Is love more important than commandments?
Introduction. Most religions today attempt to isolate and disassociate love and commandments. They believe and teach that "love" is the important matter; while God's commandments are comparatively unimportant.
Love is absolutely required. Scriptural love is presented as totally indispensable. The apostle Paul taught that if an early Christian possessed spiritual gifts, but did not have love, they were nothing (1 Cor. 13:2). If one gave all to feed the poor or became a martyr, but did not possess love, "it profiteth nothing" (vs. 3). Love is the activating force behind obedient, saving faith (Gal. 5: 6). Love is the spiritual cement which bonds all spiritual graces (Col. 3: 14).
God's commandments are absolutely required. Jesus taught that do be saved we must perform the will of the Father (Matt. 7: 21). Jesus equates doing the Father's will to "heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them..." (vs. 24). Jesus asked, "And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46). Those who "do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness" will suffer "indignation, wrath, tribulation, and anguish" (Rom. 2: 6-9), Jesus is the author of eternal salvation "unto all them that obey him" (Heb. 5: 9).
The scriptures couple love and commandments. Actually, the scriptures do not isolate and disassociate love and commandments. When Jesus was asked which was the great commandment in the law, he replied, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart...soul...and mind" (Matt. 22: 36,37). John wrote, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5: 3). Beloved, it is a mark of a false teacher when love and commandments are attempted to be isolated. We must have love but we must also obey. The truth is if we have true love, we will obey (John 14: 21-24).
Love is absolutely required. Scriptural love is presented as totally indispensable. The apostle Paul taught that if an early Christian possessed spiritual gifts, but did not have love, they were nothing (1 Cor. 13:2). If one gave all to feed the poor or became a martyr, but did not possess love, "it profiteth nothing" (vs. 3). Love is the activating force behind obedient, saving faith (Gal. 5: 6). Love is the spiritual cement which bonds all spiritual graces (Col. 3: 14).
God's commandments are absolutely required. Jesus taught that do be saved we must perform the will of the Father (Matt. 7: 21). Jesus equates doing the Father's will to "heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them..." (vs. 24). Jesus asked, "And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46). Those who "do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness" will suffer "indignation, wrath, tribulation, and anguish" (Rom. 2: 6-9), Jesus is the author of eternal salvation "unto all them that obey him" (Heb. 5: 9).
The scriptures couple love and commandments. Actually, the scriptures do not isolate and disassociate love and commandments. When Jesus was asked which was the great commandment in the law, he replied, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart...soul...and mind" (Matt. 22: 36,37). John wrote, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5: 3). Beloved, it is a mark of a false teacher when love and commandments are attempted to be isolated. We must have love but we must also obey. The truth is if we have true love, we will obey (John 14: 21-24).