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"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."

~ John 14:15

In our day and age, there has been a shift even within western churches, towards antinomianism: indifference towards the law and structure as laid out in the Bible. And among some Christians, the tendency is to assume that since we are not justified by the law but by the righteousness of Christ, the law has been replaced by a vague statement of love. These are the ones who say with their lips that they love Christ but do little for His kingdom and live worldly lives while covering up their lifestyle with: "Jesus knows my heart." How hypocritical!

But the Lord Jesus Christ clearly warned us, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets...but to fulfill them.... Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.... For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-20) To be clear therefore, Jesus did not do away with the Law but rather fulfilled it.

We are not saved by the merit of our works, but remember that "we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God had prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10) The right understanding of the law therefore is to recognise that obedience to the law flows from our love for our Master Christ Jesus. As the puritan Thomas Watson wrote, _"let your love for the Lord be shown in affection and action". As human beings we observe universally in relationships that love bursts out in a desire to give and serve, and how much more is this true of Christ of whom one glimpse draws out the allegiance and devotion of the nations!

It is true that one cannot keep Christ's commands without a love for Him. At the same time He said, "Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46) Pastor John Piper helpfully summarises, "we must work on the roots and that will then produce fruits of holy obedience. The roots are faith, hope and love. As we grow in these, we must use the commands in the Bible as litmus tests to gauge our growth in holiness."

Are you reading this and you love the Lord and earnestly desire to please Him but are daunted by the challenge of keeping all His laws and are discouraged by your failure to keep them? Be encouraged my brother and sister that Christ has kept God's law on your behalf and since you have His Holy Spirt, God Himself will "work in you to both to will and to do what pleases Him." (Philippians 2:13) Diligently study His law daily, and as Jesus promised, the Holy Spirit will remind you of all that He has taught us (John 14:26).