What does the Bible have to say about our neighbors?

“Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” — Romans 13:10 (ESV)

The Bible has a lot to say about neighbors and being neighborly. And, why wouldn’t it when Jesus made it plain through action and word that we are to love our neighbor (see Matthew 22:39, Mark 12:31, and Luke 10:27)? Throughout the Old and New Testament there are examples of how we are to interact with our neighbors. 

The law in the Old Testament tells us: 

• Not to oppress or rob our neighbor (Leviticus 19:13), 

• Not to bear false witness against our neighbor (Exodus 20:16), 

• To restore and amend what we take from our neighbors (Leviticus 6:2-5), 

• And, my favorite found in Proverbs 2:17-18, to not overstay your welcome. 

All of these rules and regulations found in the Old Testament are summed up with one single word—love. The New Testament tells us the whole law is fulfilled by loving your neighbor as yourself (see Matthew 7:12, Romans 13:10, Galatians 5:14).

If you are wondering what that love looks like, Luke 6:31-34 (MSG) tells it plainly, “Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them. If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that’s charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.” 

More explicitly in In Matthew 25:31-46, we are given a vivid picture as God separates those who acted in love from those who did not. How we show God’s love to others matters greatly. Loving our neighbors should be a natural outflow of the love we have been gifted from God. There is no end to it. It is abundant and overflowing. There is more than enough for all. Rather than hold tight to an idea of a love with conditions, we are asked to allow our love to open up to a much larger community everyday. God’s love is a message of inclusion and abundance, not one of exclusivity and scarcity. Love big. You will never run out. 

At Centerpoint, we are breaking down every barrier that keeps people from the love of God. We don’t shy away from the hard questions. No matter where you are in your faith journey, you are welcome to join us!