Acquitted
Acquitted
(#310 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
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“Which is the first [greatest] commandment of all?” Yahshua answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, Yahweh our Mighty One, Yahweh is one. And you shall love Yahweh your Mighty One with all your heart [center of intellect], with all your soul [intellectual essence], and with all your strength [intellectual strength].’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-31)
When asked, “Which is the first [greatest] of all the commandments?” Yahshua begins with: “Hear, O Israel, Yahweh our Mighty One, Yahweh is one.” Being One with the Father is the foundation of everything. That is why Yahshua prayed, “That they all may be One, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be One in Us”. (John 17:21) One who shares the mind and therefore the will of Yahweh does only what he sees his Father do. Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” (John 5:19) The love that follows this level of unity encapsulates the rest of the commands. What Yahshua is affirming is that the law is fulfilled in its entirety by love. And the singular defining essence of love is that it never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8).
It is, then, only a disobedient mind that requires to be ruled by laws other than what is defined by love. The quintessential example of this disobedience is demonstrated by Israyl’s desire to be judged (ruled over) by a king (carnal laws for a carnal kingdom) instead of Yahweh. “Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” And Yahweh said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.” (1 Samuel 8:5, 7) They rejected Yahweh and He warned them that looking outside to be governed would not turn out well. “You shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.” Nevertheless, the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” (vv. 9, 19-20)
Do you wish to “be like all the nations?” Or would you rather be One with Yahshua who never had to ask, “What should I do now Father?” Everything hangs on love; everything becomes perfect in love, by love and through love; and love never fails! And be of good cheer because love has been poured out in your heart (Romans 5:5), which we now know from #308, is the “center of intellect.”
Yahweh wants you to be free from mental bondage; and through Yahshua, you have been acquitted. Love has been shed abroad in your heart; it alone makes having any other king over you unnecessary because love is THE law unto itself. When you love like Him, it is the only Law you need.