THE SECOND PILLAR OF THE LAW
BY Jim Murriner
We saw in our first study that we are to love God with all our heart, all our soul, all of our mind and all of our strength.
We might say that the very essence of our being is to be directed toward a love for God that causes us to be working and doing something for God.
MATT. 22:36-40
(36)
"Master, which is the great commandment in the law?"
(37)
"Jesus said unto Him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with
all thy soul, and with all thy mind."
(38)
"This is the first and great commandment."
(39)
"And he second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
(40)
"On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
The lawyer or scribe asked Jesus "what is the greatest -chiefest- first -commandment?" Which commandment is first or greatest in importance?
Jesus answered him in (vs 37-39) then in (vs 40) He made an interesting statement. "on these two commandments hang "are supported all the law and the prophets
These two commandments support everything that the old testament is about. They give us two pillars - two columns - two support structures upon which all of the old testament hangs.
In our last two studies we looked at this first pillar.
MARK 12;30 gives us this pillar or commandment.
"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first
commandment."
In our modern day terms we might say that we are to love God with that internal programming part of us, and love God with all of our emotions, and with all of our thinking process, and with all our strength, or all or our effort should be put into love for God, not into love for self or this world.
We also saw that if we love God with all our heart, soul, and mind and strength, then we will love His people, we will have a desire to be with His people, we will His word, we will have a desire to study it and to be in a church that places the emphasis upon the teaching of the word, we will also love His work, if we love God in the way that this verse teaches we will not only want to attend a bible believing, bible teaching, scripturally organized church, but we will want to become a member of that church and work in it and for it, and give our tithes unto that church.
Do you love God in a way that produces these things in your life, or is your love a halfway love one that is in violation of this scripture?
Now lets look at this second pillar or the law.
MATT.23:39 gives it to us.
"And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
ROMANS 13:8-10 gives us the old testiment laws that our Lord is giving a comertary on in our text.
"Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another
hath fulfilled the law."
"for this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not
steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet; and if
there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying,
namely, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self."
"Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."
EXODUS 20;12 gives us a commandment that is not mentioned here in Romans.
"Honour thy Father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which
the Lord thy God giveth thee."
This commandment to love our parents is extended in the new testament to governmental authority.
ROMANS 13:1-4 reminds us ato obey the laws or our country.
"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. for there is no power but
of God: the powers that be are ordained of God."
"Whosoever therefore resisteth the powers, resisteth the ordinance of God:
and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation."
"For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then
not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have
praise of the same."
"For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is
evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of
God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."
IPETER 2:13-14 shows us the same thing.
"Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it
be to kings as supreme;"
"Or unto Governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of
evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well."
This commandment to love our parents is also extended for the child of God to church authority. Our Lord started His church while He was here prior to the day of Pentecost.
MATT. 16:18 shows us that at that time He already had a church.
"And I say also unto thee, Thou art Peter, (petros) and upon this rock
(petra) I will build (ockodemeo-w) my church; and the gates of hell shall
not prevail against it."
The Greek word "petros" which is translated "Peter" literally means "a little rock ", the Greek word "petra" which is translated "rock" literally means "a huge boulder". The Greek word "ockodemeo-w" which is translated "build" is used here in the present sense and therefore carries the meaning of a continual building. Christ at this time had already started His church and was not building it on Peter, but would continue to build it on the great truth that Peter had just stated in verse (16) concerning who Jesus is.
In MATT. 28:16-20 our Lord gave authority and a promise unto His church, and this was prior to the day of Pentecost.
"Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had
appointed them."
"And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him: but some doubted."
"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, all power is given unto Me in
heaven and in earth."
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have command you: and
lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."
He gave authority unto His church to do mission work, to baptize, and to teach His word, then He promised them that He would continue with them until the end of the world.
We need to respect that church which He gave this authority to which has existed since the days when our Lord walked among His disciples.
Then we are told that we are not to take a life, and our Lord goes on to tell us that if we hate someone that we commit murder in our heart.
MATT. 5:21-22 shows us this.
