All You Need is Love!

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Under the New Covenant, Christians should obey God's commandments. However, we're not under the law. How do New Covenant commandments differ from the commandments of the Old Covenant? I don't think this is an easy question to answer, but it's worth exploring using the SOAP method of Bible study.

• S is for Scripture
• O is for Observation
• A is for Application
• P is for Prayer

Scripture: 1 John 3:22-24 ESV

"22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us."

Observation:

Verse 22 says that God will answer the prayers of those who keep His commands and do what pleases him. Verse 23 gives a single "dual" command of believing in Jesus and loving our fellow human beings. Verse 24 says we abide in Him by keeping His commandments.

What are the New Covenant commands? We know two--believing in Jesus and loving others. 

Romans 13:8-10 ESV says, "8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." 

This passage mentions four of the Ten Commandments as examples of how the law is fulfilled through loving our neighbor as we would want to be loved.

• Question for the group: Is this Romans passage telling us that we can disregard the ten commandments as long as we love our neighbor?

Galatians 5:13-14 ESV says, "13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

• Question for group: What is meant by "you were called to freedom...?" 

This passage echoes the Romans passage that the law is fulfilled by loving "your neighbor as yourself." Verse 13 mentions serving one another as something done through love.

Jesus said in John 14:21 ESV, "21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

• Question for the group: What are the commandments that Jesus is referring to?

Matthew 22:35-40 ESV says, "35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

• Question for the group: What does verse 40 mean?

In answer to the question, "Are Christians under the 10 commandments?", John Piper answered plainly, "No. The Bible says we're not under the law." (from the Desiring God website, 2010)

Application:

I don't think we are under the Old Covenant law. James 2:8 ESV says, "8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well." 

Love is defined in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV, "4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 

If we aim to follow this definition of love, then we are doing well, fulfilling the royal law.

Prayer:

"Dear Lord, help me to love and obey you--and to love my brothers and sisters in Christ. Thank you that your commands are not burdensome and that you empower us to love. In Jesus name, amen."