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Love is the Fulfilment of the Law

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 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. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.; (Romans 13:8-10)

Oh, that mankind could just understand and apply this Truth - what a transformed world we should experience.

South Africa has, in this last year of the millennium, the dubious distinction of being the most lawless society per capita of population on the face of the earth as far as murder and rape is concerned. There is a total lack of concern for the value of human life. Our immediate family has experienced the theft of four vehicles in the last few years. One vehicle has survived fourteen theft attempts in three years. My one son has avoided probable car hijacking on three occasions. Lawlessness is on our doorsteps. All the neighbours on our block pay for armed response protection of their properties, except for a couple; because the police are helpless to protect us. Fear is continually around the common people and is a major source of conversation when friends meet. Courteousness on the roads is a distant memory and people shoot at each other from moving vehicles for the slightest provocation. Road rage is the in thing. There is a feeling of hopelessness among the majority of people and many of those with the necessary skills are departing to greener pastures.

How has this come to pass?

Most everyone is looking out for self; the shortest word in the English language and one of those most used.
I.

How this country would be turned about if only most everyone considered his neighbour as himself. Not only would we build up an economy second to none on the African continent, but God would supernaturally bless us out of love for us:: If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land. And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you. And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new. And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.; (Leviticus 26:3-12); A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.; (Proverbs 18:24)

Jesus said:: A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.; (John 13:34-35); If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.; (John 15:10-12)

Two of His disciples who were there at the time had this to say as they went out to feed His sheep:: Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.; (1 Peter 3:8-9)
Do you notice that it is promised that we shall inherit a blessing - from God Himself!

Here's one of the great passages in the Bible concerning willing sin:: Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.; (1 John 3:1-11)
: We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.; (1 John 3:14-24)

This loving my neighbour as myself is a constant day to day learning experience, preparing each of us for the time when we submit our wills (our souls) to our Master so that He can mould us for the use that He has envisaged on this present world; and on the new earth which is to come.: Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.; (Proverbs 3:5-6)

The tongue expresses our thoughts and James had a lot to say about the tongue, but summed it up this way:: If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.; (James 1:26)
David wrote:: Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.; (Psalms 19:14)

If you or I were, at this moment, to read the sermon on the mount in Matthew chapters five to seven, how far would we be along the road?: Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.; (Matthew 5:48)
This is a commandment! So let's endeavour to be perfect.

We know that the kingdom of heaven is in us:: And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.; (Luke 17:20-21)
We therefore have the potential to know everything:: But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.; (1 John 2:20); But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.; (1 John 2:27)
Therefore this passage,: After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.; (Matthew 6:9-10)
surely means that we must pray for God's will to be done on earth by us as it is done in heaven (by the angels?); then His kingdom has come.


Just think how great a love God has for us; ponder on it for a few moments.

He, who is the Greatest of the great and the Purest of the pure, the Creator of all things in the universe, sent His only begotten Son onto the earth to lay down His life to give you the chance to redeem yourself from Adam's sin.
Oh! how He loves mankind.

