LAW AND LOVE

Men speak of law in the Old Testament and love in the New Testament, and they cannot seem to harmonize the two. Many believe the God of the O.T. is harsh and exacting and the Son of God in the N.T. is indulgent and so forgiving He doesn't require true obedience to the law of God (as outlined in the ten commandments).

These same people may be surprised to discover how many times "love" is found in the O.T. and "law or commandments" is found in the N.T., and how they are applied to us. Has God changed over the ages? Is the Son of God really different than His Father? Is the Son stricter than many have thought and is the Father more loving and forgiving than many imagine Him to be?

If we carefully, and prayerfully, study the whole Bible, we will find Satan (who is the leader of fallen angels) has blinded the eyes of men into believing falsehoods about our loving Father in heaven and our equally loving Saviour, who require more of us than many are willing to give. It is Christ who wants to write the law of God in our hearts and minds. The Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) long for our willing obedience.

The Scriptures give us the breadth and depth of the law's requirements, and they point out a way which will enable us to obey these requirements. We also may come to realize the whole universe is kept in harmony by just rules and laws. The plan of redemption for our salvation is complete. Nothing is left undone to make a way of escape for us--not an escape from obeying God's "law of love", but an escape from the slavery of sin.

Those who doubt a loving God existed in the early days of man's history, because of Old Testament stories of punishment and stoning, should take a closer look. Many other events show God's forgiveness and loving care to the children of men. Actually, in view of mankind's nature to be rebellious, our Creator has been wonderfully merciful toward us. This was true in early times and is true today. If we could only realize a person would be eternally miserable if he is in rebellion against his Maker and Redeemer. It is in mercy God finally destroys sinners and all traces of sin, including the original tempter himself.

It was in mercy God destroyed most of the inhabitants of the world in Noah's flood. Man's hardened conscience would have found no way back to his Creator. God gives men all the chances He can. The ten commandments, given on Mt. Sinai, consist of a word picture for mortal, fallen man, so he might see the moral law governing the entire universe. We need to understand these were given in love, and they contain and enfold principles of love. In the middle of them God says, this: "showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." Exodus 20:6.

Love, The Central Theme

Love is the central theme in the Old Testament as it is in the New. In the Old we read: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18) and "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." (Deuteronomy 6:5). And in the New Testament we read "on these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 22:40).

What is the criteria for obtaining God's mercy? Our great need, of course. But we must recognize this need. We must, individually, see our undone condition, that we are transgressors of God's holy law. When we seek forgiveness for breaking this law, and yearn with all our heart to be obedient children of God, His mercy is available. We cannot work our self up to this state by penitent acts or deeds, but we do need to fall at the feet of our Saviour and plead for mercy, pardon, strength, and victory over sins in our life.

It is of utmost importance we humble ourselves, and search His written word for answers. Some have allowed themselves to fall under many deceptions, because they were unwilling to make a complete surrender to the Saviour of mankind. Satan has so many traps for us these days. Since he knows his time is short, he is using all his cunningness to ensnare as many as he can. Look to the Scriptures, the Old and New Testaments, for help and strength. No man, no matter how strong he believes himself to be, is a match against this wily foe. But armed with the two-edged sword of God's word and a heart full of unceasing prayer, we can be victorious.

We read these words in the Old Testament: "What does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good?" (Deuteronomy 10:12, 13). And in the New Testament Christ says, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-20).

God shows His tender love for ancient Israel by saying, "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son. . . I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love, and I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them." (Hosea 11:1, 4). The God of the Old Testament is the loving God of the New Testament, for Jesus says, "Most assuredly, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He see the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner." (John 5:19). And in another place He says, that He and His Father are One. Their purposes are in harmony. No discord exists between them.

We read, "If you love me, keep My commandments. . . At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him. . .If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me." (John 14:15, 20, 21, 23, 24).

God's Mercy

Who can read such Scriptures and doubt the necessity of understanding the whole Bible? Jesus and the apostles constantly quoted from the Old Testament. These Scriptures were those that contained the word of life for all. For no other inspired writings were available at the beginning. The Old shed light on the New, and the New reveals the truths of the Old.

