GUESS WHAT I REALIZED AFTER WRITING YESTERDAY'S BLOG?!?

IF LOVE FULFILLS THE LAW,

THEN THE LAW DEFINES LOVE!

Yesterday, I wrote that the Mosaic Law had two purposes:  Firstly, it revealed the impossibility of living a holy righteous life; it is our school-master to show us our need for a Savior.  Secondly, I said that the Law was actually God's definition of what love is.  I stated that if all of the Law was fulfilled by loving God and one's neighbor, then the Law was actually love being defined.

POINT ONE:

 
Galatians 3:22-26 - . . . the Scripture (especially the Law) has concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.  But before faith came, we were kept under the Law, shut up from the faith which should later be revealed.  Wherefore the Law was our school-master to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after faith is come, we are no longer under a school-master.  For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

POINT TWO:

Matthew 22:37-40 - Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

Galatians 5:13-14 - For, brethren, you have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.  For all the Law is fulfilled in one word (statement), even in this; You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

ONCE AGAIN, A NEW LIGHT BULB HAS COME ON!

Having been a child of God by faith in Jesus Christ for almost fifty years, I have learned that loving others, is not only often difficult, with some people, it is simply impossible for me with many!  I say I do not hate anyone.  I say that if I came across someone that need help, regardless of who they are, I would try to help them.  Then I think of those who, given the opportunity would hurt my loved ones, and I realize I am just deceiving myself.  I know this because I find joy in evil men being "brought to justice."  I often think of evil people suffering as karma:  what goes around, comes around.  That is not love; I do not pray for them; I do not say, "There but by the grace of God go I!"

But reading what Paul wrote of love, I realize love also serves as our school-master.  Paul's definition of love is far above our ability to walk in it; because we sin in not loving as we should, love brings us awareness of our need for the Savior!  Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 -  Charity (love) suffers long, and is kind; charity (love) envies not; charity (love) vaunts not itself, is not puffed up, does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Charity (love) never fails....

Sin, then, is breaking God's Law, AND it is failing to love as we ought!  I have no doubt that I am a child of God; my faith is in Jesus.  However, I am a sinner like Paul (Romans 7:15-25) and I fail in the area of love as well!  I am so looking forward to Christ's coming for me so that I might finally be what God desires me to be:  His son who is finally like His Son!

1 John 3:2 

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does 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.