Why is the Golden Rule so important?

TL;DR:

The Golden Rule comes from Jesus’ teaching to do unto others what you want done unto you. The Golden Rule guides us in how to treat people with love.

Jesus articulated what is known as the Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12: "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them." The Golden Rule exemplifies Jesus' teachings on love and righteousness, reflecting God's character and guiding believers towards living out their faith in practical, transformative ways. While the Golden Rule provides a good principle for all to follow, only those whose hearts are transformed by God following salvation can truly live out the Golden Rule. While other religions teach a reciprocal rule in treating others, discouraging others from doing things they would not want done to them, the Golden Rule calls for genuine love and care that comes in proactive and positive action toward all.

from the old testament

The human heart is inherently selfish. Even our most seemingly unselfish acts come from a desire to feel good about ourselves and look good before others. While people may appear to be unselfish, the deepest motive of the human heart is not to help others but to help our own image and self-esteem (Jeremiah 17:9).

from the new testament

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 7:12). This phrase has come to be known as "The Golden Rule." Jesus never called it that, and the Bible doesn't give it that name, but the phrase is regarded as so important and such a good summary of the principles of unselfishness and love contained in Jesus' sermon that it was given the name "The Golden Rule" by Bible translators in the 16th and 17th centuries, using a popular saying at that time.
The people of Jesus’ day—especially the religious people—needed to hear this message. They were very good at appearing outwardly loving and kind and righteous, while inwardly they were "full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness" (Matthew 23:27). The Pharisees and the people they taught were very concerned with following the Law, thinking that by their good behavior they would be saved. However, Jesus said that "the Law and the Prophets" had to do with doing to others what you would wish to have done to yourself (Matthew 7:12). Elsewhere He affirmed that the Law and Prophets hung on the command to love God and love others (Matthew 22:34–40). Jesus confronted the religious people; they were not sincere in their love and no amount of rule-following would be considered righteous in God's eyes.

implications for today

Do we naturally seek to do good to our fellow men, entirely unselfishly? We do not. The wonder of God's work in the heart is that He puts His own love for humanity in our hearts for one another. John reminds us that "No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us" (1 John 4:12). What this means is that when we love each other, we glorify God and His image can be seen in our love, which is ultimately His love.

This command to love makes Christianity unique when compared to every other religious system. In fact, the Bible is so radical in its command to proactively love that Christians are told to love even their enemies, something that simply does not exist in any other world religion (Matthew 5:43–44; cf. Exodus 23:4–5).

The mark of a true Christian is this kind of unselfish love (John 13:34–35). God's Spirit of love is alive in the person who loves in this unselfish, supernatural way—and the presence of that Spirit is evidence of a Christian's salvation. First John 3:16–18 makes it clear: "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

understand

The Golden Rule acknowledges the inherent selfishness of the human heart.
The Golden Rule calls for ethical reciprocity and empathy, as articulated by Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount where He instructs treating others with the same fairness and kindness one desires for oneself.
Jesus critiques superficial righteousness, emphasizing that true righteousness involves genuine love and compassion rather than mere adherence to religious practices or outward displays of virtue.

reflect

How can you identify and overcome your own selfish motives when attempting to live out the Golden Rule in your daily interactions?
Reflecting on Jesus' critique of outward righteousness, how can you ensure your acts of kindness and love are genuine and not merely for appearances?
In what specific ways can you proactively apply the Golden Rule in challenging relationships or situations where it's difficult to show love?

engage

Something interesting about the Golden Rule is its proactive, positive quality. Other religions, including Confucianism, Buddhism and Hinduism, contain similar commands:
Confucianism: "Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you" (Analects 15:23).
Hinduism: "This is the sum of duty: do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you" (Mahabharata 5:1517).
Buddhism: "Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful" (Udana-Varga 5:18).
Notice the negative quality of these commands. They seem to be saying the same thing as Jesus' Golden Rule, but they are actually a negative opposite referred to as the "ethic of reciprocity." The idea espoused by these other religions is that you should not do something to another person if you know it would cause them pain; that is, if it would cause you pain, it will cause them pain, so don't do it to them. But this "silver rule," as it is sometimes called, requires nothing of you. It requires no love, no positive action. You can be filled with apathy for your fellow man and still follow this rule. The Golden Rule, in contrast, requires a heart stirred with love for others.
How does the Golden Rule challenge cultural norms and societal expectations regarding self-interest and competition?
In what ways are unbelievers able to live out the Golden Rule, and how are they limited in living it out? What is different between believers and unbelievers in living out the Golden Rule?