All Rules and Laws Take the Place of and Cannot Accomplish What Love Can

Ultimately do you know why there is speed limit signs posted on our roads? It is not to remind us not to speed or even tell us what the proper speed limit should be. It is because we do not know how to love. You see if we really loved one another we would not go faster in a given situation to cause someone else harm. We would always be looking out for one another, thus not needing a speed limit sign. Our mind set is so self orientated that we have to have rules and laws to remind us of others. Rules are also the reason to make a reputation for themselves. It does not matter what set of rules we follow or don’t follow. All that matters is that we have new life through our living connection with Jesus. If we live by love, then we as a whole family will realize God’s peace and loving-kindness. When love rules, no law is needed.

In Galatians chapter six twelve through fourteen the Apostle Paul reminds of this and even shows us how we focus those rules and laws to pronounce our own agenda. First Samuel 16:7 says, "for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." Those who see the way God sees are more concerned with the condition of the heart than they are a person's actions. But those who are carnal are always focused on actions instead of attitudes. The New International Version confirms this by translating this verse, "Those who want to make a good impression outwardly...."

Galatians 6:12-14
12 Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.
13 Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh.
14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

That's the way these Judaizers were. They hadn't even noticed the wonderful work that God had done in the hearts of these Galatians through the ministry of Paul. All they could see was what they hadn't done. Likewise today, legalists are so focused on outward acts that they often fail to see the deeper, more important work that the Holy Spirit does in a person's heart. If someone hasn't been baptized according to their tradition or doesn't worship after their form, it doesn't matter how much they love the Lord, the legalist pronounces them unclean.

Carnal people are consumed with carnal (external) things. They can't believe that God can accept anyone who isn't holy according to their standards. However, spiritual people are consumed with spiritual (internal) things. They recognize that holiness is a fruit, not a root, of salvation (Ro 6:22).

The Judaizers (Ga 1:1) were trying to escape persecution from their Jewish brethren who still believed Christians had to keep the law ( Ac 23:6). They maintained that if they showed the Jews that the way of salvation was still the law they could be accepted by them. So they were trying to force circumcision upon the church (Jews and Gentiles) as a "faith-plus-works" method of salvation. This would avoid the persecution that would come if they acknowledged that salvation comes only through Jesus and Him crucified.

The Simple English Bible translates this: "Some men are trying to force you to be circumcised. They do these things, so that the Jewish people will accept them, fearing they will be persecuted, if they follow only the cross of Christ."

Gal 6:13 These legalists who were demanding compliance with the law weren't keeping the law themselves. No one except Jesus has ever been able to fulfill the law, and no one else ever will (Rom 3:23; 1 John 1:8, 10). It is the height of hypocrisy to demand of others what you cannot do yourself. So, why would they demand this thing? Paul said it was so they could glory in their flesh. They glory in appearance or outward things and not in the condition of the heart (2Co 5:12).

Gal 6:14 Paul's critics gloried in the carnal things they accomplished while Paul gloried only in what Jesus had done for him through the cross. One way to discern a true man or woman of God is to see where their boasting lies. Those who boast in their own accomplishments are suspect, while those who boast in the Lord are the true and faithful witnesses.

Notice that there is a double crucifixion. The world was crucified unto Paul, and Paul was crucified unto it. This means that the world's system had nothing to offer Paul, and Paul had nothing to offer the world outside of Christ. Its one thing to remove yourself from the world's system, but it's another thing to remove the world's system from you. Paul had done both. Paul's sole purpose in life was to bring glory unto the risen Christ. The law or rules are an outside condition, love is an inward motivation that only comes from Jesus. Let’s see, choose Jesus or choose the law (rules). Choose the law and the law only produces death and cannot save. Choose Jesus and He only produces life (love) and does save.

When we truly love, no law or rule is ever needed. Don’t let laws and rules replace what love can accomplish.