The Law, the Prophets and Love

Two of the best-known principles of Christianity are the Golden Rule and the Greatest Commandment. Both are typically not presented in their entirety. The Golden rule states, “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12).

The Greatest Commandment states, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hangs the whole Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:34-39).

Unfortunately the “Law and the Prophets” portions of each of these passages is almost always left unquoted. The reason it is left silent is that many see love and the Law as opposing one another. They claim that the love of others is an expression of grace, while the Law and the Prophets are no longer applicable now that grace has come.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). Jesus’ life was the perfect expression of love. All of Jesus’ actions fulfilled the Laws of God as given in the Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible) and proclaimed by the Prophets.

We must ask the questions, “How do I love God?” and “How do I love others?” The answer to both questions is found in God’s law. We love God by keeping His moral laws. Jesus said, “If you love me keep my commandments” (John 14:15). And the Apostle John explained, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John5:3).

We love our neighbors by keeping God’s civil laws. Forty percent of the 613 laws in the Torah detail how we love our neighbor. There is no better definition of how we would want to be treated. Therefore, God’s commandments are the basis for how we should treat others.

The Bible links the two elements of the Great Commandment when it teaches “For the whole Law is fulfilled in one statement, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Galatians 5:14). We love God by being obedient to His commandment to love our neighbor.

When Christians confront sin, they are often accused of judging rather than loving their neighbor. We all need a Savior because of the sin in our lives (Romans 3:23). Our neighbors need a Savior for the same reason. Therefore, the most loving action we can do for our neighbor is to gently point out their need for a Savior and introduce them to Jesus.

God warns that He will judge harshly those that do not love their neighbor by failing to share the Gospel with them. Let us not condemn our neighbors to eternity separated from God in the name of tolerance.