BiblicalInsights.net

“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love” (Gal. 5:6).  The apostle Paul wrote this passage to churches in Galatia (Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe-south Galatia). The churches in this region were being challenged by Judaizing teachers who claimed that Christians, including Gentile Christians, must keep the law of Moses and be circumcised.  These teachers had succeeded in infiltrating these churches and perverting them with their doctrine (Gal. 1:6 and 3:1).  Paul writes the book of Galatians to refute their doctrines and vindicate the Gospel.  He emphasizes that “circumcision or uncircumcision” avails nothing in Christ.  Circumcision was a sign of the covenant between God and Israel.  It helped define the people of God from those who were not considered to be among the people of God.  The distinction between Jew and Gentile was established by this sign.  Paul affirms that the “circumcised” were to keep the whole law (Gal. 5:3).  But, the Jews could not keep the law perfectly (Rom. 2:25, 3:9).  Consequently, circumcision could not justify them.  In Christ, neither circumcision nor uncircumcison availeth anything.  This distinction was no longer valid.  A significant change occurred when Jesus died on the cross.  At that time, the new testament (covenant) went into force (Col. 2:14, II Cor. 3:7-17; Heb. 9:15-17).  The law of Moses was fulfilled and taken out of the way.  Jeremiah the prophet, some 600 years before Christ, had predicted this change in covenants (Jer. 31:31-34, Heb. 8:6-13).  Christians are not under the law of Moses, but they are under (accountable to, bound by the terms and conditions of the covenant) the law of Christ.  To be “in Christ” is to be in the spiritual sphere where redemption and salvation are found (Gal. 5:1).  How does one get “into Christ?”  Paul gives the answer:  “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:26-27).  The consequence of this spiritual transformation is that “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28).
Paul affirms that the grace of God is appropriated through faith and love.  Faith and love are born in the hearts of men when they hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Knowledge of the truth begets faith.  “So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God” Rom. 10:17.  Knowledge of God’s love for us begets love in our hearts for Him.  “We love him, because he first loved us.”  Our love for God which involves adoration, devotion, submission and respect or reverence, is a reciprocal love.  It is a love that responds to God’s unspeakable gift of His Son–Jesus Christ–who died for us upon the cross.
Faith is operational by love.  Faith is absolute trust in God.  Faith is active (Heb. 11:8, Abraham’s faith was an obedient faith).  Love is active.  Jesus said, “if ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).  The test of faith is obedience to God’s commands.  The test of love is obedience to God’s commands.  Faith performs its work in the sphere of love.  Love envelops and permeates faith.  Faith without love is imperfect (I Cor. 13:1-3) and love without faith is imperfect (Heb. 11:6).  You cannot be saved by faith alone.  You cannot be saved by love alone.  As Paul affirms, we are saved by faith which worketh by love!
Love is the greatest virtue! (I Cor. 13:13).  It outranks faith.  No person can be saved without love for God.  Love for God is the greatest commandment (Matt. 22:36-40).
Faith and love are both virtues of the human heart that are necessary for salvation.  We must believe in Jesus Christ and love Him above all else.  When we believe and love the Lord Jesus Christ, we will obey Him (Luke 6:46).  Faith and love define the children of God today.

In John 12:1-8, Jesus is in the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus for a meal.  Jesus often resorted to this home because of the love and friendship that He enjoyed there.  This event takes place not long after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.  During this meal, we learn of an extraordinary measure of devotion on the part of Mary.
Mary takes an expensive ointment (about a year’s wages in value) and anoints the feet of Jesus.  Her act was extraordinary in three ways:
1.     The gift was very expensive.  The pound of perfume made of pure nard was worth a year’s wages.  The amount of the gift is an indication of the love and devotion she had for the Lord.  Her love prompted sacrifice.
2.     The anointing of the feet was extraordinary.  Normally, one would anoint the head and wash the feet.  This was not an everyday occurrence in Palestine.  That makes the act unexpected and exceptional.  Her love prompted humility.
3.     Mary’s wiping Jesus’ feet with her hair is unusual.  It is more personal than a towel or her sleeve.  For Mary, devotion takes precedence over convention.  Her love was from the heart and involved giving herself.
True discipleship involves exceptional, extraordinary, unexpected love.  Mary’s love for the Lord is unleashed in a moment of honor and respect.  She is aware that Jesus’ death is near.  Jesus foretold His own death several times.  He clarified to the people present that Mary anointed Him against the day of His burial.  Jesus is keenly aware of His impending death.  The family of Mary, Martha and Lazarus have just experienced the death of Lazarus and the deep sadness associated with it.  They recovered from Lazarus’ death when they experienced great joy over his resurrection to life.  The miracle enhanced their understanding of who Jesus is.  That understanding enriched their faith and love for Him.  The result is an extraordinary act of devotion!
Love can take any moment and make it extraordinary.  That is why love is the true mark of discipleship. We need to love without limits!

Every person faces temptation.  How do we win over temptation?  James writes, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”  There is a blessing for enduring (holding up under and not yielding to) temptation.  Faithfulness to God means meeting temptation on a regular basis and triumphing over it.  A key part of faithfulness to God is love.
Every time we sin, we violate the law of love.  How does love play an empowering role in overcoming temptation?  The law of love applies to: (1) ourselves, (2) our neighbors; and (3) our God.
Love of Self and Overcoming Temptation.
Sin is always destructive and will bring us to damnation before God.  In Matt. 22:36-39, Jesus mentions that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves.  What does it mean to love yourself?  There is a bad aspect and a good aspect to this concept.  Inappropriate love for self manifests itself in selfishness (just the opposite of love).  Inordinate love for self may involve us in indulgence of the lusts of the flesh.  We lust more and sin more!  An appropriate love for self recognizes our self-worth before God as our creator and redeemer.  Love for self actually involves self-denial.  We make decisions that will preserve spiritual status with God.  We nourish our souls as we would our own bodies.  We will not choose self-destructive behaviors that harm the soul.  Consequently, we love more and sin less.
Love of Neighbor and Overcoming Temptation.
What does it mean to love our neighbor?  Love means that we will seek the highest good of others.  Love is undefeatable, benevolent, goodwill.  Love seeks to do no harm to our neighbor.  Many of the commands of God reflect love for neighbor.  Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not bear false witness are commands that set boundaries that recognize love for neighbor.  Many sins have the consequence of hurting or injuring our neighbor by trespassing against him/her.  Love provides a restraint from harming our neighbor.  Instead, we will do good to him.
Love of God and Overcoming Temptation.
The first and great commandment is to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul and mind (Matt. 22:36-39).  When we sin against self or others, we sin against God.  In Acts 5:1-11, Ananias and Sapphira conspired together to lie to the apostles, the church and to God.  Their sin (a lie) was self-destructive, harmful to the church, and an affront to God.  In I Cor. 6:18, Paul mentions that sin of fornication and specifically states that fornication is a sin against one’s own body.  However, it also is a trespass against another person and a sin against God.  Sin is an injury to God–an offense and a trespass.  It violates the law of love for God!  If we truly love God, we will not sin against Him.
Appropriate love for self, love for neighbor and supreme love for God are powerful deterrents to sin.  Love is a force that enables us to endure temptation, refrain from sinning and receive the crown of life.  Why not love more and sin less?

     William Provine, a professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the distinguished Cornell University has stated: “Naturalistic evolution has clear consequences that Charles Darwin understood perfectly.  1) No gods worth having exist; 2) no life after death exists; 3) no ultimate foundation for ethics exists; 4) no ultimate meaning in life exists; and 5) human free will is non-existent” (Kyle Butt, A Christian’s Guide to Refuting Modern Atheism,p. 87). Darwinian evolution affirms that there is no basis for morality.  Not all atheists agree with this premise which is somewhat surprising.  Dan Barker, a modern atheist, argues that “morality is simply acting with the intention to minimize harm.”  However, all atheistic morality is subjectively determined and consequently permits  every act including: genocide, infanticide, murder, rape, abortion, lying, stealing, etc. etc.  The ultimate appeal of Atheism is complete human autonomy.  With no universal principles guiding our conduct, we are left to decide for ourselves what is harmful or not harmful and so what is right for any individual.  The subjectivity of Dan Barker leads us right back to the affirmation of Provine concerning morality–there is no basis for ethics or morality.
     The Bible affirms that morality is linked to the nature of God.  It is inseparately connected to His love, holiness and justice.  God demands holiness (Heb. 12:14) without which no man shall see God.  God is love and love is the essence of all morality! 
     In Romans 13:8-10, Paul makes some important statements regarding love and morality.  Consider some of his main concepts.
     1.     A Christian should promptly pay all his debts, but there is one debt that he owes constantly and in all circumstances and that is to love one another.  Love is undefeatable, benevolent, goodwill.  It is a principle that one must will himself to fulfill.  It is commanded by God to man.  We choose to love or not to love.  However, we cannot please God and not love one another.
     2.     Love worketh no ill to his neighbor.  Love and law are related.  Love fulfills the law.  The verb fulfill (pleroun) means “to satisfy in full” or “to finish completely.”  It is used in the perfect tense to indicate an already finished action.  The law is entirely satisfied by love (Ceslaus Spicq, Agape in the New Testament, II, 57).  All morality is based in love!  What will atheists do with this argument?  Paul illustrates by citing five of the ten commandments and shows that the Mosaical law prohibited adultery, murder, stealing, lying and covetousness.  These actions are immoral because they violate the supreme virtue governing conduct between men–love!  Each one of these sins produces injury, harm, heartache and destruction and all are contrary to the principle of love.  The principle of love is objective and universal.  All morality is based in love.  All moral law is inclusive in love. 
     3.     Love is the fulfilling of the law.  Love is summed up (anakephalaioo) which means, “uniting several things about a single principle of harmony.”  Love is the principle.  The atheist cannot explain love!  The moral argument to prove theism is expressed in one word–love!  Discipline yourself in love and you will have the approval of God. 
     Love for God involves:  adoration given to God, attachment (covenant relationship) to God, gratitude to God where we present our bodies as living sacrifices to Him (Rom. 12:1-2), and consecration (fullness of commitment) to God.  Love for God and for our neighbor are absolutes that must be met if we are ever going to see God and be with Him eternally.
     Jesus was asked, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?”  Jesus answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  and the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matt. 22:36-39).

     What would you allow to come between you and God?  Jesus asked, “What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26).  What is worth more than your soul?  What holds you in relationship to God no matter what happens?  What force is powerful enough to keep you in covenant relationship with God?  A force more powerful than persecution.  A force more powerful than death?  A force more powerful than life? 
     In Rom. 8:35-39, two loves are brought together for the preservation of relationship to God and the glorification of man.  One is God’s love for us and the other is our love for God.  Together, these two forces can withstand anything!  Together, these two forces make us and God inseparable!  In Rom. 8:35, Paul asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”  One of the first aspects of this statement that needs to be answered is: does this phrase, “love of Christ” refer to Christ’s love for us or our love for Christ?  I believe this phrase describes the love we have for Christ.  Consider the following:  1)  The word separate comes from a Greek word (chorizo) meaning “to put asunder.”  It is in the middle voice which indicates that the subject participates in the results of the action.  Who does the departing?  The saint separates himself from God.  2) The seventeen things mentioned in v. 35, 38,and 39 are all external to the Christian.  These are outward pressures, powers, beings that can cause a Christian to give up on God and separate himself from God.  3) Christ’s love for the Christian is absolute.  Christ will never abandon His own.  4) The Christian’s love for Christ is going to be tested, but it can stand the test.  Christ’s love for the Christian is not tested by the 17 things mentioned.  Is your love for God strong enough to pass the test?  Consider that the apostle Paul’s love for Christ was strong enough because he faced all of these seventeen trials and never broke relationship with God.  If Paul can do it, you can do it.
     Love beareth all things (I Cor. 13:4-8).  Love is strong, tough, and resiliant.  Love connects us to God!  God loves us and we love Him and consequently, we are more than conquerors!  Love connects us to the greatest Being in the world.  Love connects us to the most powerful Being in the universe and beyond the universe.  His love meets our love and forms a bond so strong that it cannot be overthrown.  This type of love is the grounds upon which Paul has great confidence–I am persuaded–that none of these things will separate us from God.  Why?  Love is powerful enough to prevail. 
     The ultimate glorification of the elect of God comes from the meeting of two loves in one life.  When these two loves come together, the result is an inseparable relationship.  Mutual love is a strong bond that can bring us to eternal glory.  Love for God means: adoration of God, complete attachment to Him in covenant relationship, fidelity to Him, unspeakable gratitude to God and fullness of consecration to Him.  God’s love for us will never fail and continually supplies His grace to us. 
     The problem we face in our churches, homes and communities is a lack of love for God.  Love for God is the first and greatest commandment.  If we don’t get this one right, nothing else matters (Matt. 22:36-39).  “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.”

     What does bk2hk stand for?  The letters and number stand for “Be kind to humankind.”  The first observance of BK2HK was in August, 1988.  It is still being observed today–globally.  Lorraine Jara read a story in her local paper some time ago that related an account of several men who had been in a boating accident.  They were not only ignored by several groups of boaters, but were actually refused help by one boater who was asked merely for radio assistance.  The men were eventually rescued but one died at the hospital.
     Jara asked herself what has happened to our society that one person could be face-to-face with another in need and do nothing?  What could she do now to change this situation? 
    Jara created a monthlong event she called “Be Kind to Humankind” (BK2HK).  She assigned each day of the week a specific way of recognizing humankind along with activity suggestions.  Here are some of her ideas:  Monday: motorist consideration day; Tuesday: Touch-a-Heart; Wednesday: Willing to Lend a Hand; Thursday: Thoughtful; Friday: Forgive Your Foe; Saturday: Speak Kinds Words; and Sunday: Sacrifice Our Wants for Other’s Needs.  Surely, one person can make a difference (Bits and Pieces, Aug. 2008, pp. 4-5).
     Some time ago, Jesus told a story about a good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37).  Jesus aimed at prompting love for our neighbor.  A man had been stripped of his raiment, beaten and left for dead along the road.  A priest and a Levite passed him by.  But, a Samaritan, moved with compassion, took mercy on him and helped him.  Jesus asked his listener, “Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?”  And he said, He that shewed mercy on him.  Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise” (Luke 10:36-37).  One person can make a difference!  Why not you?

     What does it mean to love God?  Love for God is a weighty matter!  Did you know that you can keep commands given by God without loving Him, but you cannot love God without keeping His commands?  Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).  He addressed the hypocritical Pharisees by saying, “But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone” (Luke 11:42).  The Pharisees did the “pass over” on important commands from God.  They majored in minors.  The real problem is that they loved themselves more than they loved God.  They elevated their views over God’s Word.  How do we show love for God?  There are five elements of  love for God that we want to consider.
     The first element is adoration for God.  If we truly love God, we will recognize His excellencies and His goodness.  We must know God before we can love God.  We must know His perfections including His glory, majesty, power, wisdom, love, mercy, wrath, justice and judgment.  We must recognize His goodness  revealed by His creative genius–producing design, beauty, functionality and sustenance and His redeeming love–producing salvation, joy, peace and the hope of eternal life.  Adoration is the esteem or value we place upon God when we understand who He is and what He has done for us.  That esteem is manifested in praise.
     The second element is attachment to God.  Love, by its very nature, attaches itself to the object of affection or devotion.  Love for God begins with an exclusive choice for God (Luke 16:13).  Luke declares that we cannnot serve two masters.  We will either hate the one and love the other; or we will hold to the one and despise the other.  We must choose.   A choice for God is a choice to enter into covenant relationship with God.  When we truly love God, God’s laws rule in our hearts.  To love God means that we deny self and live surrendered to Him.
     The third element is fidelity to God.  Fidelity means that we will keep covenant with God.  It means that we will be loyal and faithful to God.  Fidelity to God means that we will forsake all others (we will not serve any other gods).  Fidelity to God means putting God first and loving God exclusively.  We will worship Him only and serve Him only.  Love for God means that we make God the priority of our lives.
     The fourth element is gratitude to God.  Gratitude is the attitude of thankfulness that stems from a humble heart that recognizes that God is the ultimate source of all blessings. Love for God is prompted by God’s gracious acts that overwhelm the human heart.  The unspeakable gift of God’s Son if one example of God’s grace (John 3:16).  Love for God prompts gratitude as we recognize God’s goodness toward us on a daily basis.  God’s grace supplies us with many blessings that enrich our lives.
     The fifth element is consecration to God.  In Luke 10:27, we are taught to love God with “all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength and with all thy mind…”  We must be wholly given to God (Rom. 12:1-2).  Love for God motivates to a life of holiness.  We conform to His will and are transformed by His Word.  Love for God produces the desire to be like God (Eph. 5:1).  We imitate what we admire. 
     Love for God is the ultimate beginning point in establishing relationship with God.  Remember, God went first. “We love him, because he first loved us.”  I John 4:19.