It is the Duty of Every Man to Love His Neighbour as Himself
Matthew 22:30-40
For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.…


It is requisite to show —

I. WHO IS OUR NEIGHBOUR? We are to account as our neighbour any man whomsoever, friend or enemy, that lives nigh to us, or at a greater distance from us.

II. THE LAWFULNESS OF A MAN'S LOVING HIMSELF. It is a duty incumbent on every man to love himself. There is a twofold self.

1. A natural self.

2. A sinful self. This is to be hated, the other loved.He that came to destroy "the works of the devil" came to save the soul and body, the works of God (Luke 19:10).

1. A man may love his own body, and is bound to preserve the life of it (Ephesians 5:29). A man may sin against his own body by excessive labour, neglect, intemperance (1 Corinthians 6:18).

2. A man may and ought chiefly to love his own soul. The new nature, or spiritual self, is the best self we have, and should be most loved (Romans 14:12).

III. TO LAY DOWN SOME CONCLUSIONS.

1. That as God is to be loved above all things else, so He is to be loved for Himself (Luke 18:19).

2. That creatures may be loved according to that degree of goodness which God hath communicated to them, not for themselves, but for God, who " made all things for Himself" (Proverbs 16:4).

3. No man can love himself or his neighbour aright while he remains in a state of sin. Love is a "fruit of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22).

I. HOW OUGHT WE TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOUR?

I. In the same things wherein we show love to ourselves, we ought to show love to our neighbour.

1. Our thoughts of, and the judgment we pass upon, ourselves (1 Corinthians 13:5).

2. Our speeches (Titus 3:2).

3. Our desires after that which is good for ourselves. We should desire the good of others in all things as our own (Matthew 5:44).

4. Our actual endeavours that it may be well with us. So ought we to endeavour to do others good (1 Peter 4:10).

II. After the same manner that we love ourselves we ought to love others.

1. We do, or should, love ourselves holily, in the fear of God. In this manner we must love others. Every man is a creature upon whose soul there is, in a sort, the image of God (Titus 3:3, 4).

2. Our love to ourselves should be orderly; we must first and chiefly love our souls, and then our bodies (Deuteronomy 4:9).

(1)  We must seek the conversion of those who are unconverted (James 5:19, 20).

(2)  We should show our love to the souls of others by seeking the increase of their faith, holiness, and comfort (1 John 1:4).

3. Our love to ourselves goes out freely. In the like manner we should go forth to others (1 Timothy 6:18).

4. We love ourselves unfeignedly; and thus it is required we should be to others (1 John 3:18).

5. We do not only love ourselves truly and sincerely, but with some fervency; our love to others must not be cold (1 Peter 1:22).

6. We love ourselves very tenderly (Ephesians 5:29). It is required of us that we "be kind one to another, tender-hearted" (Ephesians 4:32).

(Y. Milward, A. M.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

WEB: For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like God's angels in heaven.




How May We Attain to Love God with All Our Hearts
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