ONLY LOVE FULFILLS THE LAW

ONLY LOVE FULFILLS THE LAW

Michael W. Niva

"Owe no one anything except to love one another, for

he who loves another has fulfilled the law." (Romans 13:8)

The clear teaching of God's Word is that love alone fulfills the intent and requirements of the law. This being said, love alone is the logical pursuit in our attempts to bring pleasure to a God of love. Why is it then that even the Christian world is so divided concerning fine points of law, to the end that we have created 38,000 Christian denominations in the world? Why do we continue to argue over what is right rather than to excel in what is good; especially when scripture has made it clear that it is "the goodness of God that leads men to repentance?"

The passage above makes it clear that we are indebted to all men because of the love that the Father has shown us. The only way that this debt, what we owe to mankind, can be satisfied is through loving all men as we love ourselves. This is the only path to fully loving God.

Law can be forced upon people (enforced). Perhaps this is the main reason we resort to it. Through law, we seek to control the behavior of others. Our over-taxed prisons and correctional facilities testify to the fact that this, in the end, is not very effective. Love cannot be forced. It can only be invited. In order to be invited, it must be modeled or illustrated in powerful and convincing ways.

Jesus told us that the greatest way in which we display love is when we "lay down our lives for our friends." (John 15) It is not that we don't know the correct path, but that we continue to violate the law of love in favor of our constant fixation with lesser issues.

Love, fully demonstrated, speaks for itself and patiently waits for a heart to respond in like kind. Law simply demands a certain observation of or adherence to rules and regulations and constantly monitors and measures the behaviors of others in relation to the rules. This behavior is simply called judgment in the Word of God and, according to Jesus, living in judgment of others is a sure way to bring judgment upon ourselves in the same measure.

A friend of mine says, "The heart cannot be forced." Behaviors may be modified through fear of retribution, but the heart can remain largely untouched, or worse yet, marred by the fear of judgment and rejection.

According to Colossians 2:13-14, Jesus has fulfilled the Law and taken it out of our way, so that it is no longer an obstruction or impediment to love. Yet, like the Galatian believers, we often fall from extravagant love and back to law. Only by focusing on, listening to and following the Spirit's soft promptings in our hearts can we maintain the constant vigil of Christlike love. (Rom. 8:4)

Do you desire to please the Father? I encourage you then to not pick up what Christ has laid aside; the ordinances (laws, requirements) which were against us. This is truly an affront to His grace and mercy.

Of all the things we might pursue in the flurry of our religious and spiritual activities, the love of God to us, in us and through us to a loveless world ought to be our constant goal.

The Law will not lead you to grace, but only further from it. Though it is righteous in its content, its intent (LOVE) can only be achieved by a passionate pursuit of the Father's heart, not only for ourselves, but for our neighbors as well.

My wife has often said that she wants the inscription on her gravestone to simply read, "She loved well." If you love well, you will live well. "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, which has been given to us." Now simply pour out what has already been poured into you.

The law came through Moses, but grace and truth, and yes, LOVE, have come to us through the life and example of Jesus Christ. Follow love and you will find Him. Find Him and the world around you will blossom. Shalom!