Galatians 5:14 (ESV):
“For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'”
The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, simplifies the entirety of God’s law into one profound command: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” This instruction, echoing Jesus’ own teaching, underscores the heart of Christian living—love.
In the Lutheran tradition, we understand that the law is not abolished but fulfilled in Christ. The law’s demands, which we are unable to keep perfectly, are met fully in Jesus. However, this does not free us from the call to live out that love in our daily lives. Instead, it empowers us, through the Holy Spirit, to reflect Christ’s love to those around us.
Loving our neighbor is more than a mere sentiment; it’s an active expression of our faith. It involves empathy, service, patience, and sacrifice. It requires us to see others not through the lens of their faults or our preferences, but as God sees them—worthy of love and grace.
In our daily interactions, we may find it difficult to love as Christ loves. Our human nature tends toward self-centeredness, often putting our needs and desires before those of others. Yet, we are called to a higher standard. In those moments of struggle, we can turn to God in prayer, asking for His strength to love others as He loves us.
Martin Luther once said, “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” This paradox reminds us that in Christ, we are freed from the law’s condemnation, but this freedom leads us to serve others in love. As we live out this commandment, we not only fulfill the law, but we also bear witness to the transforming power of the Gospel.
May we strive each day to love our neighbors as ourselves, not out of obligation, but as a joyful response to the love we have first received from God through Jesus Christ.
Prayer:
Gracious God, we thank You for the love You have shown us through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us to love our neighbors as You have loved us. Strengthen us by Your Holy Spirit to serve others selflessly and to live out the fulfillment of Your law in our daily lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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