Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if [there be] any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love [is] the fulfilling of the law.
The law can and does require that you respect and treat your neighbor according to that which is right. The law can demand a penalty for disobedience in this. But the law cannot cause you to love your neighbor. The civil law of our land does not really care if you love your neighbor or not as long as you do not harm him or his property. God’s spiritual law is different. Though I obey the letter of the law outwardly, yet do not love, it is worthless. Even though I go beyond just refraining from offense against any, and sell all I have and give it to the poor, without love, it is worthless (1Cor 13).
This love is the fruit of the Spirit in God’s people and restrains the evil in our heart toward our fellow man, but before God, His spiritual law requires that we keep the letter of the law perfectly, and love perfectly. You see the law of God scrutinizes uncompromisingly not only what we do, but why.
No man has ever kept the letter of the law, nor loved perfectly, but the Lord Jesus Christ. This is why God’s law condemns us and also why Christ is our only righteousness. Galatians 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Love is clearly the fulfilling of the law, as revealed here, because if we truly could love perfectly then we would never hurt or defraud the objects of our love, neither God nor man.
Our Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the law perfectly in that He is love, and having loved us perfectly, He not only could never harm or wrong us, but He gave Himself for us. And because of His perfect, infinite love for His Father and us, He not only fulfilled the law perfectly as our Representative but paid the penalty for our lawlessness, washing us from our sins in His own precious blood. Upon this basis we are exhorted to love, not in word only, but in deed and in truth (1John 3:18). -- Chris Cunningham
1Cor 8:1 . . . Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. It is impossible to have fellowship with anyone who has great head knowledge of doctrine, but has not the love of Christ shed abroad in their heart. They will want to argue with you, but...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 Sovereign grace is not a religious denomination or theological movement. It is a concise expression of the clear...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Man is naturally rebellious against all authority. This is symptomatic of our hatred for God. To rebel...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
Romans 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Peace with men only comes by first having peace with God. The fruit of the Spirit is peace (Gal 5:22), and there is no peace in the heart without Him....[ abbreviated | read entire ]
Saved By Faith Luke 7:50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. There are many who fancy themselves more theologically sound than Christ Himself, who cringe at the teaching of saving faith. They say things like,...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
Even As Others... and were by nature children of wrath, even as others. Eph.3:3 Are you a believer? Are you what is called a saved person, a child of God? If so, how did that come about? Why did God save you? If your answer is, "because I...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
Rom 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord . . . Every man has much business to attend to in this life. Our Lord was a very young man when He said, “I must be about my Father’s business.” He said...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
Col 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Walking here is conducting yourself and redeeming is to make wise use of. Both are used here with regard to how we spend our time in relation to the lost people around us,...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
“There are those who use doctrine as a kind of law. They would have kicked out the blind man in John 9 just as surely as the Pharisees did, but for not knowing enough. The thief and the blind man were saved by knowledge of a Person. Do...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
