Don’t you just love to talk about “LOVE?” Some would say, “Yes. I love to talk love, too.” (This one takes on a romantic sound).
Those two expressions using the word, “love,” take on different meanings. Even if it is something which may be deemed terrible, people love to talk about that and express their feelings about whatever that terrible thing is. That’s freedom of speech.
Some people might say, “I love imperialism.” Others might say, “I love communism.” Still others might say, “I love capitalism.” “I love liberalism.” “I love to hate.” “I love atheism.” “I love Christianity.” Whatever the case, there may be someone or some persons who love it.
But, how about God? What does He say? Let’s look at the supreme meaning of love. There are scriptures which attest to Lord God Jehovah’s definition and the manner of His love.
Deuteronomy 6:5 – [And you shall love the Lord thy God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.]; 10:12 And now, Israel, what does the Lord thy God require of you, but to fear (honor, reverence) the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul; 11:1 [Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, always., 11:13 [ And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken (listen) diligently to my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,, 11:22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him. ]
Okay that’s enough to prove my point, hopefully in a convincing manner. Matthew 5:17 says, Jesus came to fulfill the law. A while back I wondered just what does that mean? The answer is now right here before you.
The word, fulfill can be confusing. It explains that Jesus came to fully satisfy the law. You recall that God sent His one and only Son to save the whole world. Jesus stepped out of the heavens onto earth as a man. He was God “incarnate.” He was here on earth as God in the flesh. He was fully God and fully man.
As a man, He had feelings and emotions (He wept for Lazarus) and voluntarily gave His life for us. He came not only to fulfill the law and prophecies, He came to fulfill by His actions and sufferings and to perform perfect obedience to the law of God in His own person and to enforce and explain it fully by His doctrine.
Therefore, He has fully satisfied the requirements of the law. Remember that God said the law was too difficult for man to fully obey all those statutes. But, God had one (His Son) who could fulfill that difficult task of full obedience, die, be raised up (the resurrection).
1 Corinthians 13, the chapter on “love,” talks about how love does not behave unseemly, and love is the preeminent emotion and characteristic, which ranks the highest. He fulfilled the law through demonstration of healings, His providential speaking, and His preeminent wisdom.
Remember after His resurrection, when walking with two others on the road to Emmaus, He expounded to them all about Himself in the Old Testament and the prophets? Everything that the law stood for, Jesus fulfilled it.
Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. There is no getting around Him. We must go through Him to arrive at our already reserved and prepared heavenly mansion for each of His children.
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
Thanks for reading! Jeanette Grattan Parker is Founder-Superintendent Today’s Fresh Start Charter School 4514 Crenshaw Boulevard, LA 90043 323-293-9826 www.todaysfreshstart.org (Ask Dr. Jeanette TM) Inquiring Minds Want to Know” All articles are copyright. All rights reserved © The Holy Bible New Testament, Errors? Let me know. Sundays for music & message: 11:30am {1-712-775-8971—code 266751} References: (Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible)