2014.05.25_The New Commandment of the Lord

Faith Conscience

            Adam sinned by denouncing God and disobeying His commandment. He was banished from the Garden of Eden and thus separated from God. As they lived without God, the descendants of Adam became all the more corrupt and distant from God. Heaven was silent for the next thousands of years, and there were no signs of any possible restoration of man to when he used to live according to God’s word. Adam’s sin was passed down to the subsequent generations, and what was a handful of people soon increased to such a number that covered the face of the earth. They did not realize that they had sin, nor did they know they would have to receive eternal punishment as a result.

            The just and righteous God began His work of salvation by sending His word to man. At first, He gave the Law through Moses, and then He gave Jesus Christ, the Truth as the new commandment. The Law is a commandment given by God. A commandment is a standard of righteousness according to which God considers the obedient as righteous, and the disobedient as unrighteous. By giving the Law, God has opened the gate of salvation for man. And receiving the Law has allowed man to set his foot on the path to learning about God, meeting and serving Him. The Law is a gateway that man certainly needs to recognize and follow.

            Which of man’s deeds is deemed righteous or not by God? The commandment is established in our lives as a criterion by which we can judge this. It acts as a conscience for anyone who desires to meet God and serve Him. Hence, we can say that the commandment is a conscience.

            In this world is a diversity of conscience. For instance, it is not rude to sit with your legs crossed in front of your superiors in the USA. Instead, it is understood to indicate closeness. But doing the same in Korea is considered disrespectful and would likely to lead to trouble. Once I noticed an overseas student from the USA at Oxford University, calling the Dean by his first name. At that time, I thought he was being very rude but later came to know it was a way to express a sense of closeness. It is a common practice in the US for employees to call their superiors by their first names. The same goes for students with their teachers, and even the staff at the White House calls the president by his first name. However, such a practice is criticized as rude and disrespectful in Korea.

            In England, a person has to leave his or her parents’ home upon turning 18 years of age, otherwise s/he is considered to be unfilial. On the contrary, for someone in Korea to leave home at that age is regarded as unfilial. When you are invited as a guest to a home in Japan, it is etiquette to eat noisily to show that you are enjoying their food. But in Korea, you would be frowned upon as having coarse manners. People in the South Pacific region serve food made with insects to important guests, and it might be disappointing if someone was not served insects. Yet, it could become a rather awkward situation if someone served insects to their guests in Korea.

            Similarly, the criterion of conscience varies depending on the region and culture. While these examples may be amusing to look at, they are serious matters for the people concerned. If people do not abide by the morals of the society they live in, they may be expelled and sometimes that means death. In certain parts of Islamic countries, women may be put to death if they do not wear a hijab. What seems insignificant to us could be a matter of life and death in those regions. For man, conscience is a subject of great importance that concerns with survival. This conscience is also called general conscience.

            Although conscience and morals are crucial to man’s life, they cannot please God. No one is able to meet God, nor draw His attention through them. Knowing this, God has given a conscience through Moses so that man is able to meet God, and that is the Law. The Law is called faith conscience in contrast with general conscience. Even if man were plunging to his destruction, God would not help them if they do not have faith conscience.

            The story of Lazarus and the rich man Jesus taught could be an illustration of this. Although the rich man had lived a lavish lifestyle on the earth, after death he was in agony in Hades. He pleaded with Abraham: “Please send Lazarus to my father’s house to testify to my five brothers so that they would not come to this place of torment.” Abraham answered, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them listen to them.” The rich man entreated, “No, father Abraham. They will repent if one goes from the grave.” But Abraham said to him, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead” (Luke 16:19-31). This meant that there would be no salvation for anyone that does not go through Moses. People can judge others based on their own conscience as standard, but they cannot meet God with such conscience. Only the conscience that came down from Mount Sinai can enable man to meet God. And when man has that conscience, God will turn His eyes to him.

The Weakness of the Law

            Why has God given a new commandment when the Law is so great? Was not the Law sufficient? No, it was not. The Law has a weakness. Thus, the reason God gave us a new commandment was to complement what the Law was unable to do, that is, to make the law of conscience complete.

            The Ten Commandments are the foundation of the Law. The first four commandments are laws in regard to the conscience towards God, while the remaining commandments are that concerning the relationship between people. The first four commandments are: “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image nor serve them. You shall not take the name of God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Ex. 20:3-11). These are the laws by which people are to serve God. By inflicting punishment on those who do not observe it, the Law prevents people from sinning, and is very effective in doing so.

            However, the Law does not have the ability to remove an already committed sin. Once the Law was introduced to the world, it was able to deter man from sinning. However, it could not resolve the sin that was committed before the Law was given. Man had fallen already in the Garden of Eden. The Law was neither capable of resolving the sin man had committed, nor able to restore man who had become a sinner.

