This sums it all up

Read Matthew 7:12

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Does the Sermon on the Mount seem complicated? A Christian’s righteousness is different from the Pharisees’ long list of rules because Jesus has fulfilled the Law (Mt.5:17,20), but living out his greater righteousness is still very daunting. So it’s good news that one single law fulfils everything in regard to right behaviour towards other people: “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Mt.22:38-40; Gal.5:14; Rom.13:8-10).

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This is “the royal law” of God’s kingdom (Jas.2:8). And even this summary can be summed up further in this one Golden Rule: “In everything do to others what you would have them do to you”. That’s a comprehensive rule that covers every life-situation, with a basic simplicity and practicality. We need only ask ourselves how we would like to be treated to know what is right to do.

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But though that’s simple to grasp it’s not easy to practise, especially if those people are our enemies (Lk.6:27-31). That same self-love means we don’t want to serve other people in this way (Phil.2:3-8). The Beatitudes point to what we need to seek in order for us to live by this rule (Mt.5:3-10) and the Lord’s Prayer shows us how we can find that enabling (Mt.6:9-13).