GOD'S LAW IS THE FULFILLMENT OF LOVE
Though the Old Testament has some mention of love as being the meaning of the moral law, the emphasis is on physical obedience. However the New Testament writers emphasize the deep spiritual meaning of the law. That Paul did not reject the law but amplified it is sometimes misunderstood. Jesus in the sermon on the mount presupposes the Ten Commandments and amplifies them. Christ puts the emphasis completely on matters of the heart.
Matthew 5:21-22, (NKJV) "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder,' ... 22 "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger …"
Matthew 5:27-28, "You have heard that it was said...'You shall not commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
Matthew 5:38-42, ”You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person … 42 Give to him who asks you, … from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away."
Matthew 5:43-48, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, love your enemies … 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."
Jesus is saying that to really apply the moral law we must change our hearts deep down and strive to have the mature, perfect love of God. In the O.T., law could be kept in the letter with human self-discipline. Obviously believers will need repentance conversion and the help of the Holy Spirit to move in this spiritual direction. External obedience is not enough. The commandments of God are all about how to show love toward God and your fellow man in your heart. Note Matt 26:36-39. Christ magnified the law.
THE APOSTLE PAUL'S TEACHING ON GENERAL APPLICATIONS OF THE LAW
Paul is often misunderstood. The Pharisees put a great importance on the ritual laws and the laws on purity. It must have been galling when Jesus and Paul especially said such practices were not really vital in spiritual growth. Note Phil. 3:8 and Luke 11:37-52. This includes the added traditions of their brand of Judaism. Note Mark 7:7-12. Paul is not castigating obedience, he is showing that the real source of forgiveness and salvation is Jesus Christ. His sacrifice for our sins and His resurrection are the really important matters, as opposed to rituals. Why did Paul oppose applying the law of circumcision to gentiles who had not been circumcised as infants ?
Galatians 2:3-5, “Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), 5 to whom we did not yield … that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.”
Troublemakers wanted to use circumcision to greatly limit the number of Gentiles in the church. Further, in Acts chapters ten and fifteen God made it clear to the church that He did not want this to be a barrier to keep gentiles out. Paul himself obeyed all God's laws and believed in the O.T. Note Acts 21:17-26 and 24:14.
Paul's epistle to the Romans is full of vigorous statements in support of God's laws. Paul's statement in Romans 2 about circumcision is often overlooked as a powerful support of Gentiles being expected to obey the moral law, the Ten Commandments.
Romans 2:25-28, “For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh;”
True righteousness is that of the heart. If one wants to be a true spiritual Israelite they must strive for obedience of the law at the highest level. Paul gives further full support to God's moral law.
Romans 3:31, “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.”
One establishes the law by admitting that we need grace given by our faith in Jesus because we have sinned and you cannot sin if there is no law in effect to break.
Romans 6:1-2, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”
Romans 7:7, “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, ‘You shall not covet.’”
Romans 7:14-16, “ For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.”
Romans 7:2, “For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.”
When an Israelite or a gentile keeps the law of love he is fulfilling what God wanted all along. Paul did stress that salvation could not be earned by law keeping and it may lead some into wishfully thinking that the law has been annulled. The law defines our guilt and our need for Christ's salvation.
PAUL'S WORK WITH THE GALATIANS ON THE REAL SOURCE OF JUSTIFICATION
Some misunderstand the book of Galatians, thinking that it is a book about the law. No, it is a letter about how one is justified before God. It is about HOW ONE IS JUSTIFIED FOR PAST SINS. The troublemakers were saying, “You gentiles must join Judaism completely and keep every rule.” Paul is saying a new system of justification from past sins is now in effect. Paul says you only need to be circumcised in the heart, not the flesh. The role of the law is not justification, it is defining right from wrong, but only the sacrifice of Christ can pardon our sins. One cannot earn salvation as the Judaizers thought. Note Luke 18:9-14. If you start down that avenue Jesus will be of no use to you.
Galatians 2:16, "knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.”
Galatians 1:9, “As we have said before, … I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. 5:2 … say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.”
The troublemakers were preaching another gospel focused on earning your own salvation by keeping such laws as circumcision instead of relying on the sacrifice of Christ.
Galatians 2:21, "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."
Paul is not saying the law has no value. He is just saying you cannot earn salvation, no one can be that perfect. Yet in the same letter Paul affirms the value of the moral law.
Galatians 3:10-13, “‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.’ 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for ‘the just shall live by faith.’ 12 Yet the law is not of faith, … 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us … ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’)”
Galatians 3:21-22, “Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, … by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”
The other writers of the N.T. confirm as well the need for the law of love and true faith.
James 2:10-18, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all … 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
Faith in Christ's justification and then trying to obey at the highest level work together wonderfully.
