Religious activity in Israel was controlled by two groups of leaders, Sadducees and Pharisees. Sadducees adhered strictly to the written Law in the first five books of the Bible, oversaw temple worship but denied that there was an afterlife. The Pharisees also taught from the Law of Moses but added many extra rules which God had never given, which became part of their culture. In their minds, the more diligent they were in their religious practices, the more God would be pleased. But what about those laws they failed to keep? James said that if only one law was broken, the person was guilty of breaking all of them (James 2:10).

By asking Jesus to name the greatest commandment, the Pharisees wanted Jesus to side with them against the Sadducees. They also wanted to see whether He would agree with their idea of which laws were the greatest - it was a popular debate at the time. But, of course, Jesus was not caught out.

Instead of citing a particular commandment, Jesus summarised the purpose of the Old Testament Law - to bring people into relationship with God. Using the Shema, which was recited by every Hebrew family each day (Deuteronomy 6:4-5), Jesus showed that God commanded active love – love that obeyed God and achieved God’s work in the world. He did not want their religious duty but their love; genuine loving relationships and sacrificial lifestyles (Leviticus 19:18). Without love expressed in action they had no future with God at all (1 John 3:10-18).

That is the reason for the gospel. We are all sinners and cannot justify ourselves in God's sight. That is why Jesus became the one perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. Those who trust in Him will enter a relationship with God. That is so different from Christ-less religion. Whichever religion you look at, it has a sort of moral ladder to climb, hopeful of pleasing God. But that is not the Christian life. We start to enter a relationship with Him once we admit we are out of relationship, and only experience the relationship once we welcome Him as Saviour and Lord. Look at www.crosscheck.org.uk and share it with your friends. It will help them to find this relationship also.