            The Law has another flaw: the Law cannot save but only condemn man. Since man is weak, he is prone to make mistakes. But once he sins, the Law is unable to remove that sin.

            There is yet another fault in the Law. Not only is it possible, it actually happens that people observe the Law without having an attitude of the heart that is pleasing to God. Even though people observe the Law, they do it out of selfish motives. The person under the Law is compelled to keep the Law because there is punishment if he sins. It is not out of love for God that they heed the commandment, ‘You shall have no other gods before Me’; they steer away from other gods so that they would not be punished. The reason they reject idols, do not take God’s name in vain and keep the Sabbath is to avoid punishment and trouble, instead of loving God.

            This same issue arises when it comes to conscience concerning other people. The people under the Law would not actually commit murder because of the punishment, yet in their hearts they kill people dozens of times a day. The reason they refrain from murder is not because they have regard for a man’s life but because they are afraid of the punishment. Those people might not have committed murder in action but they have already murdered with their hearts.

            Even if a person has observed the Law all his life, he did so with love for himself not God. It was thus possible for a person to observe the Law without any love towards God, but only motivated by self-love. Jesus warned the Jews, and in particular, the Pharisees saying, “Woe to you, Pharisees!” On one occasion He said to them, “You give tithe with zeal and yet forsake your love toward God” (Luke 11:42). At another time He said, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me. You do not believe in Me whom God has sent, for you do not have the love of God in you. Do not think that I will accuse you; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust” (John 5:39-46).

A New Commandment

            Jesus came to the earth and said, “The Law demands you to love,” thus reaffirming the nature of the Law. An expert in the Law came to Jesus and asked, “What is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Surprisingly Jesus answered, “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets’” (Matt. 22:37-40). Jesus reviewed the nature of the Law; He has raised it up a notch so that it is no longer a passive law that one is forced to obey but an active law, which demands love.

            Furthermore, Jesus Himself has taught us the way to love. He has set the example on keeping the commandment. He said, “I am the good shepherd. I lay down my life for my sheep. My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life to obey His commandment” (John 10:14-15). The Father loves the Son because the Son obeyed His command even to the point of death. Concerning this principle, Jesus said, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him. If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me” (John 14:21-24).

            Having conveyed this principle, Jesus gave the following practical instruction: “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love. You too will need to lay down your life to keep my commandments” (John 15:9-14). Jesus shows His relationship with the Father and called for us to do likewise. Jesus desires us to abide in Him, and He in us. In order for such will of the Lord to be fulfilled, we must obey His commandments even to the point of death.

            Jesus summed up all of His words to this one sentence: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). A good student does not need to be pushed to study; children who love their parents would honor them without being forced to. In the same way, anyone who loves God would serve God well even without being told to do so. Therefore, such a person does not require the Law, which commands ‘Serve and honor God!’

            Jesus gave these instructions along with the new commandment. ‘As I love the Father and receive His love, you ought to do likewise. The people under the first covenant obeyed the Law to preserve their breath, but anyone that keeps the new commandment of love would obey in love for God. The way you have been keeping the Law is not right. I give you a new commandment. Now, first love God and forsake the way you used to obey the Law, which was to avoid punishment. If you love God, you would neither serve other gods, make idols, misuse God’s name, nor break the Sabbath, even when there is no threat of being cursed. When you love God, you would be able to observe God’s law perfectly.

            The new commandment is more potent and powerful than the Law. The Law was a command given as the last resort to keep hold of man who he did not have the right attitude toward God. However, the person obeying the new commandment is able to voluntarily do much more than what the Law demands. Therefore, we can say that the new commandment is far greater than the Law, and also the fulfillment of the Law.

            A tutor used to teach Israelite children, “Don’t do this! Do that!” For instance, when the tutor instructed, “Honor your parents!” the children were afraid of the punishment and obeyed even under compulsion. As they grow up with such instruction and training, they naturally serve their parents without being told because they have become accustomed to doing so. In the same way, even a person who does not love God still needs a law to abide by before God, and this is the Law.

            However, as He gave the new commandment, Jesus said, “If you love God, you would be able to keep the Law. From now on, your efforts to keep the Law will be a testimony to your love for Me and the Father.” Jesus knew that the Holy Spirit would later come and guide the people. So although the Lord did not speak further, His mind was filled with thoughts concerning this. “If anyone keeps my commandments from now on, he has already received my love, as well as the forgiveness and grace that the Law could not give. He has overcome the heavy burden of the Law as one who has fully met the requirements of the Law. And I will take him to the Kingdom of Heaven.”

            He who obeys the Lord’s commandment does not only obey, but loves the Lord. The kingdom of God is a place for those who love the Lord, irrespective of race or culture. It does not matter whether he is a farmer in the country, or a hungry laborer living in a cold basement in some city; anyone who loves God can enter that kingdom. Yet, it is inconceivable that people who have no love for God would go to heaven.

            Satan is called Satan because he is an angel who does not love God; the Devil is called the Devil because he hinders man from loving God; and the demons are called demons because they did not love God. On the contrary, we are called, “God’s children” (1 John 3:1). If children do not love their parents, who does? Similarly, if we do not love God who has given us birth, who then would love God on the earth?

            We first began attending the church because we wanted to somehow escape from wrath and enter heaven. But now, our church life should be driven by our love for the Lord not by any fear of punishment. Our repentance, dedication, service, and teaching ministry should all come from our love for the Lord. A person who loves the Lord could prevail over the world and even lay down his life. It was because he loved the Lord that Apostle Paul was able to confess, “according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:20-21). We must love God and not be bound by the Law any longer. The work that God desires should become our own and we must bring joy to our beloved God.

            Without love for God, one would neglect the Lord’s Day, tithe reluctantly and be miserly in his offering. The church operation would become difficult without the congregations’ offerings, eventually limiting the Lord’s work. It would be hard to love the Lord for someone whose life is centered on self-love. We can rejoice as we carry our cross and follow the path of suffering because our beloved Lord has already gone that way.

The Object of Our Love

            At the Last Supper, Jesus said to His disciples, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (John 13:34). He has given a new commandment in place of the Law. ‘Have you received my love? Then, love one another. If you love me, then love one another. Do you want to receive God’s love? Then, love one another.’ Not having love for one’s brethren is proof that one does not love God. First John 4:20-21 says, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.”

            The Law emphasizes, ‘love your neighbor!’ But the people, who misunderstand the meaning of this, believe everyone apart from themselves in this world is their neighbor whom they have to love unconditionally. If the Israelites of the Old Testament had the same view, they could not have tormented or killed the Gentiles. ‘Love your neighbor’ means to love your brethren whom God’s has delivered. First John 5:1 says, “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.” He who believes in Christ is born of God. However, God did not only begotten that one person, but others too. Thus, if we love God it is only natural that we love those who are born of God. First John 5:2 says, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.” The object of our love is none other than God’s children.

            First John 3:23 says, “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.” As we see in the words ‘He gave us commandment,’ the commandment of love has equally been given to all the believers. Since the unbelievers have not received this commandment, no condition is established between the believers and unbelievers to love each other. Those that received the Lord’s commandment are they who must love one another. And anyone who obeys that commandment abides in the Lord and the Lord in him (1 John 3:24).

            One other thing we need to be cautious of is the tendency to overlook the church. While people claim to love God, they think they could just go to any church, or that they can neglect their relationship with others as long as they are maintaining their relationship with God. The people whose relationship with God appears to be sound but who despise the church of God, as well as those who try to use God’s church for personal gain and success, are trapped in the desires of their flesh and likely to fail their faith life. A true Christian ought to have love for the church s/he is a part of.

            Some people start thinking of all the people in the world when they hear the message to love their brethren, and thus feel burdened. Our brethren are right beside us. Many people think that they have chosen to attend their church, but it was God who led us into the church of which we are members. While there are countless churches in the world, God has called us to this place to love each and every member. First Corinthians 7:20 says, “Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called.” There is an inevitable commandment of the Lord for every child of God, which is ‘love your brethren’, and thus love the church, the Lord’s body. It is self-contradictory to claim to love the invisible God whilst not loving the church that we can see. If there is no brotherly love in the church despite having an abundance of spiritual knowledge, how can the souls be led to God?

            One of the main reasons why people cannot receive answers to their prayers is because they fail to love their brethren. First John 3:22-23 says, “And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.” Those who obey the Lord’s commandment are able to receive answers to their prayers. That commandment is to love one another.

            Some people become despondent because they had determined themselves and tried to love their brethren, yet they had no response. But we should not worry about that. First Corinthians 8:3 says, “But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.” Even though we may not see any response from loving our brethren, if we love God and for that reason love our brethren also, God will remember us.

            We need to first love the church of which we are members. Some people say, “I hope my children would become great servants of the Lord.” But who is the great servant of the Lord? Love and faithfulness towards the church take precedence over having a wealth of spiritual knowledge. We cannot simply stand by when the church is on the brink of collapse; rather we should support the church even with all of our life. And even if someone does lose his breath of life in doing so, God will forever exalt his name.

            If we love God, we must love the church. This is not possible with our own strength and ability. Hence, we need to seek God’s help. God not only saved us but also leads us into eternal life, and His plan should be fulfilled in our spirit. We must seek the power to love God according to the new commandment of the Lord. We have to ask for the power to support the church with the love of God. All the saints should be united as one and rely on the Holy Spirit, to form a church filled with the Lord’s love; a church that is not overcome by the trends and desires of the world; a church full of the Lord’s nature and characteristics.