Love Over Law

The Bible is a book of laws. These laws are important because they teach us about worship and how to live righteously. However, we can easily get so obsessed with laws that they trump love. Jesus had compassion on a woman who had been bent over for 18 years and healed her. Yet the synagogue leader said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath." (Luke 13:14). For him, keeping the Sabbath law was more important than healing this woman – the law trumped love. What he failed to realise is that the greatest law is the law of love: "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 hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37-40). Every law or command God gives us is framed by loving God and our neighbour. We must always ask ourselves – does my application of this rule in this circumstance show love to God and my neighbour? Love is the greatest law. (Craig B). Open Bible – bit.ly/Luk13v14, bit.ly/Mat22v37-40