Several years ago, Ziggy Marley produced a song titled “Love is My Religion.” I’ve often thought about that song and how it demonstrates the ideal nature of life. To me, nothing comes closer to the true purpose of us as believers in our fulfillment of the Torah (law).
If you haven’t heard the song, here is a link to his acoustic version. Take a listen if you’d like! https://youtu.be/ZZJdQ5Nf7yA?si=5uqodUbfJtSLmle1
I love to learn about the faith and improve my knowledge of the Scriptures. But last week while driving with my daughter, Natalie, we heard that song, and it convicted me. Specifically, that we are called to love one another and that love requires action. But what does love look like? How does it manifest in our lives. Is it more than just a feeling? Why are the Father and the Son so adamant that we love each other?
Paul reminds us of this concept of love in his letter to the Romans…
“Owe no one any matter except to love one another, for he who loves another has filled the Torah.” – Romans 13:8
Paul then lists for his audience some of the commandments found in the covenant, such as not committing adultery, not murdering, not stealing, etc. And then ends with the following statement…
“Love does no evil to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the completion of the Torah.” – Romans 13:10
Paul is equating the law with love. But how does that work? Usually, when we think of the law, we think of a harsh set of commandments that don’t bring joy or love. I had been taught that the law is a burden and bondage…and we don’t usually equate that with love, do we?
John also speaks of this in his first letter…
“For this is the love for Elohim, that we guard His commands, and His commands are not heavy.” – 1 John 5:3
John reminds us that guarding (obeying) the commands of the Father is how we love Him. And His commands are not difficult. So how is love the fulfillment of the law?
It took me a while to recognize this concept. I had to unlearn years of mainstream church doctrine regarding the law that it was both a burden and bondage and not for us. But when I did, it really hit hard. The Torah IS love and a demonstration OF our love. And it is still something that I need to remind myself of daily because of its importance and my need to better display it.
When asked what the great command of the Torah is, Yahusha (Jesus) says,
“You shall love Yahuah your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your mind.” This is the first great command. And the second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” – Matthew 22:37-39
From there we get an insight into the Father’s love language – obedience. We should love the Father and our neighbor. But immediately after quoting these two verses that come from Deuteronomy 6 and Leviticus 19, Yahusha says something that many people miss.
“On these two commands hang all the Torah and the Prophets.” – Matthew 22:40
What does that mean? You see, the Messiah is telling us that all the commandments (Torah) can be summed up in two great commands.
- Love Yahuah
- Love your neighbor
It is really that simple. There are two types of commands in the Bible, and they either deal with being obedient to the Father or helping your fellow man. And if we love the Messiah like many of us claim, we will keep His commandments and do those two things!
“If you love Me, you shall guard My commands.” – John 14:15
“If you guard My commands, you shall stay in My love, even as I have guarded My Father’s commands an stay in His love.” – John 14:10
The Messiah is telling us that obedience is the love language of His Father. So when we are obedient to His commands then we are loving Him!
John (the apostle that Yahusha loved), says this!
“The one who says, “I know Him,” and does not guard His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever guards His Word, truly the LOVE of Elohim has been perfected.” – 1 John 2:4-5
Did you know that the first four of the ten commandments show love for the Father?
- No other mighty ones
- No carved images
- Don’t bring the Name of Yahuah to naught
- Remember the Sabbath
And that the next six commandments show love to our neighbor?
- Respect your father and mother
- Do not murder
- Do not commit adultery
- Do not steal
- Do not bear false witness
- Do not covet
These are not the only commands He gives His people. The following chapters and much of the Torah give additional instructions about love. You might not have realized that much of Leviticus is about showing this love to both Yahuah and to our neighbor. Here are commands from Leviticus 19 alone. See if you can tell if they involve loving the Father or loving your neighbor…
- Do not turn to idols (v 4)
- Do not reap the corners of your harvest but allow the poor to eat of it (v 9)
- Do not oppress or rob your neighbor (v 13)
- Do not hate your brother in your heart (v 17)
- Love your neighbor as yourself (v 18)
- Do not eat meat with blood in it (v 26)
- Guard His Sabbaths (v 30)
- Rise up before the elderly (v 32)
- Use right scales and weights (v 36)
Can you see how using right scales and weights when doing business would be a loving thing to do? Or that keeping some grain in your fields for the poor would be kind? There are many others, like maintaining sexual purity, observing the feast days and festivals, eating animals only designated as food, caring for hired workers, helping widows and orphans, making your property safe for others. Yet they all deal with love. When we are obedient to His commands, we are “completing” or “filling” the Torah, as Paul would say.
“Let us hear the conclusion of the entire matter: Fear Elohim and guard His commands, for this applies to all mankind.” – Ecclesiastes 12:13
Keeping the law applies to ALL MANKIND, not just one people group. We are all expected to obey His commands, whether Jew or Gentile.
The Messiah was quoting the prophet Isaiah in the following passage,
“This people respect Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain do they worship Me, teaching as teachings the commands of men.” – Mark 7:7-8
Is Yahusha talking about you? Is He talking about me? Are we just giving Him lip service by not doing what He says? Do we fight over church doctrine instead of observing the Torah, which displays love? If we truly want to serve the Messiah and be obedient to the Father, keep His commandments (the Torah, or law), for this applies to all mankind! In it, He gives us the ways in which we love Him and love our neighbor. The law is love. And it should be our religion.
FAITH IN MOTION 