The concept of obedience to the Law of God as a test of love is a central theme throughout the Bible, reflecting the relationship between God and His people. This theme underscores the idea that true love for God is demonstrated through adherence to His commandments, which are seen not merely as legalistic requirements but as expressions of a loving relationship with the Creator.

Old Testament Foundations

In the Old Testament, the Law given to Israel through Moses serves as a foundational element of the covenant between God and His people. The Ten Commandments, as recorded in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, are central to this covenant. Deuteronomy 6:5 commands, "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." This verse highlights that love for God is intrinsically linked to obedience, as further emphasized in Deuteronomy 11:1 : "You shall therefore love the LORD your God and always keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments."

The Shema, found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9, is a daily declaration of faith and love for God, urging the Israelites to keep God's words in their hearts and to teach them diligently to their children. This passage illustrates that obedience to God's Law is not only a personal commitment but also a communal and generational responsibility.

Prophetic Insights

The prophets of the Old Testament often called the people of Israel back to obedience as a demonstration of their love for God. In Jeremiah 7:23 , God declares, "But this is what I commanded them: 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you.'" Here, obedience is presented as a condition for the blessings of the covenant relationship.

New Testament Fulfillment

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ reaffirms the connection between love and obedience. In John 14:15 , Jesus states, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." This statement encapsulates the essence of Christian discipleship, where love for Christ is evidenced by a life of obedience to His teachings.

The Apostle John further elaborates on this theme in his epistles. In 1 John 5:3 , he writes, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome." This verse emphasizes that obedience is not a burdensome duty but a joyful expression of love for God.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

The New Testament also introduces the role of the Holy Spirit in enabling believers to obey God's Law. Romans 8:4 explains that "the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." The Holy Spirit empowers believers to live in obedience, transforming their hearts and aligning their desires with God's will.

The Law of Love

The Law of God is ultimately fulfilled in the law of love. Jesus summarizes the entire Law in the Great Commandment, as recorded 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."

In this way, obedience to God's Law is not merely about following rules but about cultivating a heart of love for God and others. This love-driven obedience is the true test of a believer's relationship with God, reflecting the transformative power of His grace and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Spirit of the Law
... Paul proclaimed that 'love is the fulfilling of the law,' he was ... obey His voice,'
after 'to love Jehovah thy God.' Obedience is the result and test of love ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the spirit of the law.htm

The Test of Discipleship
... But obedience is the fruit of faith. ... our purposes, our actions, will be in harmony
with the will of God as expressed in the precepts of His holy law. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/steps to christ/chapter 7 the test of.htm

Love and Obedience
... What we want is not law, but power, and what the ... is not merely the knowledge of the
will of God, and the ... Test your Christian love by your practical obedience. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture i/love and obedience.htm

The Tests of Love to God
... loves His law " the law of repentance, the law of self ... Another fruit of love is
obedience." He that hath my ... by their cowardice to make the name of God suffer. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a divine cordial/the tests of love to.htm

Prayer and Obedience
... UNDER the Mosaic law, obedience was looked upon as being ... 5:29, Moses represents Almighty
God declaring Himself ... Obedience, moreover, is faith in action, and is ...
/.../bounds/the necessity of prayer/ix prayer and obedience.htm

The Entrance to the Life of Full Obedience
... We must confess it, and in God's strength put it away forever ... to be any thought of
our entering a life of full obedience. 2. Christ revealed the new law of love ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/murray/the school of obedience/v the entrance to the.htm

New Covenant Obedience
... a holy life, a heart delighting in God's law, and a ... the Covenant would give power
to maintain the obedience. ... and the heart's confidence before God assured, the ...
/.../murray/the two covenants/chapter xiii new covenant obedience.htm

Obedience to the Moral Law.
... I have seen upon the subject of Christian holiness, writers seldom or never raise
the distinct inquiry: What does obedience to the law of God imply, and ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xi obedience to the.htm

1 John iii. 19-22
... matter; but does not bring with it obedience to the ... acknowledge from the christian
standpoint as the law of their ... shall be able to quiet our hearts before God. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/neander/the first epistle of john/1 john iii 19-22.htm

"One Thing Thou Lackest"
... It is obedience to His law, not merely a legal obedience, but an obedience which
enters ... God has set His own standard of character for all who would become ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 57 one thing thou.htm

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