“Did Jesus teach about confessing Him as our Savior, or did he teach about loving our neighbors as ourselves?”
This is a very insightful question asked by one of my commentators in “You Can Be Sure Pt. 1”.
The answer is that Jesus taught both! He said:
“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.” Ma 10: 32 KJV
“I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty….All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away….For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:35, 37, 40 NIV
And He said
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25,26 NIV
But He also said:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Ma 5:43-48 NIV
Here’s the thing, I have found it is impossible to follow the love command unless I first obey His call to come and believe!
How about you?
Reinventing the We'll 
For me, if I did not have Jesus in my heart there are some people I would find extremely hard to love. I pray that God gives me the strength continue to see what Christ sees in them so that I can love them. It is only through Him that I can accomplish this because believe me there are days it is very hard to love them. I always try to keep in mind “what would Jesus do or say” right now in that moment. Thank you, Jesus for coming into my heart and teaching me how to love others. Thank you, Lord for sending us your son, Jesus Christ as an example of how to love others even when it is difficult. A-men!!!
A-men. With us it is impossible but with God ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!
Your last sentence answers the question. It would be impossible for me to love others if I did not first love Him.
The question infers there can only be one choice, but Jesus didn’t only give one command. We are called to many things . . . but NONE can be fulfilled unless we first know Him, follow Him and yield to Him, because NONE is possible of our own self.
Oh so true! He is our All in All and without Him we can do nothing!!! Thanks for these observations!
Timely and appropriate for me. As I am sure I am unlovable at times I certainly have experienced that I have to draw to God and rely on His love when I have none. Thank you!
You are welcome Tom! It is true, when we are at our worst He becomes our best!
Wonderfully said, friend. Probably because it is Him living in us that makes the loving part possible and real! God bless.
It is true!
Jillie, thanks again for answering my questions. It is interesting to notice that both John and Mathew have slightly different ways of writing, and therefore, reflect different ways they perceived Jesus. John seems to be more preoccupied with future “resurrections” and “the end of times” and Mathew focused more on what Jesus wanted us to do here on earth. At the same time, when Jesus referred to himself as the “resurrection” I cannot help but wonder if he actually meant that the resurrection is not something we should expect to happen in the future, but NOW (I am), saying that “I AM” (the present moment) is when the spiritual resurrection should happen. If so, then Jesus was inviting his listeners to be reborn again TODAY to the NEW LIFE which is the Kingdom of Heaven. It is also fair to say that Jesus referred to himself as “the bread of Life” and “resurrection” because he perceived he was the perfect example of living the Kingdom of Heaven (bread was the most valuable food in those days, and resurrection was also highly valued) and wanted others to understand what He stood for by using metaphors that people could relate to.
Good observations again Noel. You are right in part, resurrection and the born again experience begin now and according to Jesus the Kingdom of Heaven is already within us (as a spiritual reality as attended by the indwelling presence of the Holy Ghost according to John 16). However there is also a future physical fulfillment of the resurrection of the dead according to every New Testament writer. While we are born again now we shall be resurrected either after death or by rapture and Jesus literal resurrection was the first fruits of that future event!