God gave the Israelites a law to live by, starting with the ten commandments in Exodus 20. The purpose of the law, it seems, was to bring them to understand that man cannot earn favour with God, who held the blessing that they so desperately needed, in His hand. It was a harsh law that they continually disobeyed. Because God knew of their weaknesses, He gave them a system of sacrifices that they could bring to redeem themselves.
But the law wasn’t perfect and it wasn’t meant to be permanent, as Paul wrote to the Galatian church:
Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. Galatians 3:24-25
The era of working to fulfill the hard conditions of the law was coming to an end. Every burnt offering made to cover some sin was a prophetic finger pointing to a final sacrifice that God would made Himself; this time to remove sin, instead of covering it. The burden of the law was about to be lifted from the shoulders of men and women who struggled under its weight.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
The law depended on the willpower of fallen man, and that wasn’t possible. Spiritually dead man cannot do the will of God, neither can he please Him by his works. The very reason why the law failed was the sinful nature of man. But the law wasn’t God’s final plan!
For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh… Romans 8:4
Jesus became the Sacrificial Lamb, and received the death penalty for our sin, and so brought the law to fulfillment. God’s love for man could not leave it to him to earn his salvation. The time came to cut the problem at its root: the heart of man.
The law, an external force laid upon man, could not produce the righteousness that God requires. But God changes the heart of man once he had an encounter with Him:
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:5
God’s love in our hearts conquers sin! Love is a stronger force than the law, because it works from the heart out.
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Hebrews 8:12-13
Jesus also gave a new commandment, which, as it goes with covenants, replaces the old.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
John 13:34
Paul, previously a Pharisee educated in the law, sums it up this way:
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8
This new commandment is more powerful than the ten of the Old Testament! Paul speaks about this:
For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “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 this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:9-10
This is the essence of the new creation man, he is motivated by the love of God, not the yearnings of the flesh.
That brings us to works. Too many believers have not yet entered the rest that Jesus offers. It is a rest of works, of trying to be good. Works are of the flesh, but love is of faith.
- We don’t keep the Sabbath because Jesus became our rest.
- We don’t fight for the ten commandments to be displayed in our schools and court houses, because the new commandment is bigger, better, and more powerful than the ten.
- We don’t tithe because it was incorporated into the law, but, like Abraham who paid the first tithe long before the law came, we do it as a way to honour the Lord with our substance.
The urge to earn our benefits is deeply ingrained in our un-renewed minds. We love to know that we have accomplished things, even though Paul reminds us that, because of God’s gracious gift of salvation, there is no boasting.
It still lives in those who believe a special person should pray for them, someone who has more favour with God than themselves. It withholds blessing from those who feel they are not good enough to receive from the Lord.
The concept of gaining favour by works erodes faith, leaving man to his own devices to overcome an enemy that is much stronger than he is. So many Christians live below God’s best because of this.
Not only does working for our place in God rob us from the good things in Him, it is dangerous to our salvation which is based on faith in God’s grace alone. Paul issued a stern warning in this regard:
I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” Galatians 2:21
When works play an important role in our relationship with God, anxiety is the result because there will always be the feeling that we fall short. How do you please God by works? Who is perfect enough to impress Him? No, God responds to faith:
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6
Jesus invites us into His rest. Through all the hostility that He endured on earth, He never feared, because He believed the Father’s love for Him. That is the rest that God wants for us too.
If only we preached the new commandment as vigorously as we did the ten! If only we taught our people to love, instead of burning the candle at both ends in their desire to please Him. How different would the world be if we truly mastered the love-walk, while resting in Him who conquered it all!
For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Hebrews 4:10
We now do works because we love, not to earn it. Faith is active, and always produces good fruit. We are reminded that faith without works is dead, because faith working through love will always find a way to reach out, to give, to cover, where it encounters need.
Love is the very power of God. Jesus never put the power of God on display; love was always seen in everything that He did. He healed the sick, cast out demons, multiplied fish and bread, and raised the dead because He loved. He impressed the world with love, not power.
Love is a compelling force that revolutionizes our lives to experience the abundant life that Jesus came to give us. But, at the same time, it is also our greatest challenge. It can be hard to love the unlovely, where feelings are important, when it is not reciprocated, when its benefits take long to materialize.
The most important thing to remember is that love is not a feeling but a command. And sometimes it takes a work of faith to bring it to fulfillment. This is God’s way to grow us into maturity.
Our greatest challenge is to embrace the new commandment, and let go of the old. And remember, God’s love is unconditional.
God bless you!