Can All 613 Laws be Summed Up in One Word?
Let’s take a look and see
It had been over six weeks of running a fever, and I was not improving. The hospital nurses drew blood every time my fever rose several times daily, to no avail. The many tests gave no clue about what made me sick. I continued to deteriorate. With my vitals unstable, I was given a central line and placed in ICU.
The perplexed doctor asked me several times, “Are you sure you are not on any new medications?” I had already said no, and then he modified the question, “Were any of your dosages changed?” And suddenly, I remembered, yes, there was an increase in one of my heart medications. I could see the expression on the doctor’s face change. He took me off that medication, and I immediately improved.
Amazingly, one small thing can make such a big difference.
Here is a story of a man who had one thing that was making him spiritually sick:
A religious leader asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?” But the leader said, “I have obeyed all these commands since I was a boy.” When Jesus heard this, he said to the leader, “But there is still one thing you need to do. Sell everything you have and give the money to those who are poor. You will have riches in heaven. Then come and follow me.” (Luke 18:18, 21–22, ERV)
The religious leader was wealthy, and parting with his money would be problematic. We are led to believe that money was the one thing separating him from giving his life to God, but was it?
I had just one little pill that was killing me physically. This wealthy man had one thing that was killing him spiritually, and it wasn’t money. It was love. He loved his money.
Can that one act, love, make that much difference? Well, according to Paul, it does:
Owe nothing to anyone except the debt of love you owe one another. The one who loves others has fulfilled the Law. “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and every other commandment are all summed up in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love cannot result in any harm to the neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the Law. (Romans 13:8–10, NCB)
God displayed the best example of love. His act of love by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, would cure all our ails. We receive forgiveness, cleansing, and an indwelling of the Holy Spirit. His one act of love made all the difference in the world.
Our job is not to try to please God by fulfilling all 613 laws. Our job is to love. If we fall short in this action, we need to pray, asking the author of love to help us. He has an abundance to go around to everyone. There is no shortage in His warehouse.
Don’t let one thing separate you from a healthy relationship with Christ.