The Psalms, written by David, show he understood much about the relationship between the law of God and the love of God. This man who wrote "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions," (Psalm 51:1) also wrote "Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. . .I hate the double-minded, but I love Your law. . .Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, yet, than fine gold!. . .Look upon me and be merciful to me, as Your custom is toward those who love Your name. . .Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness; O Lord, revive me according to Your justice." (Psalm 119:88, 97, 113, 127, 132, 149).

Isaiah also understood God's mercy: "Indeed it was for my peace that I had great bitterness, but You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back." (Isaiah 38:17). Yet, we know Isaiah was a true Israelite who understood the need of obedience to God's law. He knew his Redeemer not only forgives sin, but He gives us power to overcome sin, power to obey His law in thought, word, and deed.

Last Generation

That's why Paul says in Romans "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 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, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8:2-5).

John sums up the harmony between law and love when he says, "Whoever believes that Jesus is Christ born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves Him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome." )1 John 5:1-4).

Jeremiah said in the Old Testament, "The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying, 'Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you" (Jeremiah 31:3).

Two texts, which are found in the book of Revelation (the last book of the Bible), sum up the experience of the final generation. All the signs seem to give evidence, we are the final generation. "And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." (Revelation 12:17) "Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." (Revelation 14:12).

Can anyone doubt the just requirements of our Creator and Redeemer after studying the entire Scriptures? It is evident He who made us does not want us to be unwilling slaves or Robots. He longs for our willing obedience, and He know this is the only way we can find true happiness. The Father and the Son laid out their plans for man's redemption long before sin entered. He has made a way of escape from its enslaving power. Let us seek and find this way of escape, by searching God's word, seeking Him in earnest prayer, for our soul's salvation. Then we can spend eternity learning more about the wonderful laws of His universe and His merciful, lovingkindness.####

Earthquake, Fire, and Flood -- Is God Trying to Tell Us Something?

When a natural disaster hits an area close to home, people wonder if the world is about to end. They soon forget their fears if they remain alive and well for a few days or so without any other disaster taking place. Life goes on much like it did beofre, with little thought of the future. Death and dying seem far away, and to "eat, drink, and be merry" remain the prominent goals of life.

If you believe in God at all, did you ever stop to wonder if He might be trying to tell us something? When calamities come--whether in the form of earthquake, fire, flood, tornado, disease, accident, or poverty--is God giving us a warning of worse to come? We don't like to dwell on such subjects. They're unpleasant to think about. When we allow ourselves to think about it, we realize death will come to all of us, old or young. But does God intend for us to live in constant fear?

Of course He doesn't. Yet, He wants us to be ready for whatever is coming, and we need to be aware of what can happen, and why He might allow it to happen. If you read God's written word (the Bible) with an open heart, you will find out more about why calamities happen. He, in mercy, warns us the world is coming to an end. But we need not fear this fact if we are ready and waiting for Jesus to come. Satan (who is a fallen angel) wants to destroy us when he brings trouble upon us, but God longs to save us.

Yet, our lives must be in harmony with the laws of the universe. These laws are based on the principle of unselfish love. Because of our fallen natures we tend to live by the opposite principle. We--to often--are busy doing things our own way, trying to find our own happiness, seeking to fulfill our own goals. What little bit of unselfish love we possess comes from the often unrecognized grace of God poured out on mankind.

The Spirit of God moves on everyone's heart. Yet, not every person listens, and sooner or later they may sear the conscience beyond the point of return. We need to search for God's will for our life, and surrender to our Creator and Redeemer. Most men are foolish enough to go their own way, and forget God, calamities or not. We all know how a person may seem to repent, when he is in trouble, and turn his back on God when everything is all right again.

But those who ackknowledge their need of a better way of life and who seek for it by study and prayer, will find the way everlasting. A changed life, a sactified life can be ours. Not a life full of rituals and smug righteousness, but a life such as Jesus lived. This kind of life makes men willing to obey all of God's commandments and fills the heart with love for neighbors and even for enemies. When we long to glorify God and yearn to bring true joy into the lives of others, disasters and calamities will mean little to us. For we will know they are only signs Christ's coming is ever nearer, and soon all sin and suffering will come to an end.--(c) 1990, Kathryn Terrell