God gave the people of Israel many commandments and laws. What they did with the commandments and laws determined their righteousness before God. However, by its very nature, the law was given to show how impossible it is for us to fulfil. Of all the commandments however, one was universally acclaimed as the greatest of all.
This book seeks to point to the reader that it is not possible to fulfill the Great Commandment all on our own. It is when we receive Jesus Christ that we receive the ability to love God with all our hearts and souls. It is Jesus Christ who sheds the love of God in our hearts through the Holy Spirit.
Table of Contents
- The Great Commandment – Can Any Human Fulfil It?
- How Do We Love God?
- The Condition of the Human Heart
Objectives and Key Themes
The text examines the concept of the Great Commandment - loving God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. It explores the history and significance of this commandment within Judaism, Christianity, and other world religions.
- The Great Commandment as a central tenet of various religions
- The challenge of fulfilling the Great Commandment
- The role of good works in demonstrating love for God
- The inherent limitations of human nature in fulfilling the Great Commandment
- The importance of God's grace in achieving true righteousness
Chapter Summaries
- The Great Commandment – Can Any Human Fulfil It?: This chapter introduces the concept of the Great Commandment and its significance within Jewish and Christian traditions. It explores the scriptural basis of this commandment and its importance in relation to other laws and prophecies.
- How Do We Love God?: This chapter examines various ways people have attempted to demonstrate their love for God, including religious rituals, philanthropy, and moral codes. It questions the effectiveness of these actions in truly fulfilling the Great Commandment.
- The Condition of the Human Heart: This chapter delves into the limitations of human nature in fulfilling the Great Commandment. It argues that the human heart is inherently deceitful and incapable of loving God as expected. This chapter emphasizes the need for God's grace in achieving true righteousness.
Keywords
The text focuses on the Great Commandment, love for God, human nature, good works, salvation, grace, righteousness, and the condition of the human heart. It also explores religious traditions, scriptural interpretations, and the challenge of fulfilling divine expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the "Great Commandment" mentioned in the book?
The Great Commandment is the mandate to love God with all one's heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself.
Can humans fulfill this commandment on their own?
The book argues that due to the inherent limitations and deceitfulness of the human heart, it is impossible for humans to fulfill the Great Commandment through their own efforts alone.
What is the role of Jesus Christ in fulfilling the Great Commandment?
According to the text, receiving Jesus Christ provides the believer with the ability to truly love God, as the Holy Spirit sheds the love of God into their hearts.
How do religious rituals and good works relate to this commandment?
The book examines rituals and philanthropy as ways people try to show love for God, but questions their effectiveness if they are not supported by divine grace.
Why was the law given if it is impossible to fulfill?
The text suggests that the law was given to demonstrate human inability to achieve righteousness independently and to point towards the necessity of God's grace.
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- Abraham Quarcoo (Autor), 2017, The Great Commandment. Can We Fulfill It?, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/386095