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not kill; and
whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgement."
"But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause
shall be in danger of the judgement: and whosoever shall say to his brother Raca,
shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, thou fool, shall be
in danger of hell fire."
Could it be that you are guilty of mental murder today?
Then too in these last six commandments, which our Lord gives us a commentary on in this one verse, (Matt.22:39) , we are told that we must have respect to the family unit. We must not commit adultery. There is to be no permissiveness, no lose living, no mental adultery.
Mental adultery is the accepted thing in our society today, but
In MATT. 5:28 OUR LORD CONDEMNS THIS.
"But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."
So we see that we must not feast our eyes upon every woman that we see, nor are we to watch just any program that is on T.V..
You might say "but I see nothing wrong in that, I'm just doing that which is natural, and that which I cannot help."
Well this shows us that there is no way that we can be perfect, and therefore we must trust that Jesus paid for all our sin upon the cross. This is why He told us in
JOHN 3:7 that we must be born again.
"Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again."
Then too there is a spiritual adultery which those who are saved commit when they will not be as faithful to the Lord as a wife should be unto her husband.
Another thing that our Lord in these last six commandments reminds us of is that we are never to steal, We are thieves anytime that we misuse that which belongs to others. We steal every time that we cheat or are dishonest in our business dealings, we are thieves of the worst sort if we do not give back to God 10% of our time, and 10% of our talents, and 10% of your time each week is
16.8 hours. To use 10% or your time for the Lord you must do much more than just attend three one hour services each week. Yet, most who call themselves Christians, attend services once or twice per week and then are proud of their service to God.
How can we expect to get along with our fellow man and pretend to treat them right when we will not be honest with God, either with our money or our time. BEWARE LEST GOD TAKE BOTH AWAY FROM YOU.
Then too we are to communicate correctly, we are not to ever bear false witness. we are to always speak truth, not just half-truths and almost truths, we are never to try to deceive anyone.
We are commanded too, not to be covetous. We are to think of others and seek for their well being, not wanting everything for ourselves.
Each of these commandments become more and more restrictive as we look at them in this second pillar or the law.
MATT. 22:39
"And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
BUT WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?
In LUKE 10:30-37 Jesus gives us the definition of what a neighbor is.
(30)
"And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jerico, and
fell among thieves, which striped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and
departed, leaving him half dead."
(31)
"And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he
passed by on the other side."
(32)
"And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and
passed by on the other side."
(33)
"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when
he saw him, he had compassion on him."
(34)
"And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set
him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him."
(35)
"And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the
host, and said unto him, take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more,
when I come again I will repay thee."
(36)
"Which now of these three thidkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among
thieves?"
(37)
"And he said, he that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and
do thou likewise."
We must consider the historical setting here. The Jews hated the Samaritans, and the Samaritans hated the Jews.
We are told that when we love our neighbor it is to be a love shown unto any close associate. We are to be just like this Samaritan, giving and helping, and assisting to someone who in our view just does not deserve it. Even to those who have hated and perhaps treated us very badly.
MATT. 5:43-44 gives us some startling facts concerning loving our neighbor.
"Ye have heard that it has been said, thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy."
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to
them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute
you."
THIS IS VERY HARD !
The natural thing is to love those who love us, and to hate those who hate us. We make jokes about turning the other cheek and then after we have been smitten the second time to go ahead and get revenge. That kind of thinking is foreign to the scriptures.
ROMANS 12:19 condemns our ever seeking revenge.
"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath; for
it is written, vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."
MATT. 5:39 also condemns seeking to get even.
"But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on
the right cheek, turn to him the other also."
This is the way that we are to treat all people, not just our friends, but our enemies also.
This is so hard to do, this loving our enemies, that if salvation is by works, all of us would go to hell, because we can not obey this commandment of our Lord.
EPH.2:8 gives us hope though.
"For by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"
This second pillar of the law shows us that we need a saviour.
Won't you trust this saviour today, won't you believe that when He died upon the cross that He died there to pay for your sins.
