“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Galatians 2:16
“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:9-12)
“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:20-24)
How also does one define love except through faith in Jesus Christ, who is God’s Word? “Loving” other people can be just about anything if God isn’t the judge of what is and isn’t love. All of the passages are written and understood within the context of the Gospel, which is Jesus being the Savior of the world, the one and only acceptable sacrifice for sins, and “the way, the truth, and the life.” Works of the law only please God when they’re actually the “fruit of the Spirit,” not works done out of the belief that they themselves can justify us to God or please Him without faith.
I'm not sure what your point is. Love is love. Jesus explained what it means to "love one's neighbour" in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37.)
>>>All of the passages are written and understood within the context of the Gospel, which is Jesus being the Savior of the world, the one and only acceptable sacrifice for sins, and “the way, the truth, and the life.” Works of the law only please God when they’re actually the “fruit of the Spirit,” not works done out of the belief that they themselves can justify us to God or please Him without faith.<<<
I was not referring to the many ordinances of the law of Moses; but the law of the new covenant, which was based on a small part of the law found in Leviticus 19:18. Recall that Jesus did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfil; and He explained that all the law is fulfilled by this:
"… whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law..." (Mat 7:12 KJV)
In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus explained, in another manner, that all the law is based on His two great commandments, which are like unto each other:
1) love God
2) love your neighbour as yourself
Now, when we call upon his name and are saved, He writes his law in our hearts and minds so we no longer need anyone to teach us his law:
"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." (Heb 10:16-17 KJV)
"And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." (Jer 31:34 KJV)
Paul explains in Hebrews 9 that the new covenant is the new testament.
Philip