The Fulfillment Of The Law

Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Romans 13:8,10

What is love, and what does it look like in real time? Between the two verses which serve as our text, Paul records some of the commandments. He says at the end of his quotation, that the commandments, ‘are all summed up in this saying namely, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ This is essentially what Christ said when the lawyer asked Him ‘what is the greatest commandment in the law?’ Our natural inclination is to hear this and to gravitate to all the commands to attempt to perform all they require. This is a fundamental error. The law is only a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. Christ has fulfilled the law on our behalf. Justification guaranteed God accepts us as righteous in His sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone. Having said that, our sanctification is that work of grace which the Holy Spirit does to renew us in the whole person after the image of Christ. Therefore, as we contemplate Him, we come to imitate Him. This brings us to love as He loved. All the commandments lived out in real time in our relationship with others are the good we can do them in the imitation of Christ. Thus, love is the fulfillment of the law.

Our Gracious and Loving God,
we rejoice that You have shown us Your love.
We praise You that Christ embodies
it in His Person and in His work.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush