The Law of Love: New Covenant Primacy

The Law of Love: New Covenant Primacy

The Law of Moses and the Prophet’s admonitions are all fulfilled in the law of love. “Treat others the way you would have them treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Mt. 7:12). The New Covenant responsibility for the believer is similar: “Bear one another’s burdens and thereby fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2). Or, put another way, “Do not look out for your own personal interests, but for the interests of others” (Phil 2:4).

Love is the law of liberty and the royal law; it is greater than faith and hope; it is the perfect way and the virtue which we are to put on “above all.” It is the perfect bond of unity. We are to “walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself for us.”

The difference in the New is this: We have the completed suffering of Christ and His resurrection on our behalf to cling to, which fully covers our disobedience to law; second, we have the example and teaching of Christ, who showed us how man should live, and who fills out old commands and even institutes new ones as a means of showing us what the law of love in the New Covenant looks like. And, we have the promised Spirit, who provides us guidance and the ability to accomplish Christ’s commands, which are not burdensome.

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love” (Gal 5:6)