An internationally known Bible teacher had this to say about love and particularly the love that God has for us:
It is grievous to someone who loves another when the loved one spurns, ignores or responds coldly to the love offered. How God must lament in His love for the world which continues to reject Him, the world that He "so loved... that He gave His only begotten Son... that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:16-17)! Not only does He love us, but He desires our love in return. Such is the nature of love, and "God is love" (1 John 4:8).
It is astonishing to think that being loved by the very Creator of the universe moves us so little. To know God is to love Him. But how can we love Him as we ought when we spend so little time in fellowship with Him and in meditation upon His person, work and Word?
The very first and greatest of God's commandments to man is "Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might" (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30, etc). In putting love first, God shows that obedience to His commands is to be a joy, not a burden. Indeed, obedience that is not motivated by love is not acceptable to God: "love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10; Galatians 5:14). God created within us the capacity to love and requires our love, not to tyrannise us, but because He wants to bless us. That fact often seems difficult to believe. Viewed from our limited and warped perspective, those circumstances which God allows to invade our lives often seem to us unnecessarily harsh or depriving. We are like a baby crying in its crib because a parent has just carefully taken from its hand a double-edged razor blade.
Love desires the greatest good and greatest blessing for the one loved - and the most rapturous blessing is close fellowship with the one loved. Thus God says, "He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6). Instead, many seek the blessings they hope to receive from God and miss the true reward: the Blesser himself. The greatest gift God can give is Himself. Yet many seek gifts instead of the Giver. There is so much emphasis upon getting healing, prosperity, blessing, happiness. What a poor bargain to gain the whole world and miss God! How many would consider it a wonderful privilege to know intimately a great personage of this world, yet neglect the offer of intimate friendship and fellowship with the Creator Himself!
God's love is a neglected topic among Christians. There is much teaching about loving one another, but little concerning God's great love for us and our love response to Him. We often encourage ourselves in a crisis with the phrase "all things work together for good" and forget that this promise is "to them that love God" (Romans 8:28). God told Israel repeatedly, "Know therefore that the LORD thy God... keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments..." (Deuteronomy 5:10; 7:9; Exodus 20:6; Nehemiah 1:5; Daniel 9:4, etc.). Jude writes, "Keep yourselves in the love of God" (verse 21), but seminaries and Christian colleges don't even offer a course in how to do that.
Poets, songwriters and novelists agree that love is the most wonderful of human experiences. However, it has been romanticised into something one falls into, and therefore can just as easily fall out of because it has been divorced from its major ingredient, faithfulness. By commanding love, God tells us that love is a choice and a commitment. We are to love our neighbours (Leviticus 19:18; Mark 12:31, etc.) and even our enemies (Luke 6:27; etc.).
When love has its rightful place, all else is in harmony. Jesus said to His disciples, "If a man loves me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (John 14:23). My heart is often smitten by how little I revel in His love to me and how seldom I fervently express my love to my Lord.
God cannot accept worship or praise that is not motivated by love and accompanied by the obedience which love produces. Without love for God, worship is but empty forms and phrases. ....
Perhaps part of the problem is that we find it difficult to believe that God, who is so high and holy, infinite in power, wisdom and knowledge, could really love us. We believe that He does, but at the same time His love seems to be more a matter of some universal principle than truly personal. ...
Surely Christ did more than enough miracles. Nevertheless, "though he [Christ] had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him" (John 12:37). The problem is not in any lack of evidence or failure by God to do all He can to win us; the problem lies in the human heart. ...
Still the argument persists:" If God really loves us, why does He allow anyone to go to hell?" The answer is obvious. God cannot exercise love at the expense of His justice. His character cannot be divided. In view of Christ's sacrifice, no one can complain of God's judgement upon sinners who reject Christ.
How often do parents indulge their children or, having threatened punishment, fail to fulfil their promise! Not so God. He means what He says and says what He means. Any who will spend eternity in hell only have themselves to blame for having rejected the pardon God has offered through Christ's payment for their sins, for "he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:2).
Consider a judge who has presided over the trial of a man accused of unspeakable crimes. The evidence has proved the defendant guilty and the law requires the death penalty. The defendant is the judge's own son. Brokenhearted the father relives again his son's stubborn rebellion against him and all authority in spite of faithful discipline, the futile attempts to change his son's downward course and rescue him from destruction and his son's persistence in living for self. The father's love is undiminished, but he also is a just judge, and love cannot compromise justice. The penalty required by the law must be paid.
Yes, love, like justice, cannot turn a deaf ear and blind eye to the truth. Love can offer neither grace nor mercy until the full truth concerning the evil which is to be forgiven has been laid bare. The psalmist declares with joy, "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other" (Psalm 85:10). John testified of Jesus, "and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
Real love corrects those loved, "for whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth" (Hebrews 12:6). Jesus said, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten" (Rev 3:19). If we truly love God and man, we will expend ourselves in warning the lost and rebuking those who are leading multitudes astray with false doctrine, for we are to preach the Word, reprove, rebuke and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine (2 Timothy 4:2) in order to rescue as many as possible from God's final judgement.
Christ did not die for us because we were deserving, but because of His love for us. So it was God's choosing of Israel: "The LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself... because the LORD loved you..." (Deuteronomy 7:6-8). That fact is difficult for us to understand. In our inability to comprehend, we cry out, "How can it be that the infinite God who created the universe actually loves us, not with the impersonal "love" of some cosmic energy but with a love more intensely personal than that between husband and wife or a mother for her child?"
The sad truth is that among today's Christians the emphasis is upon loving and esteeming self rather than God. One of the proponents of this concept declares, "The death of Christ on the cross is God's price tag on a human soul...[it means] we really are Somebodies!" In fact Christ didn't die for "somebodies," but for sinners. Another has called the Cross "a foundation for self-esteem"! On the contrary, that Christ had to die on the cross to redeem us should make us ashamed - and eternally grateful - for it was our sins that nailed Him there.
The sinful woman, having been forgiven much by Christ, loved Him much (Luke 7:47). The more conscious we are of the greatness of our sin, the more we will love the One who reached so deep into the mire to pick us up and bring us to Himself. Unworthy of His love and sacrifice as we are, our eternal love song will be "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood....Worthy is the Lamb that was slain" (Revelation 1:5; 5:12)!
: We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.; (1 John 5:18-19)
: Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.; (1 John 4:4-13)
: If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.; (1 John 4:20-21)
: Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.; (Proverbs 24:17-18)

Let us therefore train ourselves up and become fit, eating healthy spiritual food so that we can "run the race that is set before us."
: Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.; (Revelation 19:7-8)