Matthew 22:34 (LSB) But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35 And one of them, a scholar of the Law, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 And the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”

This is our text for Sunday morning worship. This is the final test that the best human minds can present to the Sovereign Lord incarnate. The question burning in the minds of the Israelites in Jesus' day was, "What is the correct interpretation of the Law? How do I know I am right with God? How do I know that I am not under the covenantal curse?"

There were three primary schools of thought in Jesus' day who sought to answer these questions: the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes. In their various ways, they answered these questions above with, "Our own works." Their works were different, and that is what set them apart, but, in the final analysis, they were relying upon their own good deeds to be in right standing before God.

What must one do to attain eternal life? The answer? Keep the Law. But here is the problem: which Law is supreme? Jesus answers that question here with the two great commandments which are actually the same: love God and neighbor. In Luke 10, Jesus answers the question, "Who is my neighbor?" with the parable of the Good Samaritan. Love risks. Love extends. Love trusts God so much that it has little concern for what happens to self. Love sees someone in need and says, "I will help you, even if you don't want me to help you; even if you don't see that you need help." Love knows that anyone's ultimate need is the forgiveness of sins by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, so love seeks the good of his neighbor.

Because God has created us in His image, we have been created to love Him supremely and our neighbors as ourselves. That love looks like believing every single word, every single letter, indeed!, every single stroke of the pen that God has breathed out and had preserved and translated for us. God does not change. Neither does His Word. It is we who have fallen far short of this standard of perfection, of covenantal love, of believing God's every single word, of trusting Him for everything in our lives, of striving with every fiber of our being in the strength that He supplies to turn away from the rubbish of sin to the holiness of God. 

In order to have eternal life, we must keep this Law. The problem here? We do not do it. Indeed, we cannot. What is the solution? How can anyone be saved and stand righteous before God? God has made the one and only way: He has kept the Law perfectly on our behalf; He has died the death of the covenantal curse on behalf of all who believe; He has been raised never to die again in the person of the Son of God: Jesus Christ. Only God can love God supremely and perfectly. Only God loves His neighbor as Himself. Only God has kept the Law. Because He has done so on behalf of all who believe, there is but one question that remains: will you repent of the unbelief of thinking that your own works will save you and believe that Christ's works alone save you? 

Is it really that simple? Does God really give you His Own righteousness because He first gives you life to believe in Him? Yes! How can that kind of covenantal love and faithfulness not stir up your heart and affections for God? How can this God not cause your heart to say, "Yes! Amen! He is holy, just, true, merciful, gracious, and kind! I believe. I believe! Help my unbelief! Give me life! Give me holiness! Give me strength to walk in the good deeds You have prepared for me!" O, sinner, come and see! O, saint, come and see!

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