The Law of Love

Introduction

Matthew 22:34–40 ESV

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 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. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Romans 13:8–10 ESV

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 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.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

This is the fourth message in our series on the 10 commandments. Previously, we’ve considered the difference between law and Gospel, the ditches and differences between legalism and antinomianism, the threefold use of the law, and last week, the threefold division of the law. So, if you weren’t here or haven’t already listened to those messages I want to encourage you to take some time to listen to them throughout the rest of the week before we explore each of the 10 commandments in the weeks ahead. Because, my intention has been to lay for us a foundation of how to use the law lawfully, to understand it, and to avoid the common pitfalls in its application, in order that we might apply it correctly and effectively to our lives.

So, this week I want to continue that effort by 1) providing you with an introduction to the ten commandments, 2) demonstrating the essential relationship between the commandments and love, and 3) providing you with principles for understanding the commandments.

Summary of moral duty

Throughout church history the ten commandments have often been referred to as the ten words, or the decalogue, combining the two Greek words, deka and logos, meaning ten words. Which is also how the commandments were referred to by Moses in Hebrew, as ten words.

The’re intended to be a short summary of our moral duty to both God and man. And the church has historically understood the law as fundamentally divided into these two categories for a couple of reasons, the first, is because it’s rather obvious when comparing the ten commandments with one another. While there isn’t 100% agreement, the first four commandments clearly deal with our duty to God, “to have not other gods before me,” to "not make for yourself a carved image,” to “not take the Lord’s name in vain,” and to “remember the Sabbath day,” while the other six commandments clearly deal with our duty to one another, to “honor your father and mother,” to “not murder,” to “not commit adultery,” to not steal,” and so on.

The other reason is because Jesus also made this category distinction when he answered a question posed to him by the Pharisees in Matthew 22:34-40,

Matthew 22:34–40 ESV

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 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. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Notice that Jesus was being tested by the Pharisees, they wanted to entangle him in a potential controversy. They figured that forcing Jesus to choose only one of the hundreds of commandments within the Mosaic law would inevitably put him at odds with others in their party, that by forcing Jesus to choose just one would inevitably allow them to accuse him of belittling the significance of the other commands. They wanted to put him a no-win situation, it was a trap.

But Jesus, in typical fashion, avoided their trap and silenced them, just as he had done at other times. Instead of engaging in a dispute that he couldn’t win, he answered them unexpectedly by summarizing the law into two categories, love for God and love for neighbor. Loving God was undeniably man’s greatest duty, while man’s obligation to his neighbor came in a close second. Instead of picking just one commandment he picked a category of commandments, our duty to God, followed by our duty to one another. Therefore, the church has historically recognized these two categories within the decalogue and has sought to organize them in this way.

Two tables

We’re also told in Exodus 31:18 that the ten words were written with the finger of God on two tablets of stone and kept inside the ark of the covenant. While we’re not told which commandments were included on which tablet, the church has often inferred that the first tablet may have included the first four commandments, while the second tablet included the other six. Therefore, the the first four commandments have come to be known as first table of the law while the other six have come to be known as the second table of the law. But, regardless of whether you’re convinced this is how the ten commandments were arranged on the tablets of stone given to Moses, this has become a helpful and biblical way of organizing the decalogue.

Comprehensive in scope

It’s also important that we understand, that while these ten commandments are a summary of our moral duty to God and man, they’re also comprehensive in scope. As I pointed out when we talked about the threefold division of the law, both the ceremonial and civil parts are fundamentally connected to the ten commandments, or the moral law of God. For example, in Deuteronomy 22:8, we read,

Deuteronomy 22:8 ESV

“When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring the guilt of blood upon your house, if anyone should fall from it.

This commandment was not pulled out of thin air, it was based upon the 6th commandment not to murder. Now, in ancient Israel, and still in many parts of the world today, it was common to use the roof of your house like we might use a deck or a balcony, so God commanded them to make a railing, or a parapet for their roof. And like ancient Israel most building codes today require a railing to protect visitors from falling off and injuring themselves. And while the one who builds a home may not intend to injure their neighbor, the law of God teaches us that the homeowner’s failure to take precautions to protect their neighbor’s life makes them culpable if anyone should fall from their deck or balcony.

