The Law
Of Love
Many
think of the Ten Commandments as simply a
list of prohibitions yet, in truth, the Ten Commandments
are the very highest definition of love. In other words,
they are a perfect word picture of God's character of
love.
`God's
law is not a new thing. It is not holiness created but
holiness made known. It is a code of principles
expressing mercy, goodness and love. It presents to
fallen humanity the character of God, and states
plainly the whole duty of man.' (19MR182)
What
is love? |
|
What
is sin? |
`And this is love: that we walk in
obedience to his commands.'
(2 John 6) |
`Sin is the
transgression of the law.'
(1 John 3:4)
|
God's
law lies at the very heart of the universe. It is
the ultimate rule of conduct. It defines love and
it defies sin. Surely a law such as this is worthy of our
most careful consideration? |
|
When we
understand the true nature of the Ten
Commandments, we will realise that they are not prohibitions, as such, but promises -
for they constitute the promised changes that will take place in our
lives when we enter into and maintain a daily love
relationship with Jesus.
`Obey
carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you
- they are your life.' (Deut 32:46,47) |
`The
law of ten commandments is not to be looked upon as much from the
prohibitory side as from the mercy side. Its prohibitions are the sure
guarantee of happiness in obedience. As received in Christ, it works in us
the purity of character that will bring joy to us through eternal ages. To
the obedient it is a wall of protection. We behold in it the goodness of
God, who by revealing to men the immutable principles of righteousness,
seeks to shield them from the evils that result from transgression.’
(6BC1085)
Some have even suggested that the Bible translators could have used the
words, `You will not,’ (a promise) rather than `Thou shalt
not,’
(a prohibition) at the beginning of each commandment. We would like to take this
a step further by suggesting that each
commandment could begin with the words, . . . "When
you know and love Me, you will . . . ."
The Ten
Commandments
This
is Love . . . |
1 |
You
will have no other gods before me. |
Love
Is Faithful |
When
you know and love Me you will have no desire to worship
other gods. |
2 |
You
will not make for yourself any
idol . . . |
Love
Is
True |
When
you know and love Me you will have no need of objects of
worship. Our relationship will be on a personal basis
and our communication will be meaningful and real. |
3 |
You
will not misuse the name of the Lord your God |
Love
Is Respectful |
When
you know and love Me you will recognize that I am holy
and that I am the source of life and love and, as such,
you will not use my name in a flippant manner. |
4 |
You
will remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy |
Love
Is Devoted |
When
you know and love Me, you will treasure the seventh day
of the week, for I have set this day aside to be a day
devoted to our love relationship - it is the day in
which we are to spend quality time together. It will be
a day in which you will commemorate your creation, your
re-creation, and our love for each other. |
5 |
You
will honour your father and your mother |
Love
Is Grateful |
When
you know and love Me, you will honour and respect your
parents, for you will recognize that you are the product
of their love for one another. Just as the creation was
an expression of My love, so, in type, you are an
expression of your parents love and, as such, you will
love and respect them. |
6 |
You
will not murder |
Love
Is
Life |
When
you know and love Me, you will recognize that I am the
Creator of all things. As such you will have no desire
to destroy My creation. You will know that murder begins
in the mind and that words are able to kill by degrees.
You will have a deep fear of anger for you will
understand that anger is the first step toward murder. |
7 |
You
will not commit adultery |
Love
Is Responsible |
When
you know and love Me, you will understand that life is
the product of love, and because you will appreciate the
sacredness of life, you will only enter into love
relationships that are ordained of heaven. You will not
think of reproducing life unless you are certain that
you and your spouse are able to lovingly nurture and
sustain that life. |
8 |
You
will not steal |
Love
Is Generous |
When
you know and love Me, you will know that I am the Giver
of all good things. You will therefore not take what I
have given to another. |
9 |
You
will not give false testimony against your neighbour |
Love
Is Protective |
When
you know and love Me, you will know that I have an
intense love for all people. As such you will be as
protective of the image of others as you are of your
own. You will always find a valid reason for another's
weaknesses, and you will always place the most
favourable motive on another's mistakes. No matter how
faulty another may be, you will only see, speak, think
and hear about the good in their lives. You will
understand that it is as much a duty to desist from
hearing evil as it is from speaking evil, for where
there are no hearers of evil, there will be no speakers
of evil. |
10 |
You
will not covet |
Love
is Contented |
When
you know and love Me, you will find that you will value
our relationship above all else. You will have a
peaceful trust that I will supply all that you need for
life and for godliness. As such, you will not set your
heart on anything that I have given to another. Your
concern will not be with what you can get but with what
you can give - for giving is living. |
|
For
Our Meditation
`Love to God and our
neighbor is the very essence of our religion. And this is love: that we
walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning,
his command is that you walk in love' (1SM337; 2 John 6) |
(1)
`The
first four of the Ten Commandments are summed up in the
one great precept, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart." The last six are included
in the other, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself." Both these commandments are an expression
of the principle of love. The first cannot be kept and
the second broken, nor can the second be kept while the
first is broken. When God has His rightful place on the
throne of the heart, the right place will be given to
our neighbor. We shall love him as ourselves. And only
as we love God supremely is it possible to love our
neighbor impartially.’ (DA607.2)
(2)
When
we know Him, we will love Him. When we love Him,
we will obey Him, for obedience to a law that
speaks only of love, is love.
(3)
`The
goal of this command is love.’ (1 Timothy 1:5)
(4)
`Love
is the fulfillment of the law.’ (Romans 13:10)
(5)
`He
who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.’
(Romans 13:8)
(6)
`Whoever
has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who
loves me.’ (John 14:21)
(7)
`Man's
destiny will be determined by his obedience to the
whole law. Supreme love to God and
impartial love to man are the principles to
be wrought out in the life.' (DA498) |