One of the various laws stated in Leviticus 19:18 is restated by Jesus in Matthew 22:37-39 and Mark 12:30-31 where He starts by saying: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Jesus first mentions loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and follows with loving your neighbor as yourself. According to Jesus, this commandment, together with loving God, encompasses all of the Law’s requirements regarding how people relate to both God and each other.
First-century readers of Matthew 22:39 and Mark 12:31would have understood the phrase “as yourself” as an obvious and natural assumption of human nature, that people naturally care for and love themselves. The command to “love your neighbor as yourself” implies that just as individuals look after their own well-being, they should similarly care for others with the same attention and concern since loving oneself included basic self-care, seeking one’s own good, and preserving life, so the command called for extending this natural self-love outward to others.
The Bible indicates that it is proper, even necessary, to love yourself to a reasonable degree. Such love includes caring for yourself, respecting yourself, and having a sense of self-worth, (Matthew 10:31). Rather than glorifying selfishness, the Bible puts self-love in its rightful place.
God’s command for us to love ourselves means, in part, that we are to do nothing that will bring harm to ourselves.
- We will take no substance into our bodies that is known to cause bodily arm or mental deficiency.
- We will engage in no activities that we know will bring detriment to us.
- We will forge no alliance or relationships that we know will be hurtful to us financially, materially, physically or emotionally.
God gave His law to mankind not to diminish man’s fun or to put a damper on man’s ability to experience life fully; rather, He gave the law so that man might avoid circumstance that would produce physical, material, emotional or spiritual harm.
The command does not encourage selfishness, but suggests that just as people naturally care for their own needs, they should seek the good of others with the same attentiveness.
The Bible addresses the concept of self-love, yet it frames it within the broader context of loving others and one’s relationship with God.
Whom should we love first? Love for God should come first in our hearts. The Bible teaches that the greatest commandment is: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30; Deuteronomy 6:5).
Jesus showed how to balance love for God, love for neighbor, and love for self, and he instructed His disciples to follow His example (John 13:34-35).
He loved God the Father first and devoted Himself to accomplishing His work. “But so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me” (John 14:31).
The second greatest commandment is: “You must love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Leviticus 19:18). Jesus loved His neighbor, showing this by caring for the needs of others even to the point of giving His own life (Matthew 20:28).
Although the Bible does not include a specific command to love yourself, the command to “love your neighbor as yourself” indicates that a reasonable degree of self-love and self-respect is normal and beneficial. Jesus showed a reasonable love for Himself by taking time to rest, eat, and enjoy association with His followers and disciples (Mark 6:31-32; Luke 5:29; John 2:1-2, 12:2).
Here are some additional biblical viewpoints on loving oneself:
Genesis 1:27 states that humans are created in the image of God, suggesting that each person has inherent worth and dignity. This provides a biblical basis for self-respect and valuing others.
While the Bible encourages valuing oneself, it also warns against pride and self-exaltation. For instance, Romans 12:3 counsel believers to – “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
A healthy self-love sets the standard for how one should treat others; since the care one gives to oneself is used as a model of the sacrificial and proactive love that Christian relationships should embody.
Jesus states that “all the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:40), making them the foundation of ethical and religious life.
So, who is my neighbor? It is anyone in our proximity with whom we can share God’s love. We are called not only to love those who are similar to us or with whom we are comfortable, but all whom God places in our path. Since God shows love to all people (John 3:16–18; Romans 1:19–20; 2 Peter 3:9); we as born again believers – His children (John 1:12), are called to do the same.
As Christians we know that we possess eternal life because someone shared the love of God with us, therefore, if we truly love our neighbor we will do the same and share the good news of the gospel with them.
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
*******
Mission Venture Ministries 
Leave a comment