LOVE: THE FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW

A new commandment I give you. Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13: 34).

For the commandments, “you shall not murder”,  “you shall not steal”, “you shall not bear false witness”.  “You shall not covet and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in the saying, namely:  “you shall love your neigbour as yourself, love does no harm to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13: 9 -10).

A command is defined as “an order to do something”. Order, naturally comes from the superior to a sub-ordinate. In many instances, failure to carry out an order attracts punishment. Many Christians claim to love and obey Jesus, while they deliberately disobey the command to love others . “Can they show cause why they should not be punished?” May God have mercy upon us.

What brought Jesus to our sinful world is LOVE. John 3: 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son…” God’s love is unconditional. God’s love is not selective. The Bible says He loved not only the Jews, but the whole world and gave his son. Anyone whose love is selective is not a Christian. In other words any one whose love is based on religion, ethnicity, tribe or gender is not a Christian. Anyone doing this, does not aspire to go to heaven. In heaven no denomination, no tribe, no gender discrimination. Rev. 7: 9ff “… And I looked and behold, great multitude which no one could number of all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues standing before the Lamb, clothed in white robes…” Heaven is for those who are prepared to love and associate with and accept everybody irrespective of where he/she comes from or what he/she is.

 

LOVE IS DEMONSTRATED BY GIVING.

1. To demonstrate love, God gave his son (John 3: 16).
2. Jesus gave his life for us. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15: 13).
3. John asks: “whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him” (1 John 3: 17).
4. Paul dismayed by lack of appreciation, love and giving spirit among his congregation asked: If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?” (1 Corinthians 9: 17)
5. For the love of the Gospel which we benefit today, the early believers sold their property and gave for the work of the church and welfare of their members. (Acts 4: 32ff).

 

LOVE AND FORGIVENESS

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:  31 -32).

“Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times they come back to you saying “I repent” you must forgive them”. (Luke 17: 4).

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your sins”. (Mark 11: 25).

Love does not keep records of wrongs (I Cor. 13: 5)

 

LOVE IS A DEBT

Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another  has fulfilled the law. (Romans 13: 8).

 

FEW MEMORY VERSES ON LOVE

Luke 6: 35 – “But love your enemies, do good and lend hoping for nothing in return and your reward will be great and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the thankful and evil.”

1 Corinthian 13: 1 -3 – “Though I speak the tongues of men and of  angels, but have not love I have become a sounding brass or clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I bestow all my goods to the poor and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing”.

1 John 4: 8 – Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love.

 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

How can we demonstrate our love for?

(a)        Our God?

(b)        Our members?

(c)        Our spouses?

(d)        Our teachers?

 

TALK BACK

 

CONCLUSION

The passages read to us today (Ruth 1: 6 -18, 1 Cor. 13: 1 -13 and Luke 10: 25 -32) are very appropriate in teaching about love. Chapter 13 of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians enumerates what love is and should be seen as creed for every Christian. The stories of Ruth and the Good Samaritan demonstrate unconditional love, loving without counting the cost. Love for enemies. (Samaritans and Israelites had nothing in common) love beyond boundaries of tribe and religion, love hoping for nothing in return.

As Christians – followers of Christ whose ministry centers on love we should love more than these, knowing that whatever we do for others we do it for God. (Matthew 25: 40).

 

PRAYER

Lord, you have taught us that whatever we do without love is worth nothing. Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love, the true bond of peace and of all virtues, without which, whoever lives is counted dead before you: grant this for the sake of Your only son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Collect for Trinity VI).