Loving my neighbor as myself is better than all of the stuff I do in church; pray, read my Bible, sing songs, give of my tithes and offerings, bake pies for the church potlucks, etc.
We are no longer under the Old Testament covenant practices of sacrifices and offerings. Jesus Christ is our new, eternal and better covenant (read the book of Hebrews).
God was never truly pleased with the burnt offerings and sacrifices on the altar in the temple, but he permitted it in those days. Yet the Prophets and priests continually reminded the Israelites of what God truly desired of them. These offerings and sacrifices became nothing more than religious rituals, an obligation to appease the God of Israel.
The word of God is very clear about what God truly desires and requires of each of us. What he always wanted, since the creation of Man, was and is, a personal, one on one, Mano e Mano relationship with each and every one of us.
In Christ we can have that reconciled relationship with God (Romans 5) because of His atoning sacrifice on the cross. Jesus shed His blood for the sins of the world, so that those who believe on His name will not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16).
In Christ we are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17) enabled to walk in the Spirit and not only put away our flesh with its passions and desires, but to walk in a new way to life, producing fruit that follows us into eternity. That fruit of the spirit starts with love. Loving others in the Spirit includes mercy, compassion and forgiveness. Loving our neighbors as ourselves is the fulfillment of Christ’s commandment to love God and one another. We can’t truly love God, as he commands, without loving our neighbors (brothers, one another, etc).
The cross symbolizes both our vertical relationship with God our Creator, AND the horizontal relationship with our fellow Man. The two relationships meet in the middle. Through the blood of Jesus Christ we can love one another the way we are commanded, but more importantly, it becomes engrained into our hearts as we deny ourselves, take up or cross daily and follow Him
Proverbs 21:3 NLT
[3] The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices.
https://bible.com/bible/116/pro.21.3.NLT
Micah 6:6-8 NLT
[6] What can we bring to the Lord? Should we bring him burnt offerings? Should we bow before God Most High with offerings of yearling calves? [7] Should we offer him thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins? [8] No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
https://bible.com/bible/116/mic.6.6-8.NLT
Proverbs 15:8-9 NLT
[8] The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but he delights in the prayers of the upright. [9] The Lord detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue godliness.
https://bible.com/bible/116/pro.15.8-9.NLT
Isaiah 1:11, 16-17 NKJV
[11] “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” Says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats.
[16] “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, [17] Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.
https://bible.com/bible/114/isa.1.11-17.NKJV
Living As Light 
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