The keywords in the instruction ‘Love thy Neighbor’ are ‘love’ and ‘neighbor’. These keywords are used in general English vocabulary yet they have a distinctly differing biblical meaning. Indeed this is a command from God which all believers should observe.

To explain this instruction, the approach this article will take is to consider the biblical definitions of the two keywords, which will automatically give a perfect explanation of the topic.

Defining love

Love is a perfect definition of who God is. Love is of God and it is a symbol for all people that claim to know Him (1 John 4:7 – 10 niv). He loved the world that He gave His one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Likewise, the command to love is sent out to all believers, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34 niv).

The apostle Paul, as recorded in 1 Corinthians 13:4 -8, gives some qualities of love. He says that love is patient, kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs, it does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth, it always protects, it always trusts, it always hopes, it always perseveres and it never fails. Once we have received God’s love as his children, he expects us to love Him and others just like He does the world. According to the Bible, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:8 niv)

Defining a Neighbor

According to the Gospel of Luke 10:29, Jesus Christ was asked by a certain lawyer to explain what the meaning of a neighbor is. As it was His custom, Jesus explained by the use of a parable. This is the parable of the Good Samaritan who took pity on a man that had been stripped and beaten by robbers ( Luke 10:30 – 35). This parable reveals that actions better define to a victim of circumstances who his or her true neighbor is. It is about what others see as qualities of being a neighbor in you than what you actually say about your relationship with them.

Clearly, being a neighbor has no racial, ethnicity, religious, cultural or status barriers or any form of rivalry. There is no Gentile or Jew as this was one barrier in the early church where Jews were labeled the chosen nation.

Expressing love

The qualities of love as listed in the former section are a confirmation of the fact that love without works is invisible or dead. This brings the call to serve others to picture as it is the only means by which love is brought to practice. Jesus demonstrated His love for the world by serving (Matthew 20:28). It therefore is not surprising that Jesus, the true Son of God, commands for believers to love their enemies and pray for those that persecute them (Matthew 5:44).

God commands for people to love one another first before they can love Him. He who claims to love God whom he has not seen but hate his brother or sister whom they have seen is nothing less than a liar (1 John 4:20).

The meaning

Loving a neighbor is offering love so vividly to the point that the recipient, who is the neighbor, undoubtedly knows that you love them. The assignment to love is the second rated law given to mankind by God (Matthew 22:37 -39).

Therefore, if you are a believer, go and love your neighbor without relenting.

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