Read verses 12-17
Q: Identify the remaining commandments. These commandments involve man’s relationship to whom?
A: The remaining commandments involve man’s relationship to man; that is, how we relate to one another.
Now read Galatians 5:13-14:
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
— Galatians 5:13-14
Q: What part of the Law is fulfilled in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”?
A: The whole Law. That means the whole Law: all of the Ten Commandments and all of the hundreds of other laws in the Old Testament known as the Mosaic Law, which are descended from these ten.
Q: Why is loving our neighbor fulfilling the whole Law?
A: Because if we treat everyone with love (love according to God’s definition; John 15:12), then we would never violate any of the laws relating to one another (man; commandments 4-10). This will not happen unless we are loving God and putting Him first (1st through 3rd commandments). The issue, then, of keeping the commandments is not a matter of obedience, but of love.
Q: How would you answer the critic, “But if you throw out the Law (or any one law), then you can do anything you want”? “The Law is there to teach us how to live!”
A: The answer is simple. You haven’t “tossed” the Law, you’ve “superimposed” love on the Law. It is still wrong to steal, but if you love your neighbor, you would never steal. Whereas there cannot be enough laws written to cover every human situation, loving one another covers all situations. If we are governed by the Christ’s law of love (John 15:12, we no longer need the Ten Commandments. The purpose of the Law was to teach us and lead us to love:
Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.
— Galatians 3:19-29
