p. 2 | LOVE FULFILS THE LAW by H. F. Phelps

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 6, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 23.

LOVE FULFILS THE LAW.

By H. F. Phelps

IN point of obedience does God require more of a fallen world than He does of the unfallen worlds?—Inasmuch as God is no respecter of persons, and He changes not, and is "the same yesterday, to-day, and forever," His requirements must be the same throughout the universe. Supreme love to God is one of the conditions—we may say, is the condition—of our salvation. Does God require less of the sinless inhabitants of the celestial worlds? Can He require less of any being, and be God? The answers must be self-evident. But let us test the question by the never-failing Word.

"Master," said an ancient Pharisee, "which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." Matt. 22:34-40. Does God require less of sinless beings? Can He ask for more?

Now consider further what saith the Master: "This is the first and great commandment." "First," that is, before all others—the first, no other before this one. Not only first in importance, but first in point of time as well; for just as soon as there was a created being in the universe, there existed certain relations between the Creator and the created. And with these relations came certain obligations, resting upon both the Creator and the created. Upon the first rested the obligation of giving all needed blessings for the happiness of the created; and upon the second, the obligations of supreme love, for his very existence, and for all these needed blessings. Hence the one "first and great commandment."

But, coupled with this "first and great commandment," we find another, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Let us consider them together. Then let the mind go back to the first created being. Suppose this to be an angel; for they are created beings. The angels were placed on probation. This is so, because some of the angels have fallen. They could not have fallen if they had not been placed on probation.

What was the test of their loyalty to the Creator?—Evidently, obedience to the "first and great commandment," and to the other which "is like unto it." This is certainly so; for the very moment an angel was brought into existence, that moment there existed the relations between the Creator and the created; and when there was more than one angel, there came also the relation between the created ones. And out of these relations there came the duty to love the Creator with all the heart and with all the soul, and the duty to "love thy neighbor as thyself."

Further, when, out of that relation between the Creator and the created there came the divine principle of supreme love to the Creator, it was only the returning to God that which He had given. God loved the creature with the greatest of love, even supreme love, which is evidenced in His love for a fallen world: for nothing less than supreme love could consent to redeem a fallen world at such a fearful cost, even the death of the Creator Himself. Calvary is the measure of the supreme love of God for His creatures. "I have loved thee with an everlasting love" (Jer. 31:3), is the testimony of the Holy Spirit. "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands" (Isa. 49:16), are the words of the Man of Calvary. Those scars upon those sacred hands will attest throughout all eternity the depths of the love of God and of Christ for created beings. Hence, supreme love to God is a most sacred obligation resting upon the creature, whether angel or man.

As before stated, at the moment that there were two or more angels, there were other relations—relations between created beings who were upon a plane of equality between themselves, under the Creator. Out of these relations came the obligations of the second commandment: "And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Thus is seen the relation of neighbors. And all were under equal obligations to love the Creator, who bestowed all things, and under equal obligations one to another,—"love thy neighbor as thyself." Each one needed all these things. And God has so arranged these relations that each can minister to the other in unselfish devotion.

Thus, first in importance and first in point of time, are these two great commandments. No wonder that Christ said, "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Here, again, we see that God deals with all alike, for "there is no difference." God requires no more of the one who has sinned than He does of the one who never sinned. And He does require the same obedience from the sinless beings as from the one who is all stained with sin. The sinless ones have always been obedient, and ever live by faith, and are saved by faith. But of the sinner it is said, "For by grace are ye saved through faith." The sinner, having been disobedient, must repent of his disobedience, and live by faith; for it is written, "Now the just shall live by faith." Heb. 10:38. And so, repenting of sins, and living by faith, the sinner is elevated to the same plane as the sinless ones who have always lived by faith, and always been obedient. And, living by faith, he can be just as obedient as the angels of God. Praise the Lord for the provisions of His grace.

H. F. PHELPS.