“Loving My Neighbor”

The Parables by Gary Inrig
“Understanding What Jesus Meant”

The books second chapter, “Loving My Neighbor” is
that parable of the good Samaritan.(Luke10:25-37)
The bible scripture leading into this parable has two
primary questions asked of Jesus by the lawyer;
“ What shall I do to inherit eternal life ?”(Luke10:25)
“and who is my neighbor?”(Luke10:29)

So he (lawyer) answered the first question and said,
“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all
your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”
(Luke 10:27)
(Deuteronomy 6:5 linked with Leviticus 19:18 stated
in Matthew 22:37-40 again in Luke 10:27.)
And He (Jesus) said to him, “You have answered rightly;
do this and you will live.” (Luke 10:28)

Jesus answered the second question with the Samaritan
Parable and a question; So which of these three do you
think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”
(Luke 10:36) And to that question; he (lawyer) answered
said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said
to him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37)

The Samaritan saw the injured person only as a human
in need and felt compassion for human suffering. The
Samaritan cared for the immediate needs and went a
step further and provided for care of someone who
Could not care for himself.

“Your neighbor” is someone; whom you may or may
not know, of your race or not, of your religion or not,
for it is the need of the person which you can meet
that determines who becomes your neighbor.

Our neighbor is that person whom has a need that
we have the resources to meet. The Samaritan did
not go looking for a neighbor, however he did not
turn aside from that person who became his
neighbor, as a person he found in need.

I believe God has made it very clear that only those
that love Him will be accepted in His House. He has
also made it clear that to love Him you must also
love those that He loves.

Eternal life is not earned by works, nor is it by
achievements. Inheritance is a heart relationship with
God. God wants us neighbors to be expressions of
His love in this world.

The evidence of our love for God is our love for those
that God loves. This means We are the neighbors to
all those that God loves. We are the ones to do the
loving thing as those situations are presented.