LOVE IS THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW.
By Bible Echo
To very many minds the moral teachings of the Bible appear so complicated as to involve actual doubt of the inspiration of the sacred Book. Such have come to regard the precepts and principles taught as being, in their relations to each other, complex and contradictory. But such an impression is entertained only by those who study to doubt, or to magnify the supposed discrepancies into insuperable mountains of difficulty. The opposite is exactly true of the Bible. No book the world has ever seen is so unanimous in the declaration of its great objective principles; and no set of principles, so comprehensive in their application, can be as concisely stated as those taught in the Bible. The tree of Bible virtue has for its trunk the principle of love. This the Saviour separates into two grand principles of love to God and love to man; and adds, "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Thus every precept of the Scriptures is declared to be tributary to the love we owe our Maker, or to that which we owe our fellows. With his own voice, God has subdivided these, the first into four and the second into six precepts, forming ten words, or commandments, which are recognized as the basis of all just laws. These form a law which the writers of the Bible pronounce "perfect," "holy," "the truth," "righteousness," "spiritual." Springing out of these ten commandments, we have all the principles which regulate moral and Christian life. For instance, the first commandment exalts the reverence and service of God above every other object or consideration. It is, therefore, directed against covetousness, pride, arrogance, self-exaltation, and the whole brood of selfish vices. The Saviour analyzed some of the ten precepts in his sermon on the mount. He makes them apply to the thoughts and purposes of the heart. They not only forbid the outbreaking sin in which a course of transgression will end, but they recognize every desire and thought which is tributary to the crime. And every such lust or impulse becomes sinful. To violate the sixth commandment it is not necessary to murder; but hatred, envy, unkind words, and epithets of reproach, are violations of the command which says, "Thou shalt not kill." Unclean words and thoughts are sin in the light of the seventh command. Under such teaching, we begin to realize what the psalmist felt when he said, "I have seen an end of all perfection; but thy commandment is exceeding broad." Ps. 119:96. Thus the branches which spring from the ten commandments reach in every direction, and in a beautiful and symmetrical manner cover the whole field of human character. We now have before our minds the figure of a perfect tree. When the enlivening influence of the Spirit of God gives life and force to these principles in human nature, humanity displays to the admiring world, to angels, and to God, the lovely adornment of Christian virtue and perfection. And this is quickly succeeded by the golden "fruit of the Spirit," which is "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." All these graces spring from the grand central principle of love, and are exemplified either in love to God or to man, and may be traced through one of the ten commandments, and perhaps through one or more lateral branches. We believe that all can see the beauty and harmony that there is in this picture which is drawn out in God's word. Now, let us suppose for a moment that we cut out of this beautiful tree these ten main stems. What is the result?—The destruction of the entire frame-work of Christian character. And this is what many would have us do. It cannot be, however; for Jesus has said, "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no-wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matt. 5:18.