So, while the 10 commandments are a summary of our duty to God and man, they’re also comprehensive in scope. They’re immensely practical. They were the ethical foundation and standard for Israel, and are likewise the ethical foundation and standard for the kingdom of God and the church today. They’re intended to impact every sphere of society, the family, the church, and the state.

Authority of the law

And these laws are not arbitrary, invented by men, or merely the preference of one culture over the other. These laws were given to Israel by God himself, confirmed by signs and wonders performed in history when they were delivered out of the hands of the Egyptians. This is why the prologue to the ten commandments is important. We read in Exodus 20:1-2,

Exodus 20:1–2 ESV

And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

It’s precisely because God had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and out of the house of slavery that they owed their allegiance to him. And, similarly, in the NT Paul teaches us that you are not your own, but you have been bought at a price. (1 Corinthians 3:23) Therefore, because God is our redeemer he has the right to tell us what to do. Furthermore, he is not only our redeemer, but he is our creator, he is our maker, and he possess authority over his creation, all of mankind is subject to his law.

This also means that the ten commandments are not a human invention, but instead they come from outside of us, from God himself. Therefore, morality is fundamentally objective and rooted in the character of God, not in your own personal convictions, experiences, or vague intuitions, men are not autonomous, men are not a law unto themselves, but all men are subject to the law of God and his authority.

Lawlessness

However, we live in a culture, in a world, where such authority is despised, and lawlessness is promoted in our streets. Academia calls it postmodernism, but the Bible calls it lawlessness. It opposes objective truth, and it bristles against any notion of authority other than its own. This ideology asserts with certainty, “There is no truth!” However, no family, no church, no nation can long withstand such lawlessness.

Law of love

And this lawlessness did not overtake us in a single day, but it has grown like leaven in a lump of dough, slow, subtle, and invisible at first. And it’s done so by flying under the guise of “love” here in the West. And because Christians have such a shallow, ambiguous, and deficient view of biblical love we’ve bought into the promotion of lawlessness hook, line, and sinker. We foolishly say things like, “We are no longer under the law! Now, we’re under the law of love!” As though the law were contrary to love, or as though love dictated its own standard of moral conduct apart from the law, as though there were two moral standards in the Bible, that those in the OT were directed by the law, but that those in the NT are directed by love. But listen to what the Apostle Paul says in Romans 13:8-10,

Romans 13:8–10 ESV

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 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.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

How does Paul define love? He defines it by the ten commandments. No longer being under the law does not mean we’re no longer obligated to it. Instead, love fulfills the law by carrying it out.

Deficient view of love

But as Christians we’ve subtly bought into the idea that love is merely equivalent to a feeling, an emotion, or with pleasure. That our feelings and sentiments define and dictate what love is. Which is why the hippie movement of the 60’s was so widely successful in promoting sexual immorality, because it flew under the banner of “free love”. Therefore, whenever anyone challenged the morality of the movement they were quickly silenced by the mantra, “free love!” If the culture could successfully redefine love to be mere feelings, emotions, or pleasure, then they could silence their opposition by claiming their enemies were opposed to “love”.

Love connected to the law of God

Therefore, as Christians, it’s absolutely essential for us to understand that love is fundamentally connected to the law of God. That any definition of love that runs contrary to the ten commandments is not love at all. Because, you see, if the culture can detach your definition of love from the moral law of God then they can shape your definition of love into whatever they want to suit their desires, you’ll have no choice but to agree with them, and you’ll have no grounds to object. When your definition of love becomes squishy and detached from the law of God it becomes malleable, it’s capable of being altered and controlled by outside forces and influences. You’ll ultimately forfeit your argument against the many forms of lawlessness, whether it’s pornography, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, transgenderism, no fault divorce, riots, theft, and so on.

