My friend Mark posted a blog on myspace that got quite a few responses so far this morning (You can read it by clicking here.) The post was a commentary on how some Christians can be judgmental and closed-minded. However, a lot of the posts seemed to agree that the world would be a better place if Christians did what Jesus taught instead of using the scripture against people. What is it that they think Jesus taught? They agree that Jesus taught love was above the law and that we should embrace love and not the law. At least that is the way I perceived a lot of the replies to be saying.
I’m sure many people outside of that blog would agree. However, I would have to fundamentally disagree. Matthew 22:37-40 NIV tells us that loving God and loving others as we love ourselves are the two greatest commandments. Verse 40 specifically states that the Law and the Prophets hang on these two things. Therefore we have to keep in mind that Jesus didn’t say love is above the law (God’s commandments), instead he says that if we keep love of God and love of others first and second in our hearts, then we are upholding the two greatest laws of God. Verse 40 confirms this by stating that through keeping these two commandments we will be able to honor all of the commandments.
Did you know that there are over 600 commandments of God in the Bible? Isn’t it amazing that by just upholding two of them, that we cannot fail in keeping the rest? Think about it and if you find a contradiction please reply and let me know.
Love *is* the law and it is God’s love for us that allows us to love others above ourselves.
