life.

If loving God and loving others as we love ourselves are the two greatest commandments, then what is the opposite.

What happens when people reject love? All we need to do is look around and we see the evidence.

What does the Bible say about the sin of not loving?

We begin with Psalms 135:13-19

¹³ Your name, O Lord, endures forever, Your fame, O Lord, throughout all generations. ¹⁴ For the Lord will judge His people, And He will have compassion on His servants. ¹⁵ The idols of the nations are silver and gold, The work of men’s hands. ¹⁶ They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; ¹⁷ They have ears, but they do not hear; Nor is there any breath in their mouths. ¹⁸ Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who trusts in them. ¹⁹ Bless the Lord, O house of Israel! Bless the Lord, O house of Aaron!” (Psalm 135:13–18).

The Old Testament continually emphasizes the importance of love for God above all.

Not loving God above all is the sin of Idolatry is one of the greatest sins in the Bible.

Deuteronomy 6:5 says

⁵ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5).

Thus, the opposite of loving God is Idolatry. It is placing other things above God.

Those other things might include money, wealth, power, people, or even our own selfish desires.

But there is however another great sin. What is it? Look at what the prophet Zechariah said in Zechariah 7:9-12

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, Show mercy and compassion Everyone to his brother.

10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, The alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart Against his brother.’

11 “But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear.

12 Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. (Zechariah 7:9–12).

So, God is not only angered by idolatry but by injustice. That is the mistreatment of His people individually or collectively.

When people are oppressed, when the poor are ignored, when the weak are taken advantage of, God sees it. And He is not pleased. Because He is love he becomes angry with injustice.

Therefore, the two greatest sins  are the opposite of the two greatest commandments Jesus mention in Matthew 22:37–40 loving God and loving one another.

All the law and the prophets hangs on these two commands—love God and love others (Matthew 22:37–40).

If the two greatest commandments have to do with love, the two greatest sins are failings of love. Failing to love God and failing to love others.

The Bible makes it very clear in I John 4:20-21

²⁰ If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 

²¹ And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. (1 John 4:20–21).

Love for God cannot be separated from love for others. 

If we truly love God, that love will overflow into how we treat others.

If we mistreat others, ignore their needs, or hold hate in our hearts, we are showing that our love for God is not real.

Love and obedience go together. We cannot claim to love God while rejecting His will.

We cannot say we love others while mistreating them.

Pause and reflect:

• Is there anything in my life that I have placed above God?
• Am I treating people with love, justice, and compassion?

Love is more than a feeling. It’s a way of life.

Do you really want to love your spouse, your friends or significant other?

Then submit your will to God.

Let the song in your heart be Not my will, but your will, be done.(Pausrer)

What is God’s will for us? Read Psalm 82 and Read 1 John 4-16 again. Share your thoughts in the comment section.Then continue to the next segment of this video, Part 4: God Loves Justice

God’s Love and Justice

(Lesson 12)

Love and Justice: The Two Greatest Commandments

Part 4: God Loves Justice

God is a God of love, but He is also a God of justice. He sees every act of oppression, every tear shed by the innocent, every cry of the weak.

And He does not remain silent. Throughout the Bible, God stands with the oppressed, the forgotten, the mistreated.

And He calls us to stand with them, too.

The Bible is clear: God loves justice and hates evil.

For example, Psalms 33:5 says

“He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” (Psalm 33:5).

And Isaiah 61:8 says:

“For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering; I will direct their work in truth, and will make with them an everlasting covenant.” (Isaiah 61:8).

Throughout the Old and New Testament, God consistently shows deep concern for injustice.

He is moved with righteous anger when He sees people being mistreated.

He is not passive in this nor is He indifferent.

He takes action against the victimizers and oppressors.

 He stands firmly in defense of those who suffer because of victimizers.

 In fact, Psalm 82 gives us a powerful picture of this.

He rebukes the corrupt human leaders and the demonic forces behind them.

He calls them out for injustice. He indicates that these leaders have failed to lead with fairness.

They have favored the wicked over the weak. The Bible makes it clear that behind these unfair human judges and rulers are demonic forces.

Thus, the psalmist  ask these evil rulers: “How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked?” (Psalms 82:2)

They are charged Psalms 82:3-4 to:

³ Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. 

⁴ Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked. (Psalm 82:3–4).

This is what God expects from the powers that be. And this is what He expects from us, too.

Thread throughout the Bible both the Old and New Testament is this loud and piercing call for justice.