You see, unhitching the definition of love from the law of God is a hallmark of modern day political liberalism, and it’s why so many professing Christians fall for their policies, because they fly under the guise of love and compassion. Political liberalism, and sadly even political conservatism, speaks of a love that’s disconnected from morality, a love divorced from individual responsibility, a love divorced from justice, a love divorced from sexual fidelity. But we must always remember that biblical love is never at the expense of truth or the law of God.

As Christians, we’re commanded to love God and to love our neighbors, and it’s impossible to do so apart from the law of God. Love does not hang suspended in the air, love is grounded in the ten commandments, and love fulfills the law by carrying it out. We cannot love apart from the law. This is why the ten commandments are a law of love.

Internal and external obedience

Now, lastly, I want to close by considering five principles for understanding the commandments. The first, is that the law demands both internal and external obedience. The law doesn’t merely forbid evil actions, but it forbids evil desires and inclinations. As Paul put it in Romans 7:14 the law is spiritual, therefore it require inward affections, and obedience from the heart. Jesus made this abundantly clear in his sermon on the mount when he explained the law to his disciples. He famously said in Matthew 5:21-22,

Matthew 5:21–22 (ESV)

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment;”

We should never conclude that the commandments require only external obedience. Jesus was not teaching his disciples something new in his sermon on the mount, but he was correcting erroneous teachings about the law, and explaining the original intent of the law, the heart of the law.

Now, this might seem obvious to some of us, but this type of thinking is probably more prevalent than we realize. There’s a reason the rich young ruler genuinely thought he had satisfactory kept all of the commandments. In fact, most people are content with their own righteousness, believing that they’ve more or less kept the law. Which is why when you share the gospel it often falls on deaf ears, because without the sharp edge of the law men see no need for the righteousness of Christ.

And as I was considering this text I couldn’t help but think of my own sin. While I’ve certainly never murdered anyone, I have been filled with hatred and anger toward others before. I suspect most of us, for whatever reason, have been on the phone with customer service agents or technical support before, and have found ourselves wanting to reach through the phone to strangle the person on the other end. Now we typically use that expression to communicate our frustration with the person we’re talking to, but the imagery vividly depicts the real hatred and the anger that can well up in our hearts toward other people, the same hatred and anger that Jesus says will make us liable to judgment. So, the principle for understanding the commandments is that the law demands both internal and external obedience.

Two sides to every command

Secondly, there are always two sides to every commandment, where sin is forbidden a duty is also commanded. Just like the example we saw earlier in Deuteronomy 22:8 that required a parapet on the roof people’s homes, while the 6th commandment forbids murder, we also see that we have a duty to protect life. It’s the 6th commandment that supports just war where soldiers are responsible for protecting the lives of citizens. Similarly, the 8th commandment that you shall not steal forbids theft, but it also implies that we have a duty to protect the property of others. The 10th commandment forbids coveting your neighbor’s property, which implies that the 10th commandment also commands that we be content with what we have. So, as we consider the commandments, we must realize that there are always two sides to each of them, that where sin is forbidden a duty is also commanded.

Temptations and occasions forbidden

The third principle for understanding the commandments is where sin is forbidden, so is the temptation or occasion to sin also forbidden. Now, what do I mean by that? Well, whatever leads to or tempts you to sin becomes sin. For example, the 7th commandment forbids adultery, therefore if certain reading material incites sinful lusts, then that material is a violation of the 7th commandment. Any media that leads to breaking any of the commandments is forbidden. As one writer put it, “If you want to be free from a contagious disease, you must avoid contact with places through which or persons through whom the infection is spread. Just as quarantine signs used to mark houses for certain diseases, whatever draws us into sin should be considered off limits.”

The Apostle Paul describes this in Romans 13:14, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” In other words, don’t give sin an opportunity to flourish in your life, don’t make provision for it. Likewise, Jesus said in Matthew 5:29-30, “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” Now, Jesus isn’t advocating that we literally mutilate our bodies, but simply that sin is serious enough that we should avoid it at all costs.

If you’re tempted to watch certain movies, go to certain websites, read certain books, go to certain places, hang out with certain people that will incite you to sin, these places should be avoided. So, the third principle for understanding the commandments is that where sin is forbidden, so is the temptation or occasion to sin also forbidden.

