“Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal. 6:2)

Christians are constantly being reminded by Paul that they are not keepers of the law but fulfillers. Just as Jesus fulfilled the old law, Christians are to fulfill the law of Christ. This is a departure in the use of the word law for Paul. Up until now he has been primarily concerned with the Law of Moses. Jews were responsible for keeping that law. Christians are responsible for fulfilling the law of Christ.

As has been mentioned before, all men have always been under a law code of some type. Law codes have to be kept but they are not kept for salvation. The law of Moses was a covenant law and offered justification to anyone who would keep it. No one could, however, until Jesus came. He kept the law perfectly which brought it to a close. He kept it and fulfilled it at one time. The death of Christ on the cross ended the law of Moses as a means of justification and returned the original process of justification by grace.

Jesus came to destroy the old law and establish a justification of grace through faith. But there was and is a code of law which must be fulfilled by the one justified. One way to do that is to love your brother as yourself. Hence Paul is saying that being responsible for others is a way to love your brother. This action of the child of God is not work for salvation but action caused by love. God created the Christian for good works. Those good works have to do with our interaction with our neighbors.

Take care of others, keeps the law of Christ. We are saved, justified, by grace. We serve by fulfilling the law of Christ, that perfect law of liberty.

Task for Today: Live in grace, serve in love. Do your fulfillment of Christ’s law by taking care of others. Love God with all your being but add to that love for others. The greatest proof of your love for God is your love for other people. Jesus pointed out that how you treat others is how you treat him. Think about that the next time you are tempted to disparage another human being.