NO CREED BUT CHRIST—NO LAW BUT LOVE
Pastor J. C. O’Hair
Note carefully I John 3:23: “And this is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment.”
Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth (Romans 10:4). Love is the fruit of the Spirit. Love is the fulfilling of the law. (Galatians 5:22 and Romans 13:10). Against Christians, who manifest the fruit of the Spirit, love, which the law demanded, there is no law. (Galatians 5:22 and 23). The law demanded righteousness. Christ is the believer’s righteousness. (I Corinthians 1:30 - II Corinthians 5:21).
“By the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:20). “The law entered that sin might abound.” (Romans 5:20). “The law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.” “If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.” “The good that I would I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do.” (Romans 7:14 to 25).
Sin is the transgression of the law. Thou shalt not kill, steal, commit adultery, lie, or take God’s name in vain, or covet. Thou shalt love God perfectly and thy neighbor as thy self. It is just as great a sin not to love God with undivided affection and strength, as it is to steal or transgress the other commandments.
But, under grace, Christians have not received the spirit of bondage unto fear, but the Spirit of adoption, and God’s Spirit assures believers that they are the children of God, and joint-heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:15 to 17). “Wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” (Galatians 4:7). God has made believers accepted in Christ, the Beloved, and they have redemption through Christ’s shed blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of God’s grace. “Accepted” is the verb form of the Greek word, “grace.” God has “graced” us in Christ Jesus. What the law could not do Christ did. (Romans 8:3 - Hebrews 7:19 - Romans 3:20 and 24). What the law demanded (righteousness) believers have by the grace of God and faith in the perfect redemptive work of the perfect Christ. (Galatians 2:16 - Acts 13:39).
Under the law God’s people were servants. The law was their tyranical child-trainer to bring them to Christ for righteousness by faith. (Galatians 3:24 and 25 - 2:16).
Christians are the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, and although they are not their own, being bought with a price, they are voluntary, and not compulsory, servants. (Galatians 3:26 - I Corinthians 6:19 and 20 - I Peter 1:18 to 20 - Acts 20:28 - Revelation 1:5). But they are exhorted to love one another with a pure heart fervently. (I Peter 1:22).
Christ lives in the believer (Galatians 2:20 - Colossians 1:27). The believer is in Christ, not condemned; but complete. (Romans 8:1 - Colossians 2:10). Christ fulfilled the law and died for the law-breaker. (Matthew 5:17 and Galatians 4:4 and 5).
Christ, by His blood, obtained eternal redemption for the believer and He is the believer’s redemption, righteousness, holiness, peace, hope and life. (I Corinthian’s 1:30 - Ephesians 2:13 to 16 - Colossians 3:4 - I Timothy 1:1 - Hebrews 9:12).
“He that hath the Son hath life.” (I John 5:12). “He that denieth the Son, hath not the Father.” (I John 2:23).
The Christian’s creed is a Person, Christ. His law is love. The end of the law is love. (I Timothy 1:5). The end of the law for righteousness is Christ. (Romans 10:4). The fruit of the Spirit is love; against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22 and 23).
Posted By – Cecil Spivey
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