Not only was it the message from the prophets this was the message that Jesus proclaimed while here in the flesh.

Hence, this call for justice is not just for courts and governments—it is also a call to every believer.

So, what does God require from us? Micah 6:8 tells us plainly:

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).

God expect not just religious discourse, gathering, or merely knowing the Bible.

He wants us to live what we claim we believe. Live Justice, Mercy, and Humility. This is what God desires from His people.

Jesus reinforced this same truth when He said in John 13:35

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35, NKJV).

What is the evidence of our love? Read 1 John 4:8-16 again.

If we truly are followers of Jesus, it will show in the way we treat others.

If we claim to love God but ignore the needs of the poor, if we worship Him in church but remain silent in the face of injustice, then our faith is lacking.

Pause and reflect: What would our world look like if we truly lived out Micah 6:8?

Ask yourself in my home, workplace, community and church, am I standing for what is right—or just staying silent?

God’s call is clear. Justice is not optional. Mercy is not optional. Walking humbly before God is not optional.

What does God call each and everyone of us to do as members of our society.  Read: Isaiah. 10:1-3, Jeremiah 22:13-16 and Matthew 23:23-30 Share your thoughts.

Then, continue to the next segment of this video, Part 5:Called to Establish Justice

God’s Love and Justice

(Lesson 12)

Love and Justice: The Two Greatest Commandments

Part 5: Called to Establish Justice

God’s call for justice is not hidden in Scripture. He leaves no room for doubt. His call is loud and clear.

Again and again, He commands His people to stand up for what is right, to defend the weak and powerless, to care for the forgotten.

He does not ignore oppression, and He will not let injustice go unpunished.

Love and Justice is at the very core of God’s character.

The prophet Isaiah strongly condemns injustice in Israel during his time and even urging us to heed the call for justice today.

“Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.” (Isaiah 1:17).

There is a danger in ignoring injustice. God saw injustice in Israel and was angry at those who mistreated the poor, ignored the fatherless, and took advantage of the weak.

And He warned them of what was coming, in Isaiah 10:1-3

¹ “Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, Who write misfortune, Which they have prescribed 

² To rob the needy of justice, And to take what is right from the poor of My people, That widows may be their prey, And that they may rob the fatherless.

³ What will you do in the day of punishment, And in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your glory? (Isaiah 10:1–3).

The prophet Jeremiah delivered the same message in Jeremiah 22:13,15

“Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness and his chambers by injustice, who uses his neighbor’s service without wages and gives him nothing for his work.”

¹⁵ “Shall you reign because you enclose yourself in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink, And do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him.  (Jeremiah 22:13,15).

Jeremiah makes it clear—knowing God is not just about religious practices and rituals.

It is about how we treat people.

¹⁶ He judged the cause of the poor and needy; Then it was well. Was not this knowing Me?” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 22:16).

In other words, to know God is to love justice and to care for the poor and needy.

But this wasn’t just an Old Testament concern. Jesus Himself called out injustice.

In Matthew 23, He rebuked the religious leaders for missing the point saying in Matthew 23:23

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.” (Matthew 23:23).

The Pharisees were careful to tithe even the smallest herbs from their gardens, but they ignored the things that mattered the most to God—justice, mercy, and faith.

They were obsessed with religious details but blinded to the suffering around them.

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus puts it this way:

“Woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God.” (Luke 11:42, NKJV).

Justice and love go hand in hand. We cannot claim to love God while ignoring the cries of the poor, the abused, and the mistreated.

Pause and reflect:

• Are we focusing on the “tithe of mint and anise and cumin” in our own lives—small religious duties—while ignoring the bigger issues that truly matter to God?
• Are we so focused on church traditions, appearances, and rituals that we fail to show justice, mercy, and faith?
•  
• Are we standing up for the oppressed, speaking out for the voiceless, and showing the love of God to those in need?

Truly following Jesus, involves shifting our focus to what He cares about most. Justice. Mercy. Faith and Love.

So today, let us ask ourselves: What are the “weightier matters” in my life that I need to focus on?

Notice what it says in the book, Home Missionary.

The true worshipers of God will work the works of Christ. They will be liberal to the needy; they will not turn the poor from his right, nor frame an excuse to avoid helping those who need help; they will love their neighbors as themselves, not hiding themselves from their own flesh, but considering the condition of the poor, the fatherless, and the widow; they will not appropriate to themselves any portion of the just earnings of those who may be under their control. “The Blessed of the Father,” The Home Missionary, July 1, 1891.

