The Royal Law

The Royal Law

Introduction Matthew 22:36-40, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.�

Royal Law What is the royal law? It is the first and great commandment.

James spoke of it as the royal law, James 2:8, “If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:” The word “royal” means: that which rules like a king, something you are subject to.

Royal also means first: which is highest and most prominent, preceding all others, and great: which is large, predominant, eminent, main, principal and superior.

The Royal Law When Christ defined the love of God and the love of your neighbor as the first and great commandment in the law, he was defining it also as the royal law.

It is first, principal and predominant. It is the source of all law.

Love is the beginning and the founding principal of all law. It is where all law originates and it determines all law.

The Royal Law Christ said that on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

The law and the prophets were the Holy Scripture then written at the time of Christ.

Love is therefore the source of all the teachings in the bible.

The Royal Law The law and the prophets continued until John the Baptist.

Luke 16: 16, “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached,…”

John the forerunner of Christ began to preach the kingdom of heaven, or the gospel of salvation. This does not mean that Christ did away with the law.

Law & Our Daily Lives The gospel of the kingdom defined the law and demonstrated how to keep it in our daily lives, through the heart and the spirit As opposed to going through the motions, or the physical acts such as the sacrifice of animals during ancient days, which was the way many of the people thought they would be saved.

Law & Our Daily Lives Christ clearly said in Matthew 5:17-18, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass form the law, till all be fulfilled.�

The 1st & 2nd Commandments The first and great commandment is the love of God, or divine love.

The second commandment is the love of your neighbor or brotherly love.

As the second commandment brotherly love is defined as the love of any and all who is not God, including brothers, parents, spouses, children, friends and even enemies, and yourself.

Brotherly love is second to divine love.

The 1st & 2nd Commandments Christ taught us how the love of God is superior to the love of our neighbor.

Brotherly love cannot supplant or replace divine love.

It cannot be used as an alternate to worshipping and obeying God. There are many people who show great compassion and affection, kindness and love to others that care nothing about God. Some do not even believe in God.

Conclusion The dictionary describes love as an emotion. We cannot serve God through emotion. Satan works through emotions all the time. We serve God through the heart.

What is in our heart? His word is in our heart. The law of God is written there.

The Holy Spirit resides within us.

Love is therefore the fulfilling of the law. It is expressed or demonstrated through obedience to the law of God, and walking in the testimony of Jesus Christ.

We will further define divine love and brotherly love in our next two classes.

Special Thanks This presentation was developed from the class entitled “The Royal Law� by: Evelyn C. Pointer, Elder

Questions?

For questions regarding this presentation please contact us via email at info@householdofisrael.org or by phone at 219.949.9308.