Topical Bible: Love to Man is the Fulfilling of the Law

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The concept that love to man fulfills the law is deeply rooted in Christian theology and is primarily derived from the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul. This principle emphasizes that genuine love for others encapsulates and satisfies the requirements of God's commandments.

Biblical Foundation

The idea that love fulfills the law is explicitly stated in the New Testament. In Romans 13:8-10 , the Apostle Paul writes, "Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. The commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not covet,' and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one decree: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."

Similarly, in Galatians 5:14 , Paul reiterates, "The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Teachings of Jesus

Jesus Christ himself emphasized the preeminence of love in the law. When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus responded in Matthew 22:37-40 , "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments."

This teaching underscores that love for God and love for others are inseparable and foundational to the entire biblical law.

Theological Implications

From a theological perspective, love is not merely an emotion but an active commitment to the well-being of others. It is a reflection of God's own nature, as seen in 1 John 4:8 , "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." Therefore, to love others is to manifest the character of God and to live in accordance with His will.

The fulfillment of the law through love also highlights the relational aspect of God's commandments. Rather than a checklist of rules, the law is understood as a guide to living in harmonious relationships with God and fellow human beings. Love, therefore, becomes the lens through which all actions and decisions are evaluated.

Practical Application

In practical terms, love as the fulfillment of the law calls believers to a life of selflessness, compassion, and service. It challenges Christians to go beyond mere legalistic adherence to rules and to engage in acts of kindness, mercy, and justice. This principle is evident in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), where Jesus illustrates that true neighborly love transcends cultural and religious boundaries.

Furthermore, the Apostle John in 1 John 3:18 exhorts believers, "Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth." This call to action emphasizes that love must be demonstrated through tangible deeds that reflect the love of Christ.

Conclusion

The principle that love to man is the fulfilling of the law is a central tenet of Christian ethics, calling believers to embody the love of Christ in their interactions with others. Through love, the essence of God's commandments is realized, and the believer's life becomes a testament to the transformative power of the Gospel.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Romans 13:8-10
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loves another has fulfilled the law.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Galatians 5:14
For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

James 2:8
If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you do well:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Love Worketh no Ill to his Neighbor; Therefore Love is the ...
... Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. ...
No man can exercise the emotion of love by merely willing it. ...
/.../finney/lectures to professing christians/love worketh no ill to.htm

Love and the Day
... ROMANS LOVE AND THE DAY. 'Owe no man anything, but to love one another ... Love worketh
no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.11. ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/love and the day.htm

Article iii: of Love and the Fulfilling of the Law.
... justified by faith, not on account of our love and works ... servant; for in Thy sight
shall no man living be ... before God by our own perfection and fulfilling of the ...
/.../melanchthon/the apology of the augsburg confession/part 6 article iii of.htm

The Tables Turned: the Questioners Questioned
... 'A second is like unto it,'"love to man is the ... Love of neighbours is the second
commandment, and to make it the ... do now, is to end all hope of fulfilling it. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/the tables turned the questioners.htm

Love Thy Neighbour
... Though the fulfilling of the law is the practical form love will take ... though it is
the mode in which a man's will must begin at once to be love to his ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macdonald/unspoken sermons/love thy neighbour.htm

The Beauty and Excellency of this World Consists, not Only in the ...
... xxii.37, 38, 39. And therefore, as Paul says, "Love is the fulfilling of the law,"
Romans 13:10. ... "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another" (Romans 13 ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/chapter i the beauty and.htm

The Greatest Thing in the World
... "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." If a man love God, you will not
require to tell him that. Love is the fulfilling of that law. ...
/.../the greatest thing in the.htm

It Clearly Appears that There was but one Author of Both the Old ...
... And Paul in like manner declares, "Love is the fulfilling of the law ... that without
love all are hollow and vain; moreover, that love makes man perfect; and ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xii it clearly appears that.htm

What the Scriptures Principally Teach: the Ruin and Recovery of ...
... our poor maimed and halting obedience is called "the fulfilling of the ... more than
ten times so much outward obedience from another man. He meets love with love. ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/lecture vi what the scriptures.htm

The Spirit of the Law
... When Paul proclaimed that 'love is the fulfilling of the law,' he was only repeating
the teaching of this passage, when it puts 'to ... No man can love as he ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the spirit of the law.htm