The Law of Love

This past Tuesday in front of the State Capitol in St. Paul, Governor Mark Dayton signed a bill making same-sex marriage legal in Minnesota effective August 1, 2013. This so-called “history-making” event was attended by thousands of people. I happened to be in St. Paul that evening but was evangelizing by a lake five miles from the Capitol.

A few hours before the bill was signed, an old childhood friend who I reconnected with through Facebook posted the music video for “Love is the Law.” This song by the Suburbs was a regional hit thirty years ago. I used to like this song but was saddened to learn the Minneapolis-based group had donated use of it for the cause of “marriage equality.”

The Bible has a few things to say about the law of love…

“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.” - Romans 13:8

“Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” - Romans 13:10

“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” - Galatians 5:13-15

Same-sex marriage activists who claim to be believers need to study the Bible more. It’s hypocritical for them to preach about love when they often express hatred toward God-fearing individuals who don’t agree with their beliefs. Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” One of those commandments is to “flee sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). That includes homosexuality (see Romans 1:18-32 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

Jesus also said this about the last days: “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:12) People who willfully disobey God’s commandments can harden their hearts to where they become desensitized to His voice. It is only through the Holy Spirit that one can truly walk in God’s love (see Romans 5:5).

Non-Christians may demonstrate acts of kindness but cannot fully obey the law of love unless they first become born again. Then they must be willing to lay aside their own selfish desires and follow all of God commandments instead of cherry-picking those they agree with.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” - 1 John 4:7-9