Love Fulfills the Whole Law
Galatians 5:1-15 — Christian Liberty: Free to Love
After making a loud and clear call to make a stand in Christian liberty (Galatians 5:1), the Apostle Paul gave a sharp warning against the danger of the Judaizing heresy which ruins grace (Galatians 5:1–2), makes one obligated to obey the whole Law (Galatians 5:3), and causes one to fall away from grace (Galatians 5:4–6). In Gal 4:31 along with these verses, he summarizes the epistle using ideas similar to his other epistles—grace, faith, love, hope, and righteousness. The ending of verse six, "faith working through love", is the theme running throughout chapters 5-6 and particularly in Galatians 5:13-15.
After reminding them of their initial faithfulness and then calling them back from apostasy using sharp language, irony, and sarcasm, the Apostle Paul clarifies that his call for freedom over the past two and a half chapters is not to be confused with the casting off of moral restraints and warns the Galatians against using their freedom as an occasion to indulge their appetites. In Galatians 5:1, he made a call for Christian liberty to stand fast against legalism. In Galatians 5:13, he makes a call for Christian liberty to stand fast against the perversion and misuse of Christian liberty through licentiousness. Why? The key here is to notice the word "called" at beginning of the verse. The Galatians had been "called to liberty." Called by whom? Not by Paul, but by God Himself. And if God had called them, then they ought not to presume on God's grace by living in fulfilling the lust of the flesh. Like legalism, licentiousness betrays an attitude that lacks humility, obedience, and love.
So, the proper Christian attitude for those who are standing in Christian liberty is neither legalism nor licentiousness but love. Love sees beyond one's own desires, wishes, and interests in order to serve others. Paul adds that love fulfills the whole Law. But doesn't Christian liberty mean that we are not under the Law? Why are we still trying to fulfill the law? The key is to return to Gal 5:6; what avails in Christ Jesus is "faith working through love." Righteousness has always been obtained through faith (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17, 9:30; Galatians 3:11; Philippians 3:9, Hebrews 10:38). However, while before Christ, believers, anticipating His coming, demonstrated their faith by obeying the Mosaic Law, the New Testament believers demonstrate their faith through love.
The Law is not bad, rather it is "holy and just and good" (Romans 7:12). In Matthew 22:34–40, we read about a lawyer from the sect of the Pharisees challenging the Lord Jesus by asking Him about the greatest commandment in the law. Jesus told him to love God and to love others and that "on these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Why? Because laws are only necessary to restrain immature people. Mature principled people have no need for someone to tell them what to do and what not to do. Since Christ had not been revealed, the Law was given to point people to Christ (Galatians 3:24). But why does Paul, in Gal 5:14, focuses on loving others and not mention loving God? The Apostle John said that the person who says he loves God but hates others is a liar, "for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?" (1 John 4:20). So, the Apostle Paul is not focusing on loving others because loving others is superior to the love and worship of God, but rather because it is the proof of it.
Are you loving God and demonstrating it by loving others?
After making a loud and clear call to make a stand in Christian liberty (Galatians 5:1), the Apostle Paul gave a sharp warning against the danger of the Judaizing heresy which ruins grace (Galatians 5:1–2), makes one obligated to obey the whole Law (Galatians 5:3), and causes one to fall away from grace (Galatians 5:4–6). In Gal 4:31 along with these verses, he summarizes the epistle using ideas similar to his other epistles—grace, faith, love, hope, and righteousness. The ending of verse six, "faith working through love", is the theme running throughout chapters 5-6 and particularly in Galatians 5:13-15.
After reminding them of their initial faithfulness and then calling them back from apostasy using sharp language, irony, and sarcasm, the Apostle Paul clarifies that his call for freedom over the past two and a half chapters is not to be confused with the casting off of moral restraints and warns the Galatians against using their freedom as an occasion to indulge their appetites. In Galatians 5:1, he made a call for Christian liberty to stand fast against legalism. In Galatians 5:13, he makes a call for Christian liberty to stand fast against the perversion and misuse of Christian liberty through licentiousness. Why? The key here is to notice the word "called" at beginning of the verse. The Galatians had been "called to liberty." Called by whom? Not by Paul, but by God Himself. And if God had called them, then they ought not to presume on God's grace by living in fulfilling the lust of the flesh. Like legalism, licentiousness betrays an attitude that lacks humility, obedience, and love.
So, the proper Christian attitude for those who are standing in Christian liberty is neither legalism nor licentiousness but love. Love sees beyond one's own desires, wishes, and interests in order to serve others. Paul adds that love fulfills the whole Law. But doesn't Christian liberty mean that we are not under the Law? Why are we still trying to fulfill the law? The key is to return to Gal 5:6; what avails in Christ Jesus is "faith working through love." Righteousness has always been obtained through faith (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17, 9:30; Galatians 3:11; Philippians 3:9, Hebrews 10:38). However, while before Christ, believers, anticipating His coming, demonstrated their faith by obeying the Mosaic Law, the New Testament believers demonstrate their faith through love.
The Law is not bad, rather it is "holy and just and good" (Romans 7:12). In Matthew 22:34–40, we read about a lawyer from the sect of the Pharisees challenging the Lord Jesus by asking Him about the greatest commandment in the law. Jesus told him to love God and to love others and that "on these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Why? Because laws are only necessary to restrain immature people. Mature principled people have no need for someone to tell them what to do and what not to do. Since Christ had not been revealed, the Law was given to point people to Christ (Galatians 3:24). But why does Paul, in Gal 5:14, focuses on loving others and not mention loving God? The Apostle John said that the person who says he loves God but hates others is a liar, "for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?" (1 John 4:20). So, the Apostle Paul is not focusing on loving others because loving others is superior to the love and worship of God, but rather because it is the proof of it.
Are you loving God and demonstrating it by loving others?
Posted in Galatians
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