Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

I would venture to guess that many would respond to this verse with this reply; “I can’t do it.”

My answer to that is, you are right you cannot. BUT; isn’t there always a better answer? The better answer to this verse is “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Christ dwells in your heart for just this reason, He is able to do that which we cannot.

I hear “I cannot” so much these days. If you believe you cannot, you will not. But if you believe Jesus Christ can, then do not allow your negative feelings hinder His efforts. If you are in Christ and Christ in you, why do you doubt the God who is able to do all things?

Agape is the love that fulfilled the law. It was not eros, and it was not philio. You can eros and philio your neighbor to earthy ends but that will not satisfy God’s perfect law. Only agape can do that because it is not only of God it is God.

God is love according to 1 John 4:6. If He dwells within your heart, His love dwells in your heart. Given that His love is perfect, allow for this, that He will look to the needs of your heart first.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Yesterday I talked about Satan’s great lie and the fear that is cast abroad in a heart because of that lie must first be dealt with before the indwelling love can be shown to others. God cares more about you and anything you can do by obedience of faith.

2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

The greatest lie told and believed to the failing of those who have bought into the lie is this; that Christ only died for the righteous. Undoing this lie is a painstaking chore. At the core of the lie is the illusion that you who believe this lie are doomed to hell. The pain associated with this lie takes on a natural enforcement of justice, I deserve death.

It presents itself in simple acts of selfishness which the devil uses to condemn the act as proof that you are still unworthy of His love and nothing you can do will ever change your circumstances. Every good lie contains a modem of truth.

Allow me to unwrap the lie and roll out the truth. Christ died once for all mankind’s sins, past present and future. The reason for this is simple if you look at the demands for an act that satisfies God’s Holy demands for justice. This atonement has to cover all offenses or it is not a just God who states plainly “that whosoever believeth in him should not perish” in John 3:16. Whosoever is not a restrictive clause it is an inclusive clause. No one is denied the opportunity for salvation.

Salvation is no long offered on the basis of man’s performance. Salvation is based purely upon the sacrifice of atonement which only demands acceptance of the sacrifice. Sin has been dealt with and is no longer an issue before God. God does not have a problem with sin, we do.

2 Corinthians 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

The basis for our attitude and actions surrounding sin is no longer a matter of performance, it is a love response based on our acceptance of forgiveness which is rooted and grounded in love.