Matthew 22:34-40 The Great Commandment

But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" 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.' This is the great and foremost commandment.  The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." [Matthew 22:34‭-‬40 NASB]

Jesus was well aware that with His impending death and resurrection, He would be ushering in a New Covenant, making the requirements of the Old Covenant (the Law and the Prophets). We are told:

For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. For finding fault with them, He says, "Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, when I will effect a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not like the covenant which I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand  to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they did not continue in My covenant, and I did not care for them, says the Lord." For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put  my laws into their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. "And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, and everyone his brother, saying, 'know the  Lord,' for all will know Me, from the least to the greatest of them. "for I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more."  When He said, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear. [Hebrews 8:7‭-‬13 NASB]

Therefore, all of the sacrifices, rituals and regulations have been done away with. What remains are these two principles that are not based on rituals, but on the condition of the heart. Love God with everything you are, and love your neighbor.

In an ideal Christian society, each person would seek God and allow himself to be taught by the Holy Spirit who lives in each of us. In this idyllic world, there would be no crime or jealousy. Each one of us would walk in the Spirit, putting God first as our priority in all things. And we would treat one another fairly and compassionately, putting the needs of others before ourselves.

One day, we will be changed. Whether that be through death, or being caught up to meet Him, we will have new bodies that are free of the weaknesses and temptations of the flesh. In that day, we will live up to the ideal.

In the mean time, join me in the challenge to live in the Spirit right now in this world. Let's do our part to create an ideal society in our own little sphere of influence. We may not have the power to change the world, but we, at least, can live in peace, and, perhaps, influence the people around us.