Who should we be helping, does loving our neighbor mean merely those in our own neighborhood, our own culture or our own race?

Read Luke 10:25-37 What do you think? Share your comments.

Then, continue to the next segment of this video, Part 6: Who is my Neighbor

God’s Love and Justice

(Lesson 12)

Love and Justice: The Two Greatest Commandments

Part 6: Who is My Neighbor

What is love in action? That was the very question a lawyer asked Jesus when he tried to justify himself in Luke 10:29: “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29).

In response, Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan.

It is found in Luke 10:30-37

A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by robbers.

They beat him, stripped him, and left him half-dead.

He was helpless, suffering, and in desperate need.

A priest saw him—but passed by.

A Levite saw him—but passed by.

But then, a Samaritan came along.

The Samaritan stopped. He didn’t just feel sorry for the man—he acted.

He cleaned and bandaged the man’s wounds, put him on his own animal, and took him to an inn, took care of him.

He even paid for his care, telling the innkeeper in Luke 10:35,

“Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ (Luke 10:35)

After telling this story, Jesus asked in Luke 10:36

“So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” (Luke 10:36).

The answer was obvious. The one who showed mercy.

Then Jesus gave a clear command in Luke 10:37

“Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37).

This parable is not just about kindness, it’s about justice and mercy.

It is about breaking down barriers and helping those in need, regardless of who they are.

Jesus did not just talk about justice; he came to our world to show mercy and do justly.

For instance, one day, Jesus returned to His hometown, Nazareth, where He had grown up.

It was the Sabbath, the day of worship, and as He always did, He went to the synagogue—the place where the people of God gathered to read and learn about and worship God.

When it was time for the Scripture reading, Jesus stood up.

Someone handed Him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.

He carefully unrolled it and found the part He wanted to read.

Then, in a clear voice, He began reading:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18-19)

When He finished reading, Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down.

The whole room fell silent. Everyone’s eyes were locked on Him.

They knew this was an important Scripture, a promise from God about the one who would come to rescue His people.

Then Jesus spoke again. He said, in Luke 4:21

“Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21) (Pauser)

The people were shocked! Jesus was telling them that He was the one Isaiah had written about long ago.

The one sent by God to save, heal, and bring deliverance.

That day, in His own hometown, Jesus made it clear—He was the answer to their hopes and prayers.

He was the Savior they had been waiting for!

Jesus was the answer to their hopes back then, and He is the answer to our hopes today.

And, for those who especially recognizing their need for deliverance, Jesus is the desire of all nations.

The cry for justice and mercy is heard throughout the Bible.

God is passionate about defending the weak, the poor, and the oppressed.

Contrary to Satan who desired power and tried to take God’s throne for himself.

Jesus did the opposite. Instead of seeking power, He humbled Himself and identified with us humans who are suffering under sin, injustice, and oppression.

 Without being infected by sin He defeated the enemy. But not by force—He won by giving Himself in love.

Through His sacrifice, He established justice, he made things right.

He is the One who is just and the Justifier of all who believes in Him.

If we say we care about God’s law, the very law Jesus died to uphold, then we must also care about what Jesus said was the weightier matters, the most important matters of the law: to do justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God. (Micah 6:8)

Psalm 9:8–9 asserts that

8 He shall judge the world in righteousness, And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.

 9 The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble. (Psalm 9:8–9).

Similarly Psalms 146:7-9 interjects God:

⁷ … executes justice for the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry. The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners. 

⁸ The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; The Lord raises those who are bowed down; The Lord loves the righteous. 

⁹ The Lord watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down. (Psalms 146:7-9)

In Jesus, God’s justice is shown in action. Jesus did not just talk about justice—He came to bring justice.

Jesus lived His mission. He touched lepers when no one else would.

He ate with sinners. He defended the outcasts. He stood up for justice, even when it was unpopular.

Although we may not have the power do miracles like Jesus, we can be His hands and feet in the world.

To someone who is hungry, a meal is a miracle.

To someone considered and outcast, a kind word is a miracle.

To someone who has lost hope, a helping hand is a miracle.

Pause and reflect.

Who is your neighbor have overlooked them.

What barriers in your heart need to be broken so you can truly love others without conditions.

How can we reflect Jesus’ justice and mercy today?

Jesus made it clear—loving God means loving people.

And love is not just about words, it’s about action.

So today, let’s take the challenge that Jesus gave:

“Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37).

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