Accessory to sin forbidden

The fourth principle for understanding the commandments is wherever God forbids sin, he also forbids being an accessory to sin. In other words, we are forbidden from contributing to the sins of others when it is within our power to avoid doing so. For example, think of someone who’s an accessory to a crime, someone who commissions someone else to carry out a crime, or aids another person in committing a crime, whether by assistance or silence. Think of how David ordered Uriah to be sent to the front of the battle that he might be killed, so David could cover up his adultery with Uriah’s wife. Or how Saul, before he was converted, stood idly by giving approval, or consenting, to Stephen’s death in Acts 8. How often have we stood by silently consenting of another’s sin by our inaction?

Or think of someone who’s guilty of not restraining the sins of others when it’s within their power or authority to do so. This is especially a warning to parents who neglect to restrain the sin of their own children. Allowing your children to break the commandments of God under the guise of love is sin. You’re not only doing your children a disservice by neglecting to restrain them and to discipline them, but you make yourself an accessory to their sin. Think of how Eli, who served in the tabernacle, was punished for not restraining his sons for their iniquity, when he knew they were blaspheming God.

We must also guard against provoking one another to sin. Any of the children here listening today, should consider this carefully. The temptation to provoke your siblings to sin is very appealing, especially when you’re young. However, when you provoke your brother or sister to sin, you become an accessory to their sin. In Ephesians 6:4 Paul tells fathers, “do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” In fact, Hebrews 10:24 says “let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works” We ought to be accessories to righteousness, not accessories to sin.

The law is for our good

Lastly, the fifth principle for understanding the commandments is understanding that the law is for our good. Sometimes we develop a very negative view of the law, as if it were simply a big stick for which to hit us, but when we understand it properly we’re meant to see that God has given us his law for our good. Paul says in Romans 7:12, that “the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and for our good.” The law is not meant to be detrimental but beneficial to us. Mankind is designed to flourish under the law of God.

Many of us have it in our heads that the law restricts or destroys our freedom, that it only constrains us, but this is a lie whispered to us by the serpent, and couldn’t be further from the truth. The law doesn’t remove your freedom, the law establishes your freedom. When the law is removed, only lawlessness remains, and while everyone is free to sin, no one is free from being sinned against, therefore sin destroys everyone’s freedom, it robs men of their freedom to life, to own property, to speak freely, to assemble peacefully, access to justice, protection from criminals, it robs children of their mothers and fathers, and so on. Lawlessness is not freedom, lawlessness robs men of their freedom. You see, sinful men, and the world believe that freedom is only achieved in greater measure by the removal of God’s law, but this is foolishness.

As one writer put it, “the commandments aren’t prison bars, but are traffic laws.” The commandments are guardrails meant to protect us. When the law restrains a man from committing adultery the law protects his wife and his family. When the law forbids theft it protects your property, when the law forbids that you bear false witness against your neighbor it protects your neighbor’s reputation, and when the law forbids murder it protects your neighbors life. The law is for our good, and these boundaries provide us with freedom. It establishes our freedom be restraining evil, whereas evil robs us of our freedom.

These are commandments given to us as a father gives instructions to his son, for their good. His commandments are not meant to be burdensome to us.

Conclusion

In summary, the ten commandments, or the ten words, were given to us on two tablets of stone, two tables that summarize both our duty to God, and our duty to one another. While they’re a summary of God’s law, they’re also comprehensive, providing us with moral instruction for every area of society. They’re immensely practical in every way. They’re an infallible objective standard and authority that comes from outside of us, that come from God, our creator and redeemer. The commandments are a shield against lawlessness, and they’re a law of love that defines love for us. The law is spiritual and it requires both internal and external obedience, it both forbids and commands, it also forbids any temptation or occasion to sin, and forbids us from being an accessory to sin, and furthermore, the law is for our good. The commandments are given to us as a father gives instructions to his son, therefore they’re not burdensome to us, for we love his law.

Prayer