I used to have a bad impression of Christianity. As a marginalized person
especially I felt an antagonism. I thought religion was largely just a system of
repression, hatred, judgement, etc. Religion had always been in the background
of my life, but never at the forefront. I wasn't raised religious. Christianity
probably started bubbling to the surface after reading philosophy like Heidegger
and history in relation to Marx. It was really starting to awaken in me when I
started listening to Cliffe Knecthle, whose system and interpretation of the
bible seemed so cohesive and rock-solid theologically/philosophically, and the
message really made sense to me. One of love and forgiveness--to love even my
enemy. When I tried to live out those lessons from the sermon on the mount I
felt a radical awakening, or the Holy Spirit stirring within me. I was so moved
by the power of his word to fulfill that most fundamental of teachings: to love
my neighbor as myself, and to let all else flow from this and be interpreted
from this.
It is so beautiful the community I've found, the guidance I've had, how much
I've been able to lean on Christ in my darkest hours. In my best moments I try
to be like Jesus and in my worst I think I know better.
I will cite the Christian Standard Bible for these lessons.
## Matthew 22:34-40
34 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came
together.
35 And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test him:
36 "Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?"
37 He said to him, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your
soul, and with all your mind.
38 This is the greatest and most important command.
39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.
40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commands."
## Mark 12:28-34
28 One of the scribes approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus
answered them well, he asked him, "Which command is the most important of all?"
29 Jesus answered, "The most important is Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the
Lord is one.
30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your
mind, and with all your strength.
31 The second is, Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command
greater than these."
32 Then the scribe said to him, "You are right, teacher. You have correctly said
that he is one, and there is no one else except him.
33 And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, and with
all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important
tahn all the burnt offerings and sacrifices."
34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from
the kingdom of God." And no one dared to question him any longer.
## Perhaps my favorite: Luke 10:25-37
25 Then an expert in the law stood up to test him, saying, "Teacher, what must I
do to inherit eternal life?"
26 "What is written in the law?" he asked him. "How do you read it?"
27 He answered, "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."
28 "You’ve answered correctly," he told him. "Do this and you will live."
29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30 Jesus took up the question and said, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to
Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and
fled, leaving him half dead.
31 A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by
on the other side.
32 In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed
by on the other side.
33 But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he
had compassion.
34 He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine.
Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said,
'Take care of him. When I come back I'll reimburse you for whatever extra you
spend.'
36 "Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who
fell into the hands of the robbers?"
37 "The one who showed mercy to him," he said. Then Jesus told him, "Go and do
the same."
