Young People's Group

SHOWING LOVE DURING CHINESE NEW YEAR AND BEYOND

by Pastor Mitch
February 10, 2013

Love Is The Fulfilment Of The Law

The keeping of all the commandments of God can be summed up in one word – Love.

“For he who loves another has fulfilled the law.” 
Romans 13:8

“For the commandments … and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely” 
Romans 13:9

“Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law” 
Romans 13:10

We are meant to demonstrate love even as we practise all the commandments of the Lord. Paul was reasoning with the Romans how the Ten Commandments (Of course, the Sabbath law does not apply to us today) can be summarised by the principle of loving others. The word “Summed up” in the Greek means the act of summing up of a speech or argument. It is basically including everything under one heading. The Lord Jesus had taught how the law can be summed up in two commandments: to love the Lord and to love our neighbour as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40). Paul distilled it further by stating how love demonstrates what the law was meant to be. Love is the fulfilment of the law. Each time we practise God’s commandments, love must be present.

The Kind Of Love That We Should Show To Our Neighbour

“You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” 
Romans 13:9

What is the kind of love that we should show to others? It is same kind of love that we would show towards ourselves. The word “As” is a comparative word that marks the manner in which we should act. Loving our neighbours should be given in the same degree of love that we would to ourselves. This was what the Lord Jesus taught in the text of Matthew 7:12. Whatever we want men to do to us, we are to also do to them because this is how the Old Testament can be summed up. I personally feel that it is challenging to love someone in such a manner. And yet, this is what the Lord has commanded us to do. If we say we love the Lord with all our heart, soul and strength, then let’s attempt to obey His commandments by loving others in an appropriate manner.

Practical Aspects Of Showing Love

1. The Propelling Aspect Of Love

“Owe no one anything except to love one another” 
Romans 13:8

What propels us to love others is through having a great sense of indebtedness towards people. Paul saw himself as a debtor to both the Greeks and Gentiles (Romans 1:14). Paul saw how we owed it to people to show them love. Whether it is honouring the laws and customs of the land or respecting and honouring those where it is due (Romans 13:7), we bear testimony of the Lord’s love especially during this Chinese New Year time. Let’s cultivate a deep sense of indebtedness to others that we would show them love as we ought to.

2. The Preventive Aspect Of Love

“Love does no harm to a neighbour” 
Romans 13:10

Love has also a preventive aspect. We want to make sure that we do not seek to do evil or bad things against our neighbour. Let’s not consider or even think of doing any harm to others. Let’s learn to love people enough to prevent ourselves from doing such.

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