The Law of Moses vs. The Two Great Commandments

What's easier to live? I have no idea how most people would answer that question. It would depend a lot on the type of person you are. Are you a list-maker? Do you like to quantify success? We in the church, by nature of all of the things we can/can't or should/shouldn't do can easily begin to look at life in the context of the law of moses. We talk about the 613 mitzvot (commandments that are binding on Jews) and sometimes I believe we look at life with a similar quantification about right and wrong. Why do we need all of the rules we have? Christ gave us two: to love God and to love one's neighbor. It seems so much easier to follow that dogma than the law of Moses, and yet, is it easier? Well, for a lot of people that would depend on how you define neighbor. If by neighbor you mean just the people that make you comfortable, then yes that might be easier. But...if by that you use Christ's broader definition as laid out in the parable of the Good Samaritan, then it might be a little tougher. For many people, the checklist brings more comfort and satisfaction than loving people that make us uncomfortable. If I can go through my week doing all of the things that I should, at the same time avoiding all the things i'm supposed to avoid, i can look at that week, breathe a sigh of relief, disregard the atonement (because i've done everything "right") and go on to the next week. What's the problem with that? Well, it depends on our "why". Christ condemned the pharisees and sadducees for following the law of moses hypocritically, "only to be seen". In today's lingo we would call it doing it for the sake of one's image. If our image is our reason, then we "have our reward". We walk a sad road when our true meaning in life comes in following a checklist of guidelines, because of what it would look like to others if we didn't. The gospel of Jesus Christ was designed to bring joy, and if we live it by following the two great commandments, then we will find that joy.