The Eleventh Commandment

My favorite literary genres are ones that focus on historical figures. In fact, I just read Candice Millard’s book Hero of the Empire, The Boer War, a Daring Escape and the Making of Winston Churchill. This fascinating biographical account revealed Churchill’s complexity. His dear friend of 63 years, Pamela Bulwer-Lytton, explained, “The first time you meet Winston you see all his faults … and the rest of your life you spend in discovering his virtues.”[i]

I pondered that perceptive sentence: isn’t the discovery of our own virtues what we long for? While our faults are readily apparent to those who know us well, we also hope, indeed, for our virtues to be discovered. Sadly, often when defects are exposed, relationships end with no possibility of further discovery. Then, the chance of redemption or a deepening connection of love for one another is lost.

A Hard Truth The Bible verse most people, even non-religious ones, recognize is

“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as

thyself” (Leviticus 19:18). It is

interesting, though, that individuals

never quote or even know the first

part of God’s command to Israel in

verse 18. Yet it is crucial to the

commandment! It says, “You shall not

take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people [your brothers and sisters], but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”

The verse is asking, “How can you love your neighbor as yourself if you hold grudges or take vengeance against him?” The answer, of course, is that you cannot. Grudges and vengeance are antithetical to love—a hard truth for many to grasp.

A New Standard Jesus confronts this dilemma by elevating that “love your neighbor” commandment to what I call the Eleventh Commandment. Just before His death, Jesus told His disciples, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another [italics mine]. By this all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

Notice the difference between the Old Testament commandment and the one Jesus gave. Our love for ourselves is no longer the standard for loving others, but rather Jesus’ love for us becomes the standard for unconditional love. Consequently, obedience to this “new” command will produce a revolutionary change when we obey it.

Jesus is perfect; we are not. So the question arises: Is it possible to love as He does? Such transformation requires that we spend time with the Savior: “ Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

A Sure Guide A renewed mind means understanding life through the lens of Scripture, as the Holy Spirit opens and guides our understanding: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). This outlook replaces our predilection to view life through the lens of our pain, our wounds, our grudges. Daily, we can choose a Spirit-led life rather than a life ruled by untrustworthy feelings or by the lies of our enemy, Satan.

It is possible to capture our thoughts and evaluate them in light of the Word of God—our sure standard: “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Thus, we must know the Bible in order to hide its truths deep in our hearts. Like Winston Churchill during World War II, we are engaged in a battle in the pursuit of peace and love. As we renew our thinking by engaging the mind of Christ and obeying the truths in His Word, we experience the lovely transformation that mirrors His image, which gives us power to love others as He has loved us.

Guarding Our Tongues Let’s face it, though, often our emotions guide our actions and speech. Therefore, it is vital for us to learn how to control our responses. Writer Gail Goolsby compares this process to discerning traffic signals:

· If you feel angry or upset, that is like a red light, telling you something needs to

change.

· If you are confused, mildly irritated, discouraged, or suspicious, that is a yellow

warning signal to slow down and look at the situation carefully.

· If you sense peace, delight, or joy, the light is green, and you can proceed.[ii]

You have the power to change someone’s life simply by the words that you speak. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21). Of course, the Word of God is our most trustworthy guide because our emotions, sadly, are unreliable. However, God provides opportunity for our transformation. It is possible to change: “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3). Therefore, let us allow the mind of Jesus to transform us, then, as we follow in His steps of love.

[i] Millard, Candice. Hero of the Empire, The Boer War, a Daring Escape and the Making of Winston Churchill, (Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York, 2016), 314. [ii] Goolsby Gail. “Thinking Versus Feeling.” Just Between Us. (Evangelical Press Association), 40.

*All Scripture from the ESV