Love Fulfills The Law
August 4, 2024
Commentary
A little leaven causes a whole lump of dough to rise. It only takes one person to infect all the others. It only takes one. Legalists reveal their hypocrisy, for they fail to keep the whole law. They look upon the Old Testament law the way a customer surveys the food in a cafeteria line: they choose what they want and leave the rest. The spirit of legalism does not suddenly overpower a church. Like leaven, it is introduced secretly, it grows, and before long poisons the whole assembly (v. 9). In this passage Paul presents six characteristics of the Judaizers that are general enough to fit all other teachers of ungodliness, ancient or modern:
They distorted and hindered the truth (v. 7).They were ungodly (v. 8).They spread their heresy among both true believers and would be believers (v. 9).They lead the Lord’s people astray (10).They persecuted true teachers (v11).They should be cut off (v.12).Paul distinguishes between freedom to sin and freedom to serve (v. 13). Freedom or liberty to sin is no freedom at all because it enslaves you to Satan, others or your own sinful nature. When we are not motivated by love we become critical of others (vv. 14-15). Remind yourself of Jesus’ command to love others as you love yourself (Matt. 22:39). When you begin to feel critical of someone, make a list of that person’s positive qualities. If there are problems that need to be addressed, it is better to follow Matthew 18 and not to gossip.
Application
I need to remind myself of Jesus command to love others as I love myself (Matt. 22:39). When I begin to feel critical of someone I need to make a list of that person’s positive qualities.
Galatians 5:7– 15 (NET)
7 You were running well; who prevented you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from the one who calls you! 9 A little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise! 10 I am confident in the Lord that you will accept no other view. But the one who is confusing you will pay the penalty, whoever he may be. 11 Now, brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those agitators would go so far as to castrate themselves!
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 However, if you continually bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another.
Illustration: Wiersbe Motorist Driving Through a Red Light
Imagine a motorist driving down a city street and either deliberately or unconsciously driving through a red light. He is pulled over by a policeman who asks to see his driver’s license. Immediately the driver begins to defend himself. “Officer, I know I ran the red light, but I have never robbed anybody, I’ve never committed adultery, I’ve never cheated on my income tax.” The policeman smiles as he writes out the ticket, because he knows that no amount of obedience can make up for one act of disobedience. It is one law, and the same law that protects the obedient man and punishes the offender. To boast about keeping part of the law while breaking another part is to confess that I am worthy of punishment. (Be Free by Warren Wiersbe, Victor Books, p. 118).