Lesson 8

Key Text:

“ ‘If you keep My commandments,you will abide in My love,

just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love’ ”

John 15:10

In most nations a hierarchy

of laws exists. At the top are

laws that come from the

national government and

that bind all who reside in

the country.

Then there are laws on the

provincial level that pertain

to the inhabitants of certain

territories.

Finally, local laws govern the smallest districts. Although each division within

a country is permitted to make laws that are relevant to its constituents, none

can make a law that contradicts the law of the nation. And though

circumstances may dictate that a certain law be applied in different ways, the

application cannot deviate from the spirit of the law.

As the Supreme Head of

the universe, the Creator

God has established laws

for all of His creatures.

When Jesus Christ

voluntarily transformed

Himself into human flesh,

He gave Himself to a life of

obedience to His Father

(Phil. 2:5–11) and to His

commandments. Thus,

everything that Jesus

taught, the perspective that

He put on the law, even the

“new” commandment that

He gave, was always in full

harmony with the law of

God.

“So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One,

that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You

shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false

witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your

neighbor as yourself.’ ”” (Matthew 19:17-19)

All the law; both the 10

Commandments and

other sections of the

Toráh (Lev. 19:18)

Jesus expects those

who will live eternal life

with Him to fulfill the

Law of God in this life.

Won’t we want to fulfill

God’s will in Heaven?

Which commandments must the rich young ruler keep?

“On these two commandments hang all the Law

and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:40)

“You shall love the

Lord your God with all

your heart, with all your

soul, and with all your

strength.”

(Deuteronomy 6:5)

“You shall not take

vengeance, nor bear

any grudge against the

children of your people,

but you shall love your

neighbor as yourself: I

am the Lord.”

(Leviticus 19:18)

The Law of God is the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17). It is based on

the next two commandments, love God (commandments 1 to 4) and love

your neighbor (commandments 5 to 10)

“All the Law” [The Pentateuch, from Genesis to Deuteronomy] is

based on the 10 Commandments.

“The Prophets” [from Joshua to Malachi] were based on the law.

They explain it.

Which are those two commandments? How are they

related to the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:35-40)?

If Jesus had cancelled the Law by

dying, those two commandments—

which are also part of the Law,

should have also been cancelled.

On the contrary, He taught us to

fulfill ALL the Law of God.

“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My

love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments

and abide in His love.” (John 15:10)

He honored his parents (Luke 2:51)

He refused to worship Satan (Luke 4:8)

He kept the Sabbath (Luke 4:16)

He never sinned (Heb. 4:15)

He was always obedient (Phil. 2:5-11)

How did Jesus keep God’s

Commandments?

“And being found in appearance as a

man, He humbled Himself and became

obedient to the point of death, even the

death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:8)

If we want to abide in the love of Jesus, we

must obey Him as He obeyed the Father and

remained in His love.

“Not to keep the commandments of God

is not to love Him. None will keep the law

of God unless they love Him who is the

only begotten of the Father. And

nonetheless surely; if they love Him,

they will express that love by obedience

to Him. All who love Christ will be loved

of the Father, and He will manifest

Himself to them. In all their emergencies

and perplexities they will have a helper

in Jesus Christ.”

EGW (This Day with God, May 13)

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another;

as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

(John 13:34)

Jesus had already taught us to

love both our friends and enemies.

He taught that based on the

teachings

in the Old Testament.

Why was loving one another a

NEW commandment?

There is a nuance that makes it

new, we must love one another as

Jesus loved us.

“We love Him because He first loved us… And

this commandment we have from Him: that he

who loves God must love his brother also.” (1

John 4:19, 21)

“to those who are without law, as without law (not being

without law toward God, but under law toward Christ),

that I might win those who are without law.”

(1 Corinthians 9:21)

Paul tried to save everyone. When trying to

reach the Gentiles, he didn’t initially use the

law of God. He looked for themes that were

more familiar to them. He used those themes

to make them understand the love of God.

In Corinthians, Paul wanted to clarify that he

respected and obeyed the law of God, even

when he didn’t use it first of all when

preaching to the Gentiles.

According to Paul, that obedience is based on

obeying the law of Christ (John 13:34)

“The Gentiles, Paul approached by exalting Christ, and

then presenting the binding claims of the law. He

showed how the light reflected by the cross of Calvary

gave significance and glory to the whole Jewish

economy.”EGW (Gospel workers, pg. 118)

The law of Christ is driven by mercy.

Had it not been for His sacrificial

death, there would be no reason to

keep the law of God. However,

because Christ has made eternal life

possible, there is an incentive for

the faithful to resume keeping God’s

law after moments of weakness.

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the

law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)

Fellow believers should use the law of Christ as a vehicle

to transport the repentant sinner back to the arena of

God’s law of love.

“For the Father judges no one, but has

committed all judgment to the Son.”

(John 5:22)

We will be judged by He who has

already experienced what we do; and

His law is love. That’s comforting!

Fulfilling the law does not mean that we

obey it to gain personal favor with God,

but it beckons each Christian to share

the love of God with those who need it.

As the standard of judgment, the law

serves to measure the level of love that

the individual has shared with God and

humanity.

When Christ presides over the final

judgment, He will use God’s unchanging

law of love as the standard by which to

judge (James 2:12)

CHRIST AND HIS

LAW

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