Love Fulfills Biblical Law
An all-creatures Bible Message

Love Fulfills Biblical Law
 
A Sermon Delivered to
The Compassion Internet Church
 
11 June 2017
 
Frank L. Hoffman, Pastor

Scripture References

Psalm 9:1-10
Matthew 5:17
Matthew 7:12
1 John 4:7-8
1 John 4:16-18

Love fulfills Biblical Law, because perfect heavenly love is above the corrupt ways of this world that brought about the Law in the first place.
 
Perfect heavenly love is the power that created this earth and Eden, because this kind of love is from God, and really is God.
 
Note what we are told in 1 John 4:7-8…

7. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

The only way we can be born of this kind of love is to be born again, by repenting of our worldly ways, asking God to forgive us, and by allowing the Holy Spirit to infill us and fill us with His heavenly love.
 
This is why we believe that perfect heavenly love fulfills Biblical Law.

8. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

This is the love that created heaven and earth.
 
But with corruption and disobedience came the Fall and the Law, which will remain upon the earth until God creates a new heaven and earth and does away with the old one.
 
And even though we still live in the corrupt and evil world, we don’t have to be a part of it; we are to be the peacemaking children of God whom Jesus calls us to be.
 
This is really what we are told in the golden rule, Matthew 7:12…

12. "Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. 
NASB

In other words, this perfect heavenly love fulfills Biblical Law.
 
But there is more to this love than this, for to love God completely, we also must love the whole of His creation for He lovingly created it, and since God created every human and other animal as a neh-fesh khah-yaw or living soul, they must be included in this love, for we are never to put a condition on love.
 
Let’s just think about human beings for a moment; we are almost all the same, but some of us are men and others are women, and we come in various colors, speak in different languages, and come from different places, and to complicate this even further, we have different religions, and unfortunately some people try to exploit these differences for their own reasons and not according to the heavenly will of God.
 
To believe that somehow one group is better or inferior to the others is from the evil ways of this world; to see us all the same is living in the heavenly will and perfect love of God.
 
Let’s now picture another group of living beings that have the same kinds of differences: the birds.
 
However, both birds and humans walk on two legs; shouldn’t that make us more alike?
 
It should, but most people don’t see the likenesses for they focus only on the differences, and think in worldly ways that they are superior to birds and somehow have the right to exploit billions of them every year and eat them.
 
However, we must not lose sight of the fact that we are all living souls created by the same God, and we all want to live free and enjoy the life that God created for us to live in, where we would all dine on the plant foods that God created for us to eat.
 
And we could present similar scenarios to point out the same kinds of likenesses and differences, and why we need to learn to love one another, for perfect heavenly love fulfills Biblical Law.
 
And yes, we believe that the commandment, thou shall not kill or murder, applies to both human beings and other animals.
 
Before we go on, let’s take a look at what we are told in 1 John 4:16-18…

16. And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

This is further confirmation that if we are filled with the perfect heavenly love of God, we will also be doing things the way God desires us to act, for God the Holy Spirit is abiding in us.

17. By this, love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.

That is, if we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in everything we do, then His perfect love fulfills Biblical Law, and there is nothing left in our lives that warrants God’s judgement; however, this requires us to continue in this love guided life.

18. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
NASB

This also means that we are living in the heavenly will of God, and are filled with His perfect love; if not, we may have something to fear.
 
Now let’s put this in the context of Matthew 5:17, and see how love fulfills Biblical Law.

17. "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.
NASB

Jesus is telling us that the only way to overcome the rules and regulations of the Law is to do so by living in this perfect heavenly love, for perfect heavenly love fulfills Biblical Law.
 
But as we mentioned, if we live in the heavenly love, we don’t even have to be concerned about the Law, for this perfect love accomplishes even more than the Law was designed to do.
 
Love sets us free!
 
Let’s now take a look at Psalm 9:1-10, and see how the psalmist addresses God.

1. I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart;
I will tell of all Thy wonders.

If we live in the heavenly will of God before Him and others, then our very lives and lifestyles will speak louder than anything we could ever say with our words.
 
We can say anything, but if we don’t live what we say, our words mean nothing, but to live in this perfect heavenly love will help free creation from its present corruption.

2. I will be glad and exult in Thee;
I will sing praise to Thy name, O Most High.

Again, do others see these exultations and praises in the way we live; do they see the love in our lives, for if they do, then these things become a much better way to exult and praise the Lord, and hopefully others will be convicted in their hearts and souls and do the same things.

3. When my enemies turn back,
They stumble and perish before Thee.

Evil people bring evil upon themselves, and contribute to the corruption of this world.
 
But perfect heavenly love fulfills Biblical Law and sets us free from everlasting death.

4. For Thou hast maintained my just cause;
Thou dost sit on the throne judging righteously.

Our cause should be God’s cause, too, because we should be living in His heavenly will, and God always judges righteously, even if human beings don’t.

5. Thou hast rebuked the nations;
Thou hast destroyed the wicked;
Thou hast blotted out their name forever and ever.
 
6. The enemy has come to an end in perpetual ruins,
And Thou hast uprooted the cities;
The very memory of them has perished.

As we said before, evil people bring evil upon themselves, for they are living in the corrupt ways of this world, which are from the devil.

7. But the LORD abides forever;
He has established His throne for judgment,
 
8. And He will judge the world in righteousness;
He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.
 
9. The LORD also will be a stronghold for the oppressed,
A stronghold in times of trouble,

Just remember that both humans and other animals are suffering under the oppression of worldly people who think of themselves as being superior to others; this seems to make them believe that their evil way of life gives them the right to exploit others who are weaker than they are.
 
God also charged us with being stewards of His creation, which means that we are to be the deliverers of the whole of creation from its present corruption; thus, we should be the strongholds of the oppressed ones upon this earth.

10. And those who know Thy name will put their trust in Thee;
For Thou, O LORD, hast not forsaken those who seek Thee.
NASB

These are the people who are living in God’s heavenly will; these are the people whose love fulfills Biblical Law.
 
Are we willing to be this kind of blessing to the exploited of this world?
 
We hope and pray we are.
 
Amen.

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