THE LAW OF LOVE

James 2:12 So whenever you speak, or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law of love, the law that set you free.

Notice that the child of God will be judged by the law of love. I find this to be interesting. What this means is that God will not judge us on our performance. Instead, we will be judged on the motives behind our performance. We may act like a Christian, but our actions do not make us a Christian. There is a two-fold dynamic to the law of love, proclamation and performance.

The law of love is first of all Christ living in me. Everything connected to Christ is love based. God is love and we cannot have God in our hearts without our being a people of love. Everything we do and say is affected by the love of God. We are characterized by loving hearts. We care about others and it shows. We strive to make life better for others. We enter into other people’s lives because we want to help them find their way to God.

The law of love is the basis upon which we will be judged. Whatever we do or say will be seen in the light of godly love. Godly love is love with character. It is unwavering and dependable. It endures regardless of circumstances. It is character building at all times. It always strives to help and not hinder the spiritual growth of others. It is kind and gentle, yet firm when it is needed. It is a steady stream flowing outward from the steady stream that flows inward in us. It is always fresh, being renewed constantly from Him who is love.

We are set free from all that hinders our ability to live in godly love. Jesus frees us from the sin that keeps us away from God’s love. He floods our souls with God’s love so that we can love others God’s way. We must always strive to keep sin out of our souls so that we can speak and do what pleases God. We will be judged on how well we love those whom Jesus loves.