Love is...the Fulfillment of God's Laws

Many Christians erroneously believe that under the New Covenant, we do not have to keep God’s Holy Laws. Believing instead, that love is a product of the New Testament and supersedes the commandments. As a result, countless Christians use the concept of love to circumvent the keeping of God’s perfect commandments. However, this simply reveals that false prophets have successfully misled the sheep, and that there is a great lack of understanding concerning the word and will of God.

We must realize that it is incorrect to think that love began in the New Testament. Pay attention to this important question posed by a Pharisee:

Matthew 22:36-40
King James Version (KJV)
36 Master, which is the GREAT COMMANDMENT >>>in the LAW?<<<

This question is useful in helping us to understand the criteria for love based on the commandments outlined in the Old Testament. Now, consider the answer given by our Master, Jesus Christ:

37 Jesus said unto him, THOU SHALT LOVE the Lord thy God with ALL THY HEART, and with ALL THY SOUL, and with ALL thy MIND.
38 This is the FIRST and GREAT COMMANDMENT.
39 And the second is like unto it, THOU SHALT LOVE thy NEIGHBOR as THYSELF.
40 On these TWO COMMANDMENTS hang >>>ALL the LAW and the PROPHETS.<<<

Jesus did not say that loving God and our neighbors nullifies the law. He is letting us know that since these two are the GREATEST commandments, all of the Old Testament laws that he gave to Moses and the children of Israel hang under these two. For example, when we keep the Sabbath, feast days, and dietary laws, it shows that we love God with all our heart. Likewise, when we do not kill, lie, steal, or commit adultery with our neighbor, it shows that we love our neighbor with all our heart.

Hence, it is easily deduced that the Old Testament laws are not “done away” with by the concept of love. Rather, contrary to popular belief, the law is actually FULFILLED by love.

Paul makes this very clear:

Romans 13:8
King James Version (KJV)
8 Owe no man any thing, but to LOVE one ANOTHER: for he that LOVETH another hath FULFILLED the LAW.

To fulfill means to bring to a completion or a reality. Therefore, if you profess to be a New Testament Christian, then you are required to obey the laws found in the Old Testament:

Romans 13:9-10
King James Version (KJV)
9 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.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

We must always keep in mind that Satan has deceived the entire world (Rev. 12:9). Therefore, the carnal minds of the masses will always be contrary to the perfect will of God. This is why Paul wrote that “the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is NOT SUBJECT to the LAW OF GOD, neither indeed can be” (Romans 8:7). Only a carnally minded person would not keep God’s laws. We are not called to be carnal, because the carnal mind leads to death. However, if we are subject to the law of God, then we are spiritually minded (Romans 7:12-14) and that will lead to everlasting life (Matthew 19:16-19).

Do not allow one of Satan’s ministers or your own carnal mind, to fool you into thinking that God’s laws have been done away with due to Jesus’ death. Rather, read, understand, and believe the Word. Jesus is the Word and He is God (John 1:1-3). Therefore, He is omnipotent and omniscient. Thus, when he came in the flesh, He knew that many false prophets would arise and deceive many, especially in these “last days” (Matthew 24:5). As a result, when He began His ministry, the very first thing He established concerning the law, is that it would never be done away with. Only false prophets and their deceived followers believe that the Holy Laws, which outlines the biblical definition of love, was “nailed to the cross.” Such a fallacy can be easily refuted by reading Matthew 5:17-20.

True love can only be evidenced by action. You cannot tell your spouse that you love them, without proving it with your words and actions. Therefore, we can be assured that as a flesh and blood servant to a great, eternal and spiritual Master, our love, by words alone will be futile. This is why John lets us know that showing love to one another, and to the God of Israel, can only be proven or fulfilled through our obedience to God’s law.

1 John 5
King James Version (KJV)

2 By this we KNOW that we LOVE the children of God, when we love God, and KEEP his COMMANDMENTS.

3 For this is the LOVE of God, that we KEEP his COMMANDMENTS: and his commandments are not grievous.

Did this “love of God” begin in the New Testament? Not at all.

2 John 1
King James Version (KJV)
6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

For a great, Biblical outlining of the relationship between Love and God’s Law watch the lesson below taught by Brother Elijah, the head pastor/teacher at Israel, The Church of Jesus.

Love and Life: Embodied in